The Australian Government has introduced the Solar Sharer Offer. It is a regulated energy program that provides three hours of free electricity to eligible households in the middle of the day.
Click here to skip to Sungrow iSolarCloud app instructions.
How the Solar Sharer Offer works
The Australian Energy Regulator has mandated that electricity retailers in eligible zones must offer an energy plan that includes 3 hours of free power every day between 11:00am - 2:00pm (SE QLD).
It is opt-in, so make sure you change your plan if you want to take advantage of this. The Australian Energy Regulator will set the exact three-hour window and the daily rates, giving you a dedicated block of time every day where your usage is free.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean your entire electricity bill will drop to zero. You still have to pay your daily supply charge plus normal usage rates for any power you use outside of that three-hour window.
Why has the Solar Sharer Offer been introduced
There is an abundance of cheap, renewable energy flooding the grid during the middle of the day as households around the country send their excess solar power back to the grid.
Instead of letting all that clean solar go to waste, the Solar Sharer Offer means that it can be shared around to everyone for 3 hours of free power, regardless of whether or not you have a solar system installed on your roof.
Who is eligible
The eligibility rules are straightforward.
- Live in an eligible area (SE QLD, NSW, or SA)
- Must have a household smart meter installed
- Be a renter or a homeowner on a standard network. Meaning, not supplied through an embedded network like a gated community or a high-rise complex with a shared grid.
How can Sungrow owners maximise battery charging
Solar Sharer energy plans give you free electricity every day between 11:00am and 2:00pm. To get the best ROI out of your Sungrow battery, we can set your battery to charge itself from the grid during this free window.
By doing this, you'll fill your battery for $0, saving your stored energy for the expensive evening peak.
Here is how you set it up in the Sungrow iSolarCloud app:
Step 1: Open Your Plant
Open the iSolarCloud app and select your home energy plant from the main dashboard.
Step 2: Navigate to Settings
Navigate to the More tab (located in the bottom navigation bar). From there, select Settings.
Step 3: Locate Power Control
Within the Settings menu, look for Operation Parameters or Power Control.
(Note: Depending on your specific inverter model and app version, this may sometimes be found under Advanced Settings.)
Step 4: Create Your Free Charge Window
Now we can configure the battery to charge during the free electricity window. Look for a setting labelled Battery Forced Charge, Time-based Charging, or Schedule Charge.
- Action: Select Charge or Enable Forced Charge.
- Start Time: 11:00
- End Time: 14:00
- Repeat: Select all days (Monday - Sunday).
- Charge from Grid: Ensure this toggle is turned ON. This is crucial - it allows the battery to pull free power from OVO even if it's cloudy and your solar panels aren't producing enough to fill the battery on their own.
Step 5: Save & Maximise
Make sure you save your settings. Your battery will now automatically top itself up for free every day at 11am.
Pro-tip: The battery isn't the only thing you should run during this time. Because grid power is completely free from 11am to 2pm, put your heavy appliances on delay timers. Run your pool pump, dishwasher, washing machine, and hot water system directly off the free grid power during this 3-hour window so your battery power is saved purely for the evening.
Step 6: Cap Imports
If wish to cap your imports from the grid during this free charge window, we recommend calling Sungrow Australia's customer support team.
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Springers Solar has received multiple awards for design and installation and is a certified/preferred installer for a large range of solar panel, inverter, and solar battery manufacturers, including Sungrow, Tesla, and Sigenergy.
Our dedicated in-house team of electrical engineers, project managers, solar PV designers, solar installers, and electricians work closely with you before, during, and long after your project is completed. Springers Solar offers an industry-leading 10-year workmanship warranty which is a testament to our qualified staff and offers you outstanding value and peace of mind.
How To Optimise Sungrow Battery for 3 Hours Free Solar Sharer Power