Australia Offers Free Daytime Solar to Boost Adoption

In Australia, families can now receive up to 24 kWh of free electricity daily between 11 am and 2 pm through a new “solar sharer” retail tariff. The program incentivizes using excess daytime solar power instead of curtailing it, allowing residents to power appliances like washing machines, dryers, and electric vehicles.

Households with rooftop solar, EVs, and home batteries can potentially reduce their annual energy bills to between $500 and $1,000, the lowest in history, and become more resilient to energy supply disruptions. The tariff is particularly beneficial for apartment dwellers who lack sufficient roof space for solar panels.

While not ideal for all households, especially those without battery storage, Australia is seeing a rapid increase in battery adoption, tripling in the past year to 6%. Australia currently generates 35% more solar power per capita than the Netherlands, the next highest country. The nation is also investing in large-scale storage solutions like the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project, aiming to become a world leader in rechargeable energy storage.