4 November 2026, 4 mins
The Solar Sharer Offer gives eligible households three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day.
It launched on 1 July 2026 and is designed to help households use more electricity when solar generation is abundant. You do not need rooftop solar to access it, but you do need a smart meter and an eligible retailer.
The important part is what happens outside those three free hours.
Solar Sharer is not a plan where your whole electricity bill becomes free. You still pay for electricity outside the free window and your daily supply charge, so whether it works for your home depends on how much electricity you can move into the free period.
Here’s how Solar Sharer works and how it compares with other options.
Solar Sharer is a regulated electricity offer introduced by the Australian Government as part of the Default Market Offer (DMO) reforms.
It is administered within the regulatory framework overseen by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), rather than being a product created by Flow Power.
The offer is available to eligible households in:
Retailers with more than 1,000 customers in DMO regions are required to make the Solar Sharer Offer available to eligible households.
Solar Sharer is optional. You choose whether to opt in through your retailer after considering how well the offer matches your household’s energy use.
The basic idea is simple: you get a set period of free electricity in the middle of the day.
You can use up to 24 kWh of electricity per day during the free period.
The free window depends on where you live:
| State or region | Free electricity window | Daily free-use cap |
| NSW | 11am–2pm | Up to 24 kWh |
| South East Queensland | 11am–2pm | Up to 24 kWh |
| South Australia | 12pm–3pm | Up to 24 kWh |
The offer is based on local time.
Outside the free window, you still pay the applicable usage rates and daily supply charge for your plan.
Solar Sharer is currently available in the Default Market Offer regions of NSW, South Australia and South East Queensland.
Victoria has its own Midday Power Saver arrangement from October 2026 rather than the Solar Sharer Offer.
The Australian Government has also said it is considering the potential expansion of Solar Sharer or a similar offer into other areas.
No.
You do not need rooftop solar or a home battery to access Solar Sharer.
You do need an eligible home with a smart meter, and you need to opt in through a retailer offering the plan.
Having solar or a battery can change how much value you get from the free window, though.
A battery can charge during the free period and store that energy for later. Solar households can also use more of their available generation during the day instead of exporting it.
The three free hours are only one part of the plan.
You still pay for:
The AER regulates the tariff structure for Solar Sharer. The offer has a daily free period, but it is not designed to make your entire electricity bill free.
This means your household’s usage pattern matters.
If you can move a meaningful amount of electricity into the free window, you have more opportunity to benefit. If most of your electricity use happens in the evening and you cannot change that, the free period may have less impact on your overall bill.
Before switching, compare the Solar Sharer rates during and outside the free period with the rates on your current plan.
You do not need solar or a battery to use Solar Sharer, but either can give you more ways to use the free electricity.
Look at the appliances that use the most electricity and see which ones you can safely schedule between 11am and 2pm in NSW and South East Queensland, or 12pm and 3pm in South Australia.
This could include:
Timers and smart appliance settings can make this easier.
If you have rooftop solar, the middle of the day is already when your system may be producing the most electricity.
Using more electricity at home during this period can increase your self-consumption rather than sending as much solar back to the grid.
A battery can store electricity during the free period and make that stored energy available later.
This can be particularly useful for households that use more electricity in the evening, when the Solar Sharer free window has ended.
The important thing to remember is the 24 kWh daily cap. The free period does not mean you can charge an unlimited amount of energy for free.
Solar Sharer is designed for households that can move some of their electricity use into the middle of the day.
It may suit you if you:
You may want to think more carefully about it if your electricity use is concentrated in the evening and you have little flexibility to change when you use energy.
The key question is not simply “How much free electricity do I get?”
It is “How much of my household’s electricity use can I actually move into the free window?”
Solar Sharer is one way to make the most of abundant daytime electricity. Flow Power has residential plans built around a similar idea of changing when you use or export energy, but the way each plan works is different.
| Plan | Free or premium window | Daily cap / export limit | Evening export | Best suited for |
| Solar Sharer | 3 free hours: 11am–2pm NSW & SE QLD, 12pm–3pm SA | Up to 24 kWh free electricity per day | No specific Solar Sharer premium export window | Homes that can move electricity use into the free period |
| Flow Power 4Free | 4 free hours: 11am–3pm local time | Up to 8 kWh per hour, up to 32 kWh per day | Premium export 5:30–9:30pm on first 15 kWh | Homes with flexible daytime electricity use, including EV, hot water and battery households |
| Flow Power Happy Hour | No free usage window | Premium export applies to first 15 kWh | Up to 30c/kWh VIC or 35c/kWh NSW, SA & QLD from 5:30–9:30pm; 10c/kWh after 15 kWh in the window; 0c/kWh outside | Homes with solar and a battery that can export during the evening window |
Indicative product information only. Rates, eligibility, network conditions and offer terms can change. Product-specific rates and conditions should be checked against the current energy price fact sheet before switching.
Flow Power’s 4Free plan gives eligible households four free hours of electricity use between 11am and 3pm local time, with up to 8 kWh per hour and 32 kWh per day eligible for the 4Free credit.
It also includes an evening export window from 5:30pm to 9:30pm, where eligible exports can receive a premium rate on the first 15 kWh.
That makes 4Free particularly relevant if you have flexible daytime energy use and want to make more of your electricity use free during the day.
Explore 4Free
Flow Power’s Happy Hour plan is designed for homes with solar and a battery.
You can earn up to 35c/kWh in Victoria and QLD or 40c/kWh in NSW & South Australia on the first 15 kWh exported between 5:30pm and 9:30pm. Exports above the first 15 kWh during the window receive 10c/kWh, while exports outside the window receive 0c/kWh.
You remain in control of your battery. Flow Power does not remotely control it or operate it as a VPP.
Explore Battery Happy Hour
Solar Sharer is a regulated electricity offer introduced by the Australian Government as part of the Default Market Offer reforms.
It is not a Flow Power product.
Solar Sharer started on 1 July 2026.
It is currently available to eligible households in NSW, South Australia and South East Queensland.
The free window is 11am–2pm in NSW and South East Queensland, and 12pm–3pm in South Australia.
No.
You do not need rooftop solar or a battery. You do need an eligible household with a smart meter and a retailer offering the Solar Sharer Offer.
The free electricity applies to eligible usage during the three-hour window, up to the daily 24 kWh cap.
Your entire electricity bill is not free. You still pay for electricity outside the window and the daily supply charge.
A battery can give you more flexibility.
You can charge the battery during the free window and use that stored energy later, including during the evening.
Whether this benefits your household depends on your battery size, usage and the rates that apply to the rest of your electricity use.
Solar Sharer provides three free hours of electricity each day, with a 24 kWh daily cap.
Flow Power’s 4Free plan provides four free hours from 11am–3pm local time, with up to 8 kWh per hour and 32 kWh per day eligible for the 4Free credit. It also includes a premium evening export window.
The right option depends on how your household uses electricity and whether you have flexible loads, solar or a battery.