Sydney Renter Dale

Solar Citizens welcomes the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) announcement today that electricity prices are expected to fall by up to 10% for households and up to 20% per year for businesses on the east coast, but warns of network driven price rises on the horizon. 

“This is the strongest evidence yet that increased renewable energy and battery storage is driving down the wholesale electricity price, said Solar Citizens CEO Heidi Lee Douglas. 

The combined flat-rate and time of use price decreases from 1 July released today are:

• New South Wales: Residential -3.4% to -7.7%, Small business -9.0% to -20.9%
• South East Queensland: Residential -7.2% to -10.7%, Small business -10.4% to -14.0%
• South Australia: Residential -1.1% to +1.4%, Small business -6.8% to -12.1% [1]

Victoria’s Essential Services Commission also announced a 5% electricity price decrease yesterday for all 5 Victorian energy regions, claiming the average household will save $84 a year and small businesses on the offer will save $241 a year. [2] 

However a close examination of electricity pricing across these states reveals that these reductions may be cancelled out by network cost rises, also approved by the AER.  

Electricity prices by NSW network providers rose between 6-11% and in Queensland by 12%, with Victoria the only state to show decreases of up to 9%. [3]  

“It’s these higher network costs that are driving the push to increase fixed electricity charges so we need to watch them as closely as the fanfare around the Default Market Offer,” said Ms Douglas