Solar Sharer Offer, the government's new scheme giving households in NSW, SEQ and SA three hours of free electricity every day around midday, launched today, 1 July 2026 - and we think it's a step in the right direction. Anything that gets more households using electricity when solar is flooding the grid is good for everyone and great for the energy transition we're all working toward.
Now that it's live, we want to share how it will work with Amber. We cover what Solar Sharer actually is, how the rates compare across each network region, what Amber's offer looks like and who the scheme is well suited to.
What is Solar Sharer?
Solar Sharer is a government-regulated standing offer, which means every retailer in eligible regions offers it and every retailer offers the exact same rates. The government sets the prices for each time of use period and the daily supply charge. There's no variation between retailers on this.
The structure is straightforward. The free window runs from 11am to 2pm in NSW and SEQ, and 12pm to 3pm in SA. Outside that window, government-prescribed rates apply. It's also worth knowing that usage above 24kWh during the free period incurs an additional charge, so it's not completely uncapped. There's no feed-in tariff attached to the offer, and it's opt-in only: nothing changes on your current plan unless you actively choose to switch.
Amber's Solar Sharer offer
Amber will be offering Solar Sharer as a standing offer, at the rates the government has prescribed, the same as every other retailer. We want to be upfront about what that means for you though: it doesn't include access to Amber's app, SmartShift or wholesale pricing and it's not something we'll be recommending for our customers.
That's not us being dismissive of the scheme. It's just that for most people already on Amber, it genuinely isn't the better option. Wholesale prices drop to zero or go negative during that same midday window, and with SmartShift, your battery or EV can respond to those prices automatically, all day, not just between 12 and 3. You're also earning real wholesale feed-in tariff rates when you export, including during the high-price evening periods when your battery tends to earn the most.
If you switch to Solar Sharer, you'd be trading that for a fixed free window with no feed-in tariff attached and for most Amber customers, that's a step backwards.
What the rates actually look like
The rates vary depending on which network you're in, but the structure is the same everywhere. There's a free usage period in the middle of the day and outside that window you're paying whatever the government has set for your network. Here's what that looks like by region.
- Ausgrid (NSW): 28c/kWh off-peak, 64c/kWh peak, 176c/day supply charge
- Endeavour Energy (NSW): 38c/kWh off-peak, 14c/kWh solar soak, 49c/kWh peak, 185c/day supply charge
- Essential Energy (NSW): 28c/kWh off-peak, 46c/kWh peak, 272c/day supply charge
- Energex (SEQ): 26c/kWh shoulder, 8c/kWh off-peak, 49c/kWh peak, 178c/day supply charge
- SA Power Networks (SA): 35c/kWh off-peak, 59c/kWh peak, 20c/kWh solar soak, 180c/day supply charge
Source: AER Solar Sharer Offer, Figure 3
Compare that to Amber, where you pay real wholesale prices that move every 30 minutes. During that same midday window, wholesale prices can sit at or near zero and sometimes go negative, meaning you can actually get paid to use electricity. Outside that window, prices reflect what's happening on the grid rather than a fixed rate set months in advance. For battery owners, that difference is where the real value is: buying cheap when prices drop and earning the full wholesale rate when prices spike in the evening.
The AER's own modelling even flags that customers already on a competitive market offer may not save money on Solar Sharer even if they shift their usage behaviour. For most Amber customers, that's exactly the situation you're in.
Who Solar Sharer is great for
For households who don't have solar, a battery or an EV, Solar Sharer is a strong improvement on what's been available. If you're on a standard flat tariff, you've historically had no way to benefit from the solar boom happening across the grid. Solar Sharer changes that.
You get access to cheap midday power without needing panels, a battery or any technical setup. If you can shift some of your daytime usage into that free window, it could make a real difference to your bills. It's one of the better things to come out of recent energy policy for households who haven't been able to access the benefits of rooftop solar and we're glad it exists.
For more details, check out our Solar Sharer FAQs.
