PPS Energy Resources

South Australia’s Solar Sharer Offer: How the 3-Hour Free Electricity Period Works

What eligible South Australian households should know about the regulated opt-in offer, its designated three-hour free-use period, the 24 kWh reasonable-use allowance and the charges that still apply.

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What the Solar Sharer Offer means for South Australian households

From 1 July 2026, eligible South Australian residential customers can choose an electricity standing offer called the Solar Sharer Offer. The offer includes a designated three-hour period in the middle of each day when the usage component of eligible general electricity consumption is free, whether or not the household has rooftop solar. [1]

For the regulated Solar Sharer Offer in South Australia, the published free-use period is 12 pm–3 pm. Up to 24 kWh of electricity used during the designated period is included within the reasonable-use allowance. Usage above the allowance is charged at the plan’s reasonable-use rate. [2]

Separate retailer market offers may use a different three-hour period or apply different rates and conditions. Customers should therefore confirm the exact offer being considered rather than assuming every free-use electricity plan operates between 12 pm and 3 pm.

Electricity used outside the applicable free period, the daily supply charge and controlled-load usage remain chargeable.

The Solar Sharer Offer is a time-of-use plan. The free period therefore should not be considered in isolation. A household that cannot move enough consumption into the middle of the day may pay more at other times than it would under another plan.

The practical PPS position

The offer should be assessed against the household’s actual bills, interval usage pattern, current tariff, solar position and realistic ability to shift demand. The word “free” describes one part of the tariff—not the total cost of the plan.

What is the Solar Sharer Offer?

The Solar Sharer Offer is an opt-in regulated standing offer introduced within the Default Market Offer framework. It is intended to help households use more electricity during periods of abundant daytime solar generation and reduce demand during higher-cost periods, particularly the evening.

It is not an automatic tariff. Eligible customers must choose to move onto the offer through a participating retailer. Retailers with more than 1,000 customers across the Default Market Offer regions are required to make the Solar Sharer Offer available to eligible households.

A household does not need rooftop solar or a home battery to participate. The word “Solar” refers to the high level of solar electricity available in the grid during the middle of the day, not to solar panels at the property.

South Australian hours and reasonable-use allowance

For the regulated Solar Sharer Offer in South Australia, the free-use period is 12 pm to 3 pm ACST/ACDT every day. The window remains at those local clock times throughout the year and does not move because of daylight saving.

The reasonable-use allowance is up to 24 kWh of electricity during the three-hour period each day . The allowance refers to energy used across the period; it is not a requirement to use the full amount.

How the South Australian Solar Sharer Offer is charged
Usage category How it is treated Key setting
Eligible general usage during the regulated SSO free period The usage component is included at no cost within the reasonable-use allowance. 12 pm–3 pm*
Usage within the allowance Up to the published reasonable-use limit during the free-use period. Up to 24 kWh
Usage above the allowance Additional usage is charged at the plan’s reasonable-use rate. Rate applies
Usage outside the free period The plan’s peak, shoulder, off-peak or solar-soak rates apply according to the tariff schedule. Time-of-use

Source: Energy Made Easy [2].

*The 12 pm–3 pm window applies to the regulated Solar Sharer Offer in South Australia. Separate retailer market offers may provide free or discounted usage at different times.

If usage during the free period exceeds the reasonable-use allowance, the additional electricity is charged at a reasonable-use rate. Energy Made Easy describes this as the cheapest usage rate charged at other times of the day, such as an off-peak or solar-soak rate.

Retailer plan documents should be checked for the exact way the allowance and any excess usage are calculated and displayed on the bill.

Examples of retailer Solar Sharer Offer pages reviewed

These examples show how selected retailers describe their South Australian Solar Sharer standing offer. They are not a ranking, recommendation, endorsement or complete market list. Availability, rates and plan terms may change, so current retailer documents should be checked before switching.

Selected official retailer pages reviewed
Retailer Published offer name Offer type Advertised SA window Page status when checked
Lumo Energy Solar Sharer plan Regulated SSO standing offer 12 pm–3 pm The published page invites eligible South Australian customers to opt in by phone.
Origin Energy Origin Standing Solar Sharer Regulated SSO standing offer 12 pm–3 pm The published plan page invites customers to enter their address to view applicable rates and pricing.
AGL Solar Sharer Offer Regulated SSO standing offer 12 pm–3 pm The published page directs eligible customers to opt in by phone.
EnergyAustralia Standing Offer Solar Sharer Regulated SSO standing offer 12 pm–3 pm The page states that the plan is not yet available and is expected to launch by September 2026.

Official retailer pages reviewed: Lumo Energy [4], Origin Energy [6], AGL [7] and EnergyAustralia [5]. Last checked 29 July 2026.

Who may be eligible?

The published requirements focus on residential customers with a smart meter who are supplied in a Default Market Offer region and are not part of an embedded network.

  • a residential electricity account
  • a property in South Australia
  • an installed smart meter capable of measuring interval usage
  • supply that is not through an embedded network
  • a retailer that offers the Solar Sharer Offer
  • the customer actively choosing to opt in.

Both renters and homeowners may be eligible. Rooftop solar is not required.

A customer without a smart meter should ask the retailer whether one can be installed, how long the change may take and whether any fees apply.

An embedded network commonly exists where a site owner or operator supplies electricity within a retirement village, caravan park, apartment complex or similar development. Customers supplied through an embedded network are not eligible under the published Solar Sharer Offer requirements.

What remains charged?

