I contracted AGL, my electricity provider, to claim the 3 hours a day free. The website had nothing about it and the automatic bot said it didn’t understand my request. I phoned AGL 30th June to be told I had to phone on or after July 1. Which I did but then found it available only on one plan which would actually cost me more in total unless I could use all my heavy electricity appliances in that 3 hours a day window. It seems AGL are trying to limit the free time to ensure they don’t lose any money. Probably legal but I don’t think this is in the spirit of the government plan.
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A post I made in relation to the ‘3 hours free’ was in this thread and makes useful reading:
It is the spirit of the government plan, they didn’t suggest one will be better off. The government’s scheme is to try and shift usage from other times of the day (periods of peak demand or lower generation capacity) to the ‘3 hour free period’. The scheme doesn’t ‘guarantee’ savings.
The government introduced this ‘scheme’ in response to the criticisms that power has gone up, when in their election campaigns said it would go down. It is potentially another case of the government seen to be doing something, which potentially has no real effect for many (and could even make consumers worse off financially).
What’s in a promise is always debated. Although? The plebiscite on marriage equality in our federal electorate was in favour of the change. Our elected federal member now in opposition voted against the legislation, representing not the views of the majority in the electorate but those of others. Trust appears to be in short supply.
As you point out the Solar Sharer Plan is not for every one. The regulator makes it clear it is targeted towards customers on the DMO (Default Market Offer), and that only some of those may find a benefit.
- Are electricity consumers better off now than they would have been without a shift to renewables?
- Are Australians creating a better future for the planet by embracing renewables rather than continuing to burn fossil fuels?
- Are there wealthy and vested interests keeping Aussies addicted to fossil fuels?
Promises differ. None are without consequence.
As Consumers we are all sensitive to the daily costs of living. With the average household spending $5,000 a year in fuel to run a car/s should consumers be less concerned with changes in electricity costs and more concerned with our dependence on imported petroleum?
The average cost of owning and running a car between October and December 2025 was $436.38 per week per household. The bulk of these costs were car loan repayments ($214.38) and fuel costs ($93.81).
Over the same period, Australian households paid an average of $48.05 per week for comprehensive car insurance, followed by $36.30 for tyre and servicing costs. The average household cost for rego, compulsory third-party insurance and driver’s licences came to $33.82 per week, while roadside assistance was the lowest car-related expense at just $2.53 per week.2
