Solar Sharer Offer and Home Batteries in South East Queensland

The Solar Sharer Offer gives eligible South East Queensland households a three-hour window of free electricity from 11am to 2pm each day. A home battery can be charged during that window if the system can be configured to do so. That sounds attractive, but the whole electricity plan still matters.

The offer is optional. It applies in South East Queensland, not automatically throughout the state, and you do not need rooftop solar to sign up for the electricity plan. The Australian Government says eligible households can access up to 24kWh of free electricity during the daily window. Supply charges and electricity used outside that window still apply.

Could a battery store the free midday power?

Potentially, yes. A compatible battery could charge during the free period and discharge later when electricity costs more. You need an installer or system provider to confirm how charging from the grid works with your particular battery, inverter, controls and retailer plan.

If you already have rooftop solar, also look at what your panels generate during those hours. Your battery may be able to charge from your own surplus solar. The better charging choice depends on your feed-in tariff, import prices and the system's settings.

The plan is more than the free three hours

Before changing electricity plans, compare the daily supply charge, prices outside 11am to 2pm, any usage charge above the free allowance, and what happens to your solar feed-in tariff. A household that uses little power in the free window could pay more overall on a different plan. Check your bills after switching.

To qualify for the Solar Sharer Offer, households generally need to be in an eligible area, have a smart meter, not be supplied through an embedded network and use a retailer required to offer it. Your retailer can confirm your eligibility and plan terms.

Does the offer replace the federal battery discount?

No. These are different things. The Solar Sharer Offer is an electricity plan. The federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program is a discount on an eligible battery installation connected to new or existing solar PV. A grid-only battery may be useful under a particular tariff but does not qualify for that federal installation discount. Read can you get a battery without solar panels?.

Questions worth asking

  • Can the proposed battery charge from the grid between 11am and 2pm?

  • How will the system choose between grid electricity and rooftop solar?

  • What will the full electricity plan cost outside the free window?

  • Does the estimated battery payback still make sense on a different plan?

  • Will you keep a reserve for blackout backup if that matters to you?

Battery Match QLD can help you prepare for that conversation. Send us a recent electricity bill and tell us whether you already have solar. We can prepare a plain-English Battery Fit Check and, where possible, introduce you to one suitable installer for a formal quote. Our service is free for homeowners and there is no obligation to proceed. Start your Battery Match.

Electricity plans and eligibility can change. Confirm current terms with your retailer and technical capability with a suitably licensed installer.

Official sources: Solar Sharer Offer ยท Cheaper Home Batteries Program eligibility