The Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) is a new addition to the Default Market Offer (DMO), implementing a regulated 3-hour period of ‘free’ usage all consumers can access, while also providing a fair comparison for similar offers in the market.
The initiative is an attempt to utilise increasingly abundant solar, while sharing the benefits of the cheap energy it produces. But the proposal involves a range of potential issues to resolve and risks excluding the very people it is aimed at, or even leaving them worse off.
That’s why we detailed our concerns and a range of recommendations in the joint response we led to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s (the Department) Solar Sharer Offer Consultation Paper. We recommended:
- Re-focussing the objectives for the SSO, to providing a trusted and fair Free Power Period Time of Use Offer (FPPTOU) for those who want it.
- Considering those who will likely be excluded and can’t participate, like renters, low-income households, or people who can’t shift their energy usage to the free period.
- Introducing strong protections to ensure consumers who can’t benefit are no worse off and still have access to simple, fair and affordable energy offers.
- A wider zero-charge window rather than a single, fixed 3-hour period OR a window that can vary seasonally and between regions.
What’s next?
We will continue to be involved in the development and implementation of the SSO alongside our ongoing work on the DMO. We will also continue advocating for the development of programs that support home electrification more widely, so more people can benefit from initiatives like the SSO.
Have a look at our Roadmap for Efficient and Electric Homes for more detail on what we think is needed for more equitable and substantial benefit from the SSO.
