Solar Sharer Offer Begins 1 July: How to Maximise Your GoodWe Battery

Homes in Australia’s Default Market Offer (DMO) areas will be able to access 3 free hours of electricity each day from 1 July 2026. Households in South Australia, New South Wales, and South East Queensland with home battery storage will be set to maximise their system. The optional offer will be available from every retailer servicing the DMO areas.

What is the Solar Sharer Offer?

Announced in January, the Australian Government’s Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) will be available to homes with a smart meter in the DMO areas. This window of free electricity will only be available to homes that sign up for designated energy plans with retailers. Where you live will determine the window of free electricity:

● NSW and SE Queensland: 11am to 2pm

● South Australia: 12pm to 3pm

The SSO was designed not only to reduce household electricity bills but also to minimise peak demand during the evening. The free electricity will be available to all homes that:

● are within the DMO areas,

● have a smart meter,

● are owner-occupied or rented, 

● and sign up for an eligible energy plan with a retailer

You do not need to have solar to benefit from the free electricity. From 1 July, ensure that you read the fine print of energy plans that include 3 hours of free electricity. Plans utilising the SSO may not be the best plan for your usage or needs.

How to maximise free electricity with a battery

Homes with batteries are set to benefit the most from the SSO.

Scenario 1: Charging your battery from the grid

If you’re not at home during the day to make use of the free electricity, you can set your battery to charge during the free window. Your battery will charge for 3 hours at the maximum rate allowable for your inverter. For a 10kW inverter, this would provide ~30kWh of storage (3 hours x 10kW).

For GoodWe battery storage, you can set your battery to charge during this window with the SEMS+ app. To access Time of Use (TOU) settings, navigate to:

Devices > Click on your inverter > Common Controls(click on More Control) > Energy Management > Working Mode > TOU (Click the hexagon icon)

Once you click the hexagon, you will be able to set your battery to charge/discharge at certain times, days, and months. For an electricity plan with free electricity between 11am and 2pm, you could set the time to charge from 11:00am to 2:00pm, select every month and every day, then set the SOC charge cut off and the charging power to 100% each. Save the setting and your battery will charge every day during the free window.

Watch our TOU settings video for further information: 

Scenario 2: Shifting heavy loads to the free window

For homes where daytime usage is feasible, shift heavy loads to the free window. Examples of heavy loads:

● Washing machine

● Dryer

● Dishwasher

● Oven

This will free up your battery storage for nighttime use.

It is recommended that you still set your battery to import electricity during the free window. Your battery will charge at the maximum capacity of the inverter, less the load of the house. For example, if you have a 10kW inverter and run your dishwasher and washing machine at the same time, the total load may be 4kW. Your load will be covered by the free electricity, and the battery will still charge at 6kW. All for free.

For GoodWe ESA systems, your battery can continue charging at the inverter's maximum rate while household loads are supplied separately. For example, if you have a 10kW ESA and your dishwasher and washing machine are drawing a combined 4kW, the battery can still charge at 10kW, with the grid supplying approximately 14kW during the free electricity window. Your household loads and battery charging are both covered by the free electricity period. 

What happens to solar production during the 3 free hours of electricity?

If your solar panels are generating enough electricity to cover both the load of the house and charge the battery at its maximum capacity, no electricity will be drawn from the grid during the free window. If the solar is generating some electricity, or none at all, the grid will balance the load and the charging.

For example:

Your solar is generating 5kW of power. You have a 10kW GoodWe ESA, and your home is using 1.5kW. The ESA will continue charging the battery at the full 10kW. It will use the 5kW of solar generation and import approximately 6.5kW from the grid. Of that imported power, 5kW contributes to charging the battery, while the remaining 1.5kW supplies your home's load.

Unlike many hybrid inverter systems, the GoodWe ESA does not reduce the battery charging rate to supply household loads. Instead, it imports additional power from the grid so the battery can continue charging at its maximum rate while the home's consumption is supplied separately. The draw from the grid is limited by your home’s connection. For example, a single phase home with 63A can draw ~14.5kW. A three phase home with 3 x 63A can draw ~43.5kW.

A game changer

Households in SA, NSW, and SE QLD will be able to supplement their solar or solely charge their battery from the grid from 1 July. This is a fantastic step forward in Australia’s energy transition. From 1 October 2026, Victorian homes will follow suit. Now is the time to familiarise yourself with your home’s energy consumption and routines. Smart energy management starts and ends with understanding your usage. Maximise your battery and reduce your energy bills - that’s what we call a game changer!