Sydney, NSW – EnergyAustralia has admitted to breaching the Electricity Retail Code by failing to provide the federally mandated Solar Sharer Offer to eligible households from its July 1, 2026, commencement date. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from the energy retailer, which only made the offer available to consumers on August 3, 2026.
The Solar Sharer Offer is a significant government initiative designed to ensure all households, regardless of whether they have rooftop solar, can benefit from Australia’s abundant midday solar generation. It mandates that electricity retailers provide at least three hours of free electricity during peak daytime solar periods.
ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey stated that EnergyAustralia’s delay denied current and prospective consumers the opportunity to access this plan and its benefits. “As one of the country’s largest energy retailers, we expect EnergyAustralia to have better systems and processes in place to meet its legal obligations,” Ms Brakey said.
The Solar Sharer Offer: What You Missed
The Solar Sharer Offer was introduced as part of the Electricity Retail Code, a mandatory industry code under the Competition and Consumer Act. It applies to electricity retailers supplying residential and small business customers in New South Wales, South Australia, and South East Queensland. The scheme is intended to optimise excess daytime solar generation, lower costs, and balance grid demand.
Under the terms of the offer, eligible households with smart meters were to receive free electricity usage for specific three-hour periods daily:
- New South Wales and South East Queensland: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- South Australia: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
This initiative aims to encourage consumers to shift their electricity consumption to coincide with periods of high solar generation, which often leads to cheap, and sometimes negative, wholesale electricity prices. The federal government noted that Australia’s rooftop solar capacity alone, exceeding 26.8 GW by mid-2025, often creates more electricity in the middle of the day than is currently used.
“Australia has more rooftop solar capacity than the entire fleet of remaining coal fired power stations across the country. This abundant power makes wholesale daytime prices very cheap, and even negative, and means the energy market often has more electricity in the middle of the day than we currently use.”
EnergyAustralia’s failure to implement this offer on time meant that thousands of customers were potentially unable to take advantage of these free electricity periods for over a month. While the financial impact will vary based on individual household consumption patterns, the principle of a mandated consumer benefit being withheld is a significant regulatory concern.
ACCC Scrutiny and EnergyAustralia’s Undertaking
Following its admission, EnergyAustralia has provided a court-enforceable undertaking to the ACCC. This commitment includes continuing to offer the Solar Sharer Offer, reporting its compliance to both the ACCC and the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), training staff to assist customers, and publicly maintaining a notice about the undertaking on its website.
The ACCC has confirmed it will continue to closely monitor retailers’ compliance with the Solar Sharer Offer requirements, putting other energy providers on notice. This enforcement action underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring energy retailers adhere to regulations designed to benefit consumers in a rapidly evolving energy market. For consumers seeking to compare electricity plans and understand their options, the government comparison website Energy Made Easy provides a valuable resource.
This incident is not EnergyAustralia’s first encounter with regulatory action. In September 2024, the Federal Court ordered the company to pay $14 million in penalties for breaching the Electricity Retail Code and Australian Consumer Law related to misleading statements.
Broader Market Context: Solar Growth and Consumer Benefits
The Solar Sharer Offer complements Australia’s broader push towards renewable energy integration. The latest Quarterly Energy Dynamics report from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) for Q2 2026 highlighted that renewable energy supplied a record 42.1% of electricity generated across the National Electricity Market (NEM).
This surge in renewables, particularly distributed rooftop solar, has significantly impacted wholesale spot prices, which averaged AU$74/MWh across Q2 2026 – a 47% reduction from Q2 2025 and the lowest Q2 average since 2020. The increasing penetration of solar, both rooftop and grid-scale, is fundamentally reshaping Australia’s energy landscape.
Households with solar and battery systems are already demonstrating a substantial ability to reduce their reliance on the grid during evening peak periods. AEMO data revealed that homes with both solar and batteries reduced their evening peak grid imports by an average of 0.7 kW per household, representing a 73% reduction in net imports between 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM, compared to solar-only households.
While the Solar Sharer Offer primarily benefits consumers without their own solar systems by allowing them to leverage the national solar surplus, it also encourages all households with smart meters to shift their energy consumption to periods of high solar generation. This helps alleviate grid stress and integrate more renewable energy efficiently. For those considering their energy options, understanding the nuances of different electricity plans and available incentives is crucial. Readers can find more information on choosing an energy provider in our guide: Choosing Your Australian Energy Provider in 2026: A Definitive Guide.
Federal and state rebates continue to play a role in making solar and battery installations more accessible. For example, the federal Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) scheme provides an upfront discount on eligible solar PV systems, though its value gradually reduces each year until 2030. Similarly, the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program offers tiered rebates for battery installations.
This latest ACCC action serves as a reminder that consumer protections and timely access to mandated energy offers are paramount as Australia accelerates its clean energy transition. Households affected by EnergyAustralia’s delay should contact the retailer to understand their options and ensure they can now access the benefits of the Solar Sharer Offer.
| State/Region | Free Period (Local Time) |
|---|---|
| NSW | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| SE QLD | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| SA | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM |
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