The Australian Government’s new Solar Sharer Offer is set to become one of the biggest electricity pricing changes for households across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW.
From 1 July 2026, eligible households in South East Queensland and New South Wales will be able to access at least three hours of free electricity during the middle of the day through participating energy retailers.
For regions like the Gold Coast and Brisbane, where rooftop solar adoption is already among the highest in Australia, the scheme could significantly change:
- Solar feed-in tariffs
- Battery charging strategies
- EV charging habits
- Electricity usage patterns
- The value of daytime solar exports
Has the Solar Sharer Scheme Been Legislated Yet?
Not fully.
At this stage, the Solar Sharer Offer has been formally announced by the Federal Government and incorporated into proposed reforms to the Default Market Offer (DMO) framework administered by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER).
The AER released draft determinations in March 2026, with final determinations expected in May 2026 ahead of the proposed 1 July 2026 commencement.
So while the framework and rollout are well advanced, the final implementation details are still being finalised through the regulatory process.
Importantly:
- The scheme is expected to proceed
- Retailers in DMO regions will likely be required to offer compliant plans
- Participation will remain optional for households
Why Gold Coast and Brisbane Are Directly Affected
South East Queensland is one of the key rollout regions because it falls under the federal Default Market Offer system. This includes:
- Gold Coast
- Brisbane
- Logan
- Ipswich
- Sunshine Coast
- Redlands
- Moreton Bay
These regions also have some of Australia’s highest rooftop solar penetration rates, which means huge amounts of excess solar energy are already flowing into the grid during the middle of the day.
In many suburbs across the Gold Coast and Brisbane:
- Wholesale electricity prices already regularly fall close to zero
- Export congestion is increasing
- Feed-in tariffs are continuing to trend downward
The Solar Sharer Offer is essentially designed to encourage households to use more electricity when solar generation is abundant.
What About Northern NSW?
Northern NSW is also included because New South Wales falls within the Default Market Offer region.
This means areas including:
- Tweed Heads
- Byron Bay
- Ballina
- Lismore
- Murwillumbah
are expected to have access to Solar Sharer plans from July 2026.
For Northern NSW homeowners already investing heavily in solar and batteries, this may accelerate the shift toward battery storage and energy automation.
What Are the Free Electricity Hours?
Current draft timings are:
- 11am to 2pm in South East Queensland and NSW
- 12pm to 3pm in South Australia
These windows may vary slightly depending on retailer plans.
What Does Solar Sharer Mean for Existing Solar Customers?
For many Gold Coast and Brisbane solar households, daytime electricity is already effectively free because rooftop solar covers most daytime usage.
However, the scheme could still create opportunities to:
- Charge batteries from the grid for free
- Charge EVs during the free window
- Run pool pumps and hot water systems at zero cost
- Reduce evening grid imports
The bigger long-term impact may actually be on solar exports.
Will Solar Feed-In Tariffs Drop Further?
Potentially yes.
One of the key reasons Solar Sharer is being introduced is because daytime solar energy has become extremely abundant across South East Queensland and NSW.
This creates downward pressure on:
- Wholesale electricity prices
- Solar export value
- Feed-in tariffs
For solar owners across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW, this reinforces a trend already happening:
- Self-consumption is becoming more valuable than exporting
- Batteries are becoming more financially attractive
- Smart energy management is becoming increasingly important
Why Batteries Could Become Even More Valuable
Battery systems may benefit the most from the Solar Sharer scheme.
A battery could potentially:
- Charge for free during the midday window
- Discharge during expensive evening peak periods
- Reduce reliance on high-cost grid power at night
For homes with:
- Air conditioning
- Electric vehicles
- Pools
- Large evening consumption
this could significantly improve battery payback periods.
This is particularly relevant across the Gold Coast and Brisbane where:
- EV adoption is increasing rapidly
- Air conditioning demand is high
- Many homes already have solar installed but no battery yet
What Homeowners Should Watch Carefully
The headline of “free electricity” sounds excellent, but households should carefully compare the full tariff structure before switching plans.
Some retailers may offset free daytime electricity by increasing:
- Evening peak rates
- Supply charges
- Time-of-use tariffs
Others may reduce:
- Solar feed-in tariffs
- Battery export rates
Retailers are expected to compete aggressively once the scheme launches, so plan comparisons will become increasingly important.
Is Solar Still Worth It on the Gold Coast and Brisbane?
Absolutely.
If anything, Solar Sharer highlights why solar and battery systems are becoming more important, not less.
The electricity market is shifting toward:
- Time-based pricing
- Self-consumption
- Battery storage
- Smart home energy management
For homeowners across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW, the combination of:
- Solar
- Battery storage
- EV charging
- Smart load control
is likely to become the most effective long-term strategy for reducing electricity costs.
The homes that benefit most from future electricity pricing changes will likely be the ones that can intelligently store and shift their energy usage, rather than simply exporting excess solar back to the grid.
