Field guide · 2026
Solar feed-in tariff explained for Australian households
Solar feed-in tariff means the payment your electricity retailer makes for the extra solar power your roof sends to the grid. It is counted in cents for each kilowatt hour (kWh) you export, and it shows up as a credit on your bill. Rates are set by retailers, so they differ from place to place and from plan to plan.
Your panels first power your home. Only the power you do not use at that moment flows out to the grid. That exported power is what earns the tariff. Power you use yourself saves you the full price you would otherwise pay to buy it.
What a feed-in tariff pays, and what it does not
The AER describes a feed-in tariff as a payment from a retailer in exchange for electricity you feed into the grid from solar panels and other small generators. The tariff is one part of a retail offer. It sits beside the daily supply charge, the usage charge and any discounts.
Many plans pay one flat rate at all hours. A small number pay different rates at different times of day. IPART, the New South Wales pricing regulator, says most retailers in that state offer a flat rate. Check which kind your plan uses, because a time-based rate can pay more in the evening than at midday.
Why rates change by state and retailer
Each state has its own rules. In New South Wales, retailers do not have to stay inside the regulator's guide range. They may pay less. IPART publishes a yearly benchmark range so households can judge whether an offer looks fair. For 2025-26 the all-day range is 4.8 to 7.3 cents per kWh.
Victoria changed its rules. The Essential Services Commission says it no longer sets a minimum feed-in tariff. The 2024-25 minimums applied until 30 June 2025. From 1 July 2025, retailers may set their own rates.
In South Australia, the AER factsheet says each retailer must set its own feed-in tariff and show publicly how its offers benefit solar customers. It tells households to shop around and to negotiate.
Older schemes still pay some homes more
Early state schemes paid far higher rates to encourage solar. Most have closed. The South Australian government's Solar Feed-in Scheme is closed to new applicants. The AER says customers who still receive 44 cents per kWh from it keep that rate for a few more years, as long as their eligibility has not changed. If you think you are on an older scheme, ask your retailer. Do not move plans until you know what you would give up.
Weigh the tariff against the supply charge
A high feed-in tariff does not make a plan cheap. The AER warns that an offer with an attractive feed-in tariff may come with higher fixed charges or weaker usage discounts. The daily supply charge is paid every day, whether you export power or not.
Here is a simple example, using made-up numbers. Say a home exports 10 kWh on a sunny day. At 5 cents per kWh, that earns 50 cents. If another plan pays 8 cents but charges 40 cents more per day in supply fees, the extra 30 cents earned is wiped out, and the home is behind by 10 cents a day. Your own export and usage will differ, so run the sums with your own bill.
How to compare offers
Start with your latest bill. Note how many kWh you export, your daily supply charge and your usage rate. The AER points households to Energy Made Easy, its free comparison site, to compare retail offers. It lets you enter your suburb or postcode and your usage details. Its offers cover the Australian Capital Territory, plus New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
When you compare, look at the whole offer, not just the feed-in line. Check the supply charge, the usage rates, any discounts and any conditions, such as a requirement to pay on time. Check whether the feed-in rate is flat or varies by time of day. Then ask your current retailer whether it can match a better offer.
Our limit: we read public regulator pages. We do not see your meter or your bill, and rates change often, so confirm every figure on the retailer's own offer page before you switch.