The Solar Sharer Offer does not make the entire electricity bill free. The free treatment applies to eligible usage within the designated period and reasonable-use allowance.

Included within the free period The usage component of eligible general electricity use during the plan’s designated three-hour period, up to the reasonable-use allowance.
Electricity used outside the free-use period Time-of-use rates apply during the plan’s peak, shoulder, off-peak or solar-soak periods.
Usage above the allowance Electricity above the applicable 24 kWh allowance is charged at the plan’s reasonable-use rate.
Daily supply charge The fixed daily cost of remaining connected continues to apply, including on days when the free period is used.
Controlled-load usage Separately metered controlled-load appliances are charged at the controlled-load rate and do not receive the free-use treatment.
Solar export terms A household with rooftop solar should separately check the plan’s feed-in tariff and export conditions before switching.

Official guidance confirms that daily supply charges, controlled-load usage, usage outside the free period and usage above the reasonable-use allowance may remain chargeable. [2]

Why “free” does not automatically mean cheaper overall

The Solar Sharer Offer is a time-of-use tariff. Electricity used outside the free period is charged at the plan’s other time-based rates, and those rates can materially affect the total bill.

The offer is more likely to suit a household that can regularly move meaningful electricity use from the morning or evening into the middle of the day. It may be less suitable where most consumption occurs outside the free period and cannot be changed.

A household should compare:

  • the estimated annual cost of the complete offer
  • rates applying outside the designated free-use period
  • the daily supply charge
  • controlled-load rates
  • the treatment of usage above the allowance
  • any solar feed-in tariff
  • actual interval data
  • realistic load-shifting ability.

Energy Made Easy advises customers to compare the whole plan, not only the free-use headline. Where available, using the property’s National Metering Identifier can produce a comparison based on the household’s previous usage rather than a generic household profile.

The key test is total bill impact

A household can receive free usage during the designated period and still pay more overall if higher charges at other times outweigh that benefit.

Household usage that may be shifted safely and practically

Official guidance identifies several activities that may be moved into the free period where it is safe and practical to do so. [3]

Laundry and dishwashing Washing machines, dishwashers and clothes dryers may be scheduled within the three-hour period where appropriate.
Heating and cooling Pre-heating or pre-cooling the home may reduce the amount of energy required later in the day.
Electric-vehicle charging EV charging may be moved into the middle of the day where the vehicle, charger and household routine allow.
Timers and smart settings Appliance timers can help move regular tasks into the designated period without relying on daily manual changes.
Useful consumption only The aim is to shift electricity the household already needs, not to create unnecessary usage simply because the rate is free.
Controlled-load check Hot water, pool pumps or other equipment may not benefit if supplied through a separately charged controlled-load circuit.

Appliances should be used in accordance with manufacturer instructions and the property’s electrical capacity. Households should not run multiple high-load appliances solely to maximise free usage without considering circuit limits, safety and whether the activity is genuinely useful.

Solar Sharer Offer Questions Homeowners and Renters Should Ask

Before switching, ask:

What is the estimated annual cost using the property’s actual meter data?

Is this the regulated Solar Sharer Offer or a separate retailer market offer?

What exact three-hour free-use window applies to this plan, and is it confirmed in the current retailer terms?

Can the household realistically shift enough useful consumption into the plan’s designated free-use period?

How is the 24 kWh reasonable-use allowance applied and shown on the bill?

What rate applies to usage above the reasonable-use allowance?

What is the daily supply charge?

For a property with rooftop solar, what feed-in tariff and export terms apply?

Which appliances are on a controlled-load circuit and what rate applies to them?

If I don’t have a smart meter and need to get one installed, are there installation or metering fees?

How will the household monitor the first bills after changing plans?

The free period is one part of a suitable electricity plan

The Solar Sharer Offer creates a genuine retailer-plan opportunity for some South Australian households, particularly where useful consumption can be moved into the middle of the day.

It should not, however, be selected solely because it contains three hours of free electricity. The plan needs to be assessed as a complete tariff against the property’s actual energy use, current rates, solar position, controlled loads and household goals.

Practical Power Solutions reviews electricity bills, usage timing, tariff structure, existing solar and future household requirements before considering how a retailer plan may fit the property’s broader energy position.

Bill-led review The assessment begins with the property’s actual electricity costs and when energy is used—not the free-use headline alone.
Whole-plan comparison The free period, outside-window rates, supply charge, controlled loads and solar export terms are considered together.
Practical household fit Any change should reflect what the household can safely and consistently shift without creating inconvenience or unnecessary consumption.

The Solar Sharer Offer may reduce bills for households that can use the tariff structure effectively. For others, a different standing offer or market offer may provide a better overall result.

Important information and references

Solar Sharer Offer settings, retailer availability, electricity rates, eligibility requirements and plan terms may change. Practical Power Solutions recommends confirming the current retailer plan documents, smart-meter requirements, controlled-load treatment, solar export terms and total estimated cost before switching.

This guide provides general information and does not replace the retailer’s energy plan documents or advice based on a household’s individual circumstances.

Last reviewed by Practical Power Solutions: 29 July 2026

Sources cited in this article

Additional official retailer sources reviewed

These retailer pages were reviewed to confirm the published offer names, advertised South Australian windows and page status shown in the article. Inclusion does not represent a PPS ranking, recommendation or endorsement.

[5]

EnergyAustralia. (2026). Standing Offer Solar Sharer ↗ Accessed 29 July 2026. The page stated that the plan was not yet available and was expected to launch by September 2026.