Flow Home vs the default Solar Sharer offer 

The Australian government’s Solar Sharer offer is now live in the market. And while we celebrate any initiatives to encourage more daytime usage during cheaper periods, this isn’t a new tactic to energy savvy Flow Power customers.  

For over 2 years since the launch of Flow Home, thousands of our residential customers have enjoyed the on-bill rewards of using more cheaper, greener power in the middle of the day, and less during high priced periods – typically in the evening. Supporting customers to access daytime low priced and even negative electricity periods has been our core business model since 2009.  Not just free, negative prices. During periods of high renewable generation (like sunny or windy days), supply can exceed demand, causing wholesale prices to drop below zero. 

Beyond negative prices, Flow Power has long championed wholesale electricity pricing and intelligent energy usage through hardware, alerts and smart contracts. From incentivising our large industrial customers to power down to stabilise the grid in low supply periods, to unlocking lower prices with access to transparent personalised usage data, Flow Power is on a mission to support Australia’s renewable energy transition, together with our customers. 

There’s a clear winner for battery owners

With Flow Power’s wholesale linked plan, you get a boosted opportunity to control when you use the most energy, and support Australia’s grid by exporting when power is needed the most.  For battery owners, it’s also important to note Flow Power isn’t a VPP – you’ll always have control of your battery and the benefit of extra control over your bill. 

Flow Power is still proudly offering one of the most competitive export rates in the market. Not just free power, an opportunity to generate credit with your battery. 

Three hours of free daytime electricity sounds appealing, but it’s only one part of an electricity plan and worth considering what you’ll actually pay over a year, depending on your unique usage patterns and export opportunities. 

What happens during the other 21 hours of the day?

For the government Solar Sharer offer, depending on your distribution network, usage rates outside of the 3 free hours can range from 8c/kWh to 64c/kWh, with daily supply charges from 176c to 272c per day.  

Solar Sharer’s three hours of free electricity every day is an eye-catching offer and a fantastic way to communicate cheap daytime power exists thanks to solar generation. But, these are key facts Flow Power customers already know:  

1. Electricity is typically cheaper in the middle of the day thanks to plenty of rooftop solar flooding the grid; 

1. Electricity is more expensive outside of this period, especially during peak periods when demand is highest and fossil fuel supply needs to power on). 

Astute energy users know electricity isn’t only cheap during those 3 hours. Periods of high solar and wind can significantly drive prices down – especially if accompanied with low electricity demand (think: a sunny mild day, where you unexpectedly don’t need your air con or heating). And, if you join a dynamic priced electricity plan linked to the wholesale market, then shift your energy usage around these periods, you should see savings on your bill, giving you more control over what you pay.