The observation about changing demand patterns applies to various regulated and private free electricity offers, not just the regulated Solar Sharer tariff.
What Solar Sharer is
The foundation is a tariff established by Australia's energy regulator AER for household customers with smart meters. Those who voluntarily enroll receive three consecutive free hours around midday, up to a daily limit of 24 kilowatt-hours. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said in November 2025 that the AER would regulate the offer so customers receive fair pricing outside free hours. The AER distributes revenue losses from the free window, including network costs, across other tariffs.
Who could benefit most
AER chair Clare Savage acknowledged in March 2026 that wealthy households with electric vehicles and batteries can shift more consumption, but argued that it benefits everyone when these customers avoid charging during peak demand. Many of these customers already had solar panels and batteries they could charge during free hours for evening peak use, but the regulator cautioned that benefits for customers without their own energy resources depend on whether they can shift enough consumption away from expensive evening peak to offset higher usage rates and often higher standing charges compared to other market offers. Even with consumption shifting, switching to Solar Sharer may not save money, the AER noted, as savings depend on usage patterns and current tariff. The regulator urged positioning the offer not as a solution to energy affordability for many, but as an opportunity for those who can shift consumption most effectively.
Comparison to other offers
Free midday electricity existed in Australia before Solar Sharer. OvoEnergy offered three free hours since 2024, Globird four hours, and Origin one hour, according to Energy Consumers Australia. What is new is that the government now requires providers with more than 1,000 customers across the DMO regions to offer such a tariff, rather than leaving it to individual companies. Victoria announced a similar Midday Power Saver offer that should be available from October 1, 2026. However, demand spikes appeared in Victoria by late August, before the official state standard launch, suggesting that numerous private offers were already in the market or other factors were at play.
Expansion and further context
According to ABC News in March 2026, the federal government consulted with other states about introducing the offer by July 2027. AER chair Clare Savage emphasized in March 2026 that the name Solar Sharer does not imply that customers must own solar panels or property.