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Australia to Offer Free Solar Power to Households

From July next year the Solar Sharer program will require energy retailers to offer free electricity for at least three hours daily in New South Wales, south‑east Queensland and South Australia, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen directed.
As part of DMO reform, the government says the measure will strip unnecessary costs and extend protections to standing‑offer customers, embedded networks, renters and apartment dwellers amid pressure from rising prices and the Coalition's 2050 net zero target debate.
The offer applies to households with smart meters that opt in, requiring customers to shift usage into the three‑hour window, while retailers will not add it automatically under current contracts.
Households could save on their energy bills if they use the free period for electric vehicles or appliances, while the Australian Energy Regulator must stop retailers charging more outside it.
Industry groups cautioned that the move came with risks, warning lack of consultation could damage confidence, raise costs and force smaller retailers out as the Australian Energy Regulator shows default offers rising from 0.5 per cent to 9.7 per cent.

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Australia to offer free solar power to households

Australia will offer at least three hours of free solar power every day to households including those without solar panels under an energy-saving programme that is expected to go live in 2026, energy minister Chris Bowen has said.

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