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Read MoreWhat Is the 3-Hour Free Electricity Scheme (The Solar Sharer Scheme)? And Can Adelaide Homes Get Free Power?
By Solar Energy Adelaide | 27 November 2025
The Federal Government’s battery rebate has already made solar batteries more affordable for Adelaide homeowners. But now, there’s even more reason to seriously consider making the switch.
From July next year, the federal government will require all electricity retailers in South Australia to offer households a three-hour window of free electricity every day under the Solar Sharer Scheme.
We had a chat with our founder, Reefe Eleftheriou, owner of Solar Energy Adelaide and trusted Adelaide solar battery installer to unpack what this means, especially for those thinking about adding a solar battery to their home.
If you’ve been on the fence about solar batteries, this is the sign you’ve been waiting for.
What Is This New Free Power Window?
From July 2026, all energy retailers will be required to offer a three-hour daily window of free electricity under the Solar Sharer Scheme.
If you’ve got a solar battery, this is huge. That free power can be used to charge your battery from the grid, even if your solar panels aren’t producing enough on their own.
“If your solar can’t fully charge your battery, these plans let you top it up from the grid for free,” Reefe explains. “Then you can run your home off that stored energy overnight and avoid peak electricity rates altogether.”
Why Is the Government Offering Free Electricity?
We know it sounds too good to be true, so what’s the catch? Well, there really isn’t one. This scheme has been introduced because of a growing issue with the electricity grid.
Reefe explains it like this:
“South Australia and the eastern states are now generating so much solar energy in the middle of the day that the grid gets overloaded. In fact, power prices can drop to zero — or even go negative — because there’s just too much electricity and not enough demand.”
When that happens, it actually becomes a problem for the grid and discourages further investment in renewables. That’s where the new 3-hour free power window comes in. It encourages households to use or store more electricity during the middle of the day, when the grid needs the help.
So in a way, the government is giving away something that was already becoming a burden. It’s a smart fix and one that works in favour of anyone with a battery storage system in Adelaide.
You May Not Need To Add More Solar Panels When Installing A Battery Now
Before this new initiative, one of the biggest hurdles for adding a battery to your home was needing a larger solar panel system to properly charge it. That meant extra panels and extra set up cost.
But now?
“You’re going to find that 80 to 90% of customers can make this work without needing to add more panels,” Reefe says. “You can use the free window to charge the battery, instead of relying solely on your solar.”
This makes getting a battery way more affordable upfront, especially for homes with limited roof space.
What If the Free Power Window Doesn’t Stick Around?
A lot of savvy customers are already asking: Will this free electricity window be around long term? After all, we’ve seen feed-in tariffs drop over the years, so it’s fair to wonder how long these kinds of incentives will last.
Reefe’s answer? It’s a smart question.
“We’re part of a wholesale electricity market,” he explains. “Right now, there’s so much renewable energy being produced during the day — especially in South Australia — that power prices drop to zero or even go negative.”
In other words, it’s not costing much (if anything) to offer this free electricity during the middle of the day. It’s actually helping the grid by encouraging people to use energy when there’s too much of it.
“The real test will be how quickly EVs and batteries are adopted,” Reefe says. “If more people start storing and using excess solar energy, the window might shift or shrink. But for now, it’s likely going to stick around for a while.”
What If You Want to Add More Solar Panels Later?
Let’s say in five years, the free window disappears. What happens then?
Reefe says the good news is most people getting a battery today are already setting themselves up for the future.
“When you get a battery, you’re usually getting a hybrid inverter which connects to both your solar panels and battery allow it to easily accept extra panels down the track,” he says.
So if you decide later that you want to add more solar to your system, it’s a simple and cost-effective upgrade with no need to replace your inverter or redesign your system.
Lower Upfront Costs, Long-Term Savings
For Adelaide families trying to get on top of rising energy bills, this new setup might be exactly what’s needed.
“A lot of customers can now achieve 95 to 100% reduction in their power bills, while only paying 50 to 60% of the original upfront cost of a full solar + battery system,” Reefe explains.
That’s because you can:
- Take advantage of the free electricity window to charge your battery without needing more panels
- Use the SA Government battery rebate to bring the cost down even further
- Avoid expensive energy rates by using stored power at night
- Future-proof your system for easy upgrades later
You Don’t Have to Wait — Some Retailers Are Already Offering Free Power
Although the three-hour free electricity window will become mandatory from 2026, you can actually start taking advantage of it right now through a couple of energy retailers already operating in South Australia.
Two of the big names offering these deals today are Ovo Energy and Globird Energy.
The trade-off is that these plans often come with higher daily supply charges or slightly elevated general usage rates. But according to Reefe, the numbers still stack up for many households.
At Solar Energy Adelaide, we’ve been helping South Australian households navigate the solar industry for over a decade.
🔹 Local, family-run business with over a decade of experience
🔹 Customised solar solutions based on your home’s energy usage
🔹 Free, no-obligation assessment to determine whether upgrading makes sense for you
📞 Contact us today to discuss your options and get a personalised solar battery assessment!
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