Free Daytime Power Is Coming to NSW — Here's What You Need to Know
- Davy Zhou
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Big news for NSW homeowners: free daytime electricity is on the way. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has released details of the upcoming Solar Sharer Offer, which will make three hours of free electricity available every day to eligible NSW households from 1 July 2026. Here's everything you need to know — and how to make sure you're positioned to get the most out of it.
What Is the Solar Sharer Offer?
The Solar Sharer Offer is an opt-in electricity plan that will give households with a smart meter access to a daily window of free electricity. From 1 July, NSW households can take advantage of a free electricity period running from 11am to 2pm every day.
Key details include:
Available from 1 July 2026 to any NSW household with a smart meter
Completely opt-in — no obligation to switch
Three hours of free electricity daily, from 11am to 2pm
A daily cap of 24 kilowatt-hours of free electricity
No penalty for exceeding the cap — you simply revert to your standard daytime rate for any excess usage
All major electricity retailers will be required to offer these plans
Will You Actually Save Money?
This is the important question, and the honest answer is: it depends on how you use it.
The Solar Sharer Offer is designed so that households with typical electricity consumption patterns won't pay any extra by switching. While there may be slightly higher rates outside the free window, normal usage during the free period is expected to balance that out.
However, to genuinely save money, you'll need to shift some of your electricity consumption into that 11am–2pm window. The good news is there are straightforward ways to do this — and some of them you may already have in place.
How Solar, Batteries and EV Chargers Help You Maximise the Offer
This is where having the right technology at home makes a real difference.
Home battery storage is arguably the biggest winner here. On cloudy winter days when your solar panels aren't producing much, you can still charge your battery with up to 24 free kilowatt-hours during the free window — then use that stored energy in the evening when rates are higher. For households with a battery, the Solar Sharer Offer could deliver meaningful ongoing savings.
Solar panels alone may not benefit as much. If your system is already generating plenty of electricity during the middle of the day, you're likely using little grid power in the free window anyway. That said, a solar and battery combination is where the real value lies — your panels generate, your battery stores, and the free window tops everything up on low-production days.
EV chargers are another excellent way to take advantage of the free period. If your electric vehicle is parked at home during the day — even occasionally — scheduling it to charge between 11am and 2pm means you're filling up on free electricity. That's a compelling reason to consider a home EV charger if you haven't already.
The Bigger Picture
The Solar Sharer Offer reflects a growing reality: rooftop solar is reshaping how and when electricity is consumed across NSW. The free window is designed to soak up the surge in solar generation during the middle of the day, reducing pressure on the grid and passing the benefit on to households willing to shift their usage.
At Solterra Electrical, this is exactly the kind of shift we've been helping NSW homeowners prepare for. The households that will benefit most from the Solar Sharer Offer are those with smart, well-designed solar and battery systems — and that's precisely what we specialise in.
Get Ready Before 1 July
Whether you're looking to install solar panels, add a battery to an existing system, or set up a home EV charger, now is the ideal time to act. Getting your system in place before 1 July means you'll be ready to take full advantage of the free electricity window from day one.
Get in touch with the Solterra Electrical team today to find out how we can tailor a clean energy solution for your NSW home — and make sure you're ready to make the most of what's coming.
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