The Australian government has announced the introduction of the Solar Sharer program, mandating energy retailers to provide households with at least three hours of free solar electricity during peak daytime generation periods starting July 2026. This initiative, led by Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, aims to make solar energy more accessible, even for households without rooftop installations, particularly in New South Wales, south-east Queensland, and South Australia. The program is designed to help households take advantage of peak solar production times, promoting efficient electricity consumption while addressing economic pressures from surplus solar energy.
Under the Solar Sharer initiative, energy retailers will be tasked with supplying free solar-generated electricity for a minimum of three hours during midday, stimulating participation in Australia’s shift towards solar energy. Bowen emphasized that the program aims to harness every ray of sunlight to power homes, thus expanding the benefits of solar participation to a wider audience. It will mainly target households equipped with smart meters, encouraging them to use energy-intensive appliances during designated free electricity hours when solar output is at its highest.
Australia stands out as a global leader in solar energy, with over four million rooftop installations contributing to significant surpluses during peak generation times. Recent records show a substantial rooftop solar capacity of 26.8GW in the first half of 2025, reaching up to 15GW during peak generation periods. However, the excess production has led to lower wholesale electricity prices and reduced feed-in tariff rates, putting financial strain on the solar sector. The Solar Sharer program aims to mitigate these economic challenges by incentivizing increased electricity usage during solar generation peaks, thereby maximizing the advantages of midday solar production.
To benefit from this program, households will require smart meters to access free electricity during the specified times, which will encompass all electrical consumption, including high-demand appliances like air conditioning and washing machines. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) will oversee the program’s implementation, ensuring that electricity rates outside of the free hours remain fair and that energy retailers do not raise standard rates to compensate for the free power.
This program initially focuses on regions governed by the Default Market Offer, with plans for discussions to extend the Solar Sharer initiative to Victoria and Western Australia by 2027. The initiative underscores Australia’s evolving electricity landscape shaped by increasing renewable energy usage and storage capabilities. While energy retailers will be obligated to offer these plans, consumers will have the option to opt in, allowing them to decide their participation in harnessing the benefits of the country’s abundant solar energy resources.