The three free hours of power is the Solar Sharer Offer, a federal requirement that retailers in NSW, South East Queensland and South Australia offer at least one plan with a genuinely free three hour window in the middle of the day, capped at 24kWh daily. You do not need solar to use it, but you do need a smart meter, and you have to opt in yourself, it is not applied automatically.
The short version
- The Solar Sharer Offer gives eligible households 3 hours of genuinely free electricity daily, capped at 24kWh, from 1 July 2026.
- Available in NSW and SEQ (11am to 2pm) and South Australia (12pm to 3pm). Not yet in VIC, TAS, WA or the NT.
- You do not need solar to be eligible, but you do need a smart meter and you must opt in.
- EnergyAustralia, Origin, Red Energy, Engie, Dodo, OVO, Sumo and Energy Locals all offer a compliant plan.
- AGL's separate Three for Free offer in SA (10am to 1pm) launched a year earlier and is a different, retailer-specific product.
Free window by state or region
- NSW: 11am to 2pm, available from 1 July 2026.
- South East Queensland: 11am to 2pm, available from 1 July 2026.
- South Australia: 12pm to 3pm, available from 1 July 2026.
- Victoria, Tasmania, WA, NT: not yet available, not scheduled.
Why the government is doing this
It is the flip side of the low feed-in tariff problem. Rooftop and grid scale solar now oversupply the grid at midday, pushing wholesale electricity prices toward zero, and sometimes below it. Rather than let that cheap midday energy go to waste, the Solar Sharer Offer requires retailers to pass a genuinely free window straight to customers, encouraging people to run appliances, charge EVs or do laundry in the middle of the day instead of the evening peak, when the grid is under the most pressure.
Who is eligible
Any household in NSW, South East Queensland or South Australia, whether or not you have solar panels of your own. You do need a smart meter, and if you do not already have one, your retailer is required to offer to install one. The offer is opt in, not a default on your existing plan, so you have to actively ask your retailer for a Solar Sharer Offer plan or switch to one.
Which retailers offer it
EnergyAustralia, Origin, Red Energy, Engie, Dodo, OVO, Sumo and Energy Locals have all confirmed Solar Sharer Offer plans as of the July 2026 start date, since the requirement applies to retailers operating in the eligible states. Check directly with your own retailer or via Energy Made Easy, the government's plan comparison site, to confirm your specific plan includes it.
How it differs from AGL's earlier free hours plan
AGL launched its own "Three for Free" offer in South Australia in July 2025, a year ahead of the national scheme, giving customers free electricity from 10am to 1pm. That was a single retailer's own product, not a government mandate, and predates the Solar Sharer Offer by about twelve months. The two are separate: AGL's SA product may continue to run alongside the newer national requirement, with different hours.
What about Victoria, Tasmania, WA and the NT
The Solar Sharer Offer is not yet available in these states or territories. Government sources have flagged it as a candidate for future national expansion, but nothing is confirmed or scheduled as of July 2026. If you live in one of these states, check whether your own retailer runs an equivalent voluntary plan, since some do independently of the national scheme.
How it fits with an EV or a battery
The free window is a natural match for EV charging, since three hours on a home charger is enough to add a meaningful chunk of range at zero cost, provided you can plug in during the day rather than overnight. It also pairs well with a battery: charge the battery during the free window instead of, or as well as, from your own solar, then use that stored energy in the evening peak when grid electricity is at its most expensive. Neither an EV nor a battery is required to benefit from the offer, but both make it worth noticeably more.
Is it worth switching for
If you can genuinely shift usage into the free window, running the dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump or EV charger between 11am and 2pm or the equivalent local hours, it is close to free money, worth roughly the same as running those appliances on solar you do not even need to own. If your household is out during the day and cannot shift usage into that window, the saving is smaller, and a straightforward flat rate or time of use plan may suit you better.
Understand why export rates are so low in our feed in tariffs guide, and see if a battery makes sense in is a home battery worth it in 2026. Compare energy products on the WattsUp directory.
Frequently asked questions
What is the three free hours of power?
The Solar Sharer Offer, a federal requirement from 1 July 2026 that retailers in NSW, South East Queensland and South Australia offer at least one plan with three hours of genuinely free electricity in the middle of the day, capped at 24kWh daily.
Do I need solar to get free power hours?
No. The Solar Sharer Offer is available to any eligible household, with or without their own solar system, as long as they have a smart meter.
Is the free power window automatic?
No, it is opt in. You need to actively request a Solar Sharer Offer plan from your retailer, or switch to one, it is not applied to your existing plan by default.
What are the free hours in each state?
11am to 2pm in NSW and South East Queensland, and 12pm to 3pm in South Australia, as of the 1 July 2026 start date.
Is the free power offer available in Victoria or WA?
Not yet. As of July 2026 it covers NSW, South East Queensland and South Australia only. Victoria, Tasmania, WA and the NT are not currently included.