Transition

Australia, free energy thanks to “solar sharing”

10/4/2026 3 minutes

Zero-cost electricity for three hours per day during peak photovoltaic production periods, even for those without rooftop panels: less waste and a more stable grid with the "Solar Sharer" scheme.

In Australia, the production of electricity from the sun has begun to outpace what the system is capable of absorbing. This apparently paradoxical situation is the fruit of a fast-paced and profound energy transition. Beginning in July, millions of families in three large regions of the country (New South Wales, south-east Queensland and South Australia) will enjoy access to at least three hours of free solar energy per day, even if they don’t have panels on their rooftops. It’s a measure that does far more than any slogan could to demonstrate how renewable energy is changing not just the production mix, but the very rules of the electricity market.

At present, Australia is a global leader in distributed photovoltaics, with over 4 million solar systems installed, largely in residential contexts, against a population of around 26 million inhabitants. It’s thanks to this that overall photovoltaic capacity has reached about 40 gigawatts, with growth over the past ten years unequalled among advanced economies. Moreover, the photovoltaic power installed on Australian rooftops is greater than that of the country’s entire remaining fleet of coal power substations. During the middle of the day, particularly in spring and summer, solar production can cover more than 60-70% of instantaneous electricity demand in various regions of the nation. The result is a structural excess in offer that pushes wholesale prices towards zero, and often into negative territory. This situation is what has convinced the federal government to transform the surplus into public policy.

«The goal is to ensure every last ray of sunshine is powering our homes instead of being wasted. People who are able to move electricity use into the zero-cost power period will benefit directly, whether they have solar panels or not and whether they own or rent. Free daytime power is proof that what’s good for the planet is good for your pocket.»

Chris Bowen Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy

“Solar Sharer”: energy as a shared asset. The "Solar Sharer" programme will be available for houses which have a smart meter to measure consumption in real time, which is the case for the vast majority of Australian homes. The goal is to shift citizens’ consumption to times when energy is plentiful. According to the government, the measure will help to reduce evening peaks, which are the most critical times for the stability of the electricity system, and to limit emergency grid interventions.

Shutterstock 2503290199 — Aerial view of a solar farm in Canberra, Australia (Steve Tritton/Shutterstock.com)

Electricity grids: the true stars of the transition. The chance to enjoy free electricity for several hours a day ultimately comes down to a question of infrastructure. Australia manages one of the most extensive and complex electricity systems in the world, with over 40,000 kilometres of transmission lines and vast distances separating the sites of production from those of consumption. Equilibrium is guaranteed by the Australian Energy Market Operator, which has set out a massive growth in renewables, storage and new interconnections in its plans for the security of the system.

Shifting demand to the hours of surplus also means reducing the need to strengthen the grid just to cover a few evening peaks per year. In fact, the programme aims to keep the costs of updating the infrastructure down, and to limit extraordinary interventions to maintain grid stability.