Australia’s midday solar output is so high that wholesale electricity prices often drop to zero or negative. To use that surplus instead of wasting it, the government is proposing a “Solar Sharer” program that gives every household three hours of free electricity during the day.
The goal is to shift flexible loads into the midday free window so households can cut their bills by running appliances and charging EVs when energy costs drop to zero. Using cheap surplus solar lowers overall system expenses and limits the need for costly grid upgrades. Retailers may object, but consumers only receive free power during the set hours with no required behavior changes.
