The Solar Sharer Offer (SSO): What you need to know

From 1 July 2026, a new type of regulated electricity plan called the Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) will be available in some places. The SSO is designed to help households benefit from Australia’s abundant solar power regardless of whether they have solar panels. It will be best suited to customers who can change when they use energy from peak usage periods (for example, in the evening) to the free usage period (during the middle of the day).

This page explains what the SSO is, how it works, who it may suit and what to check when comparing plans on Energy Made Easy.

What is the SSO?

The SSO is a plan that includes a 3-hour period in the middle of the day when electricity can be used for free.

During this free period:

• the first 24 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity you use is free – 24kWh is around what a five-person household uses in an entire day on average.
• any additional electricity is charged at a ‘reasonable use’ rate – this rate is equal to the ‘off-peak’ or ‘solar soak’ rate charged for electricity used outside the free period.

Outside the free period:

• electricity is charged at elevated time-of-use rates (for example, peak, shoulder or off-peak).

The SSO is an opt-in standing offer, which means it is a plan that customers must choose to have and which is regulated by the energy regulator to make sure they are fair. Some very small retailers are exempt from having to offer the SSO, but it is otherwise required to be offered to all eligible customers. Retailers may also have other plans with a discount or free period during the day.

Who can get the SSO?

You can get the SSO if all of the following are true:

• You are a residential customer.
• You have a smart meter (also called an interval meter).
• You live in a region where the Default Market Offer (DMO) applies (New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland).
• You are not supplied through an embedded network. An embedded network is a place (typically a caravan park, retirement village or apartment block) where the wiring is designed so that the owner of the site can sell electricity to their residents. More information for embedded networks customers can be found on our fact sheet.
• You are with a retailer that offers the SSO. Retailers with more than 1000 customers across all the regions where the DMO applies are required to offer the SSO.

The SSO is an opt-in tariff. You will not be automatically placed on the SSO by your retailer — you must ask for one if you want it.

Why does the SSO exist?

The SSO is designed to:

• take advantage of high levels of solar power during the day
• encourage households to move their electricity use to sunny periods when electricity will be free for SSO customers
• help households make better use of Australia’s renewable energy regardless of whether they have solar panels.

They may work well for people who can take advantage of the free period to do things like:

• charge their Electric Vehicle (EV)
• run their washing machines and dryer
• use their dishwasher
• heat or cool their home.

It is important to know that appliances on a controlled load circuit will be charged separately at controlled load rates. These appliances will not benefit from the free usage period.

When is the free electricity period?

The free 3-hour period happens at the same time every day, all year.

But the exact times depend on where you live:

• In NSW and South East Queensland it is: 11 am to 2 pm AEST/AEDT
• In South Australia it is: 12 pm to 3 pm ACST/ACDT

The times do not change for daylight saving, to keep things simple and predictable.

Is there a limit on free electricity?

Yes. There is a daily ‘reasonable use’ limit:

• You can use up to 24 kWh for free during the 3-hour period – 24kWh is around what a five-person household uses in an entire day on average.
• This is a large amount for most households.
• If you use more than this in the free period, the extra usage is charged at a set rate. That set rate will be the cheapest rate charged for usage at other times of the day.

Customers on the SSO may still incur other charges during the free usage period, such as supply charges and controlled load usage.

Will the SSO save me money?

The SSO isn’t for everyone. Whether it is right for you depends on how and when you use electricity and how easily you can shift your use.

The SSO might suit you if:

• you’re home and use a lot of energy during the day, or
• you can schedule appliances to run during the free period, or

The SSO may not suit you if:

• most of your electricity use is in the morning or evening, when prices are higher
• you cannot change when you use electricity to the middle of the day.

How is the SSO different from other plans?

Key differences include:

• free electricity period (traditional plans don’t have this)
• time-of-use pricing outside the free period
• standing offer protections
• opt-in only — it will never be your retailer’s default standing offer.

Retailers must still offer at least one other type of standing offer to customers for whom they are the designated retailer (for example, a flat rate or time-of-use standing offer), even if they offer an SSO.

How do I compare SSOs on Energy Made Easy?

Even though they are regulated, not all SSO’s are the same. You should compare SSOs on Energy Made Easy and, look closely at:

1. Make sure you understand the comparison price

• Energy Made Easy shows a comparison price to help you compare plans.
• For Quick Compare searches, the price assumes a typical household and average usage patterns. Your actual bill may be higher or lower, depending on when you use electricity.
• If you enter your NMI, the price will be based on your usage over the last 12 months.

2. Make sure the free period suits your electricity use

• Check the exact 3-hour period.
• Make sure you can change when you use electricity to those times.

3. Look at the prices outside the free period

• Look at the rates outside the free period (called peak, shoulder, solar soak/sponge, and off-peak rates).
• These matter a lot if you don’t change when you use electricity, because you may be charged higher prices for electricity in those non-free times than you would on a traditional plan.

4. Consider the daily supply charge

• The fixed daily charge still applies, even on an SSO.

5. Realistically consider how you use energy

• Think about when you use large appliances like hot water, air conditioning, ovens, etc -, not just how much you use them.
• If possible, check past bills or smart-meter data to see when you use most energy.
• Make sure you don’t over-estimate how much usage you can change.

Key things to remember

• The SSO is not suitable for everyone, and you must ‘opt in’ or choose it to get it
• You need a smart meter to be eligible for the SSO
• You may benefit from the SSO if you can use electricity during the free period
• Always compare the whole plan, not just the ‘free power’ headline.

Where to get help

• Use Energy Made Easy to compare plans side-by-side.
• Contact your retailer to ask about their specific SSO plan and whether you’re eligible.
• If you need help understanding your bill, information about how you may be able to save on your bill by switching to a new plan or retailer is available under the 'Shopping around' section here on the AER website.