The government's new Solar Sharer scheme launches on 1 July 2026, giving smart-meter households in NSW, SEQ and SA three hours of free electricity each day. This article explains what it is and what it means for Amber customers.
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Key thing to know: Solar Sharer is a separate standing-offer plan — it is not part of, or an add-on to, Amber's wholesale offer. Switching to the Solar Sharer plan means leaving wholesale pricing behind, as well as access to the Amber app, SmartShift and your feed-in tariff. We expect most Amber customers to be better off staying on the Amber wholesale plan. |
In this article
- What is Solar Sharer?
- Is Solar Sharer the same as my Amber wholesale plan?
- Does Amber offer Solar Sharer?
- If I opt in with Amber, what rates would I be on?
- What do I lose by moving off wholesale?
- How do I transfer, and how much notice do I need to give?
- How will billing work after I switch?
- How do I confirm I want to go ahead?
What is Solar Sharer?
Solar Sharer is a government-regulated standing offer, which means every retailer in eligible regions offers it and every retailer offers the exact same rates. The government sets the prices for each time-of-use period and the daily supply charge. There's no variation between retailers on this.
The structure is straightforward. The free window runs from 11am to 2pm in NSW and SEQ, and 12pm to 3pm in SA. Outside that window, government-prescribed rates apply. It's also worth knowing that usage above 24 kWh during the free period incurs an additional charge, so it's not completely uncapped. There's no feed-in tariff attached to the offer, no subscription fee and no access to Amber's technology or app. And it's opt-in only: nothing changes on your current plan unless you actively choose to switch.
Is Solar Sharer the same as my Amber wholesale plan?
No — they are two different plans.
- Amber's wholesale offer passes through real 30-minute wholesale prices with a flat monthly subscription and no usage markup
- Solar Sharer is a fixed standing-offer tariff with a free midday window and fixed rates outside of this window. There is no wholesale passthrough with Solar Sharer
You will not get access to both the Solar Sharer free hours and wholesale rates.
Does Amber offer Solar Sharer?
Amber will be offering Solar Sharer as a separate standing offer, at the rates the government has prescribed, the same as every other retailer. This will be separate to Amber's wholesale offering and the typical Amber experience.
For most customers, staying on wholesale pricing will be much better value, as the rates outside of the free window will typically be much higher than the wholesale price.
If you choose to switch to the Solar Sharer plan, you will lose access to the Amber app, SmartShift and your feed-in tariff drops to zero cents.
If I opt into Solar Sharer with Amber, what rates would I be on?
The rates vary depending on which network you're in, but the structure is the same everywhere. There's a free usage period in the middle of the day, and outside that window you're paying whatever the government has set for your network. Here's what that looks like by region:
- Ausgrid (NSW): 28c/kWh off-peak, 64c/kWh peak, 176c/day supply charge
- Endeavour Energy (NSW): 38c/kWh off-peak, 14c/kWh solar soak, 49c/kWh peak, 185c/day supply charge
- Essential Energy (NSW): 28c/kWh off-peak, 46c/kWh peak, 272c/day supply charge
- Energex (SEQ): 26c/kWh shoulder, 8c/kWh off-peak, 49c/kWh peak, 178c/day supply charge
- SA Power Networks (SA): 35c/kWh off-peak, 59c/kWh peak, 20c/kWh solar soak, 180c/day supply charge
Source: AER Solar Sharer Offer, Figure 3
Compare that to Amber, where you pay real wholesale prices that move every 30 minutes. During that same midday window, wholesale prices can sit at or near zero and sometimes go negative, meaning you can actually get paid to use electricity. Outside that window, prices reflect what's happening on the grid rather than a fixed rate set months in advance. For battery owners, that difference is where the real value is: buying cheap when prices drop and earning the full wholesale rate when prices spike in the evening.
| It's also worth noting that the AER's own modelling flags that customers already on a competitive market offer may not save money on Solar Sharer even if they shift their usage behaviour. For most Amber customers, that's exactly the situation you're in. |
What do I lose by moving off wholesale?
Moving onto the Solar Sharer Standing Offer means giving up Amber's wholesale rates and the tools that help you minimise usage costs and maximise feed-in. Specifically:
- No access to the Amber app
- No access to SmartShift
- Your feed-in tariff drops to zero cents
You may also forfeit any accrued benefits associated with your current contract on transfer to the Standing Offer, including under Amber's Bill Guarantee.
How do I transfer, and how much notice do I need to give?
You can cancel your current contract and elect to transfer to Amber's Standing Offer by contacting us and providing at least 20 business days' notice of your election. You must pay your Final Bill before the transfer to the Standing Offer takes effect.
How will billing work after I switch?
Your billing will work a little differently in the short term if you choose to switch to the Solar Sharer Standing Offer between 1 Jul 2026 and 30 Sep 2026.
- Instead of monthly, we'll bill you at the end of the quarter on 30 Sep 2026
- This applies even if you choose to switch electricity providers and leave Amber before 30 Sep 2026 — we will issue your bill after the end of the quarter
- We expect this to move back to monthly billing starting from 1 October if you choose to stay on the offer
How do I confirm I want to go ahead?
Reach out to Amber and let us know you want to make the switch to the Solar Sharer Standing Offer. We'll send you a list of terms & conditions that you will need to confirm before making the switch.
Once you approve this, we'll process your switch after you pay your Final Bill.
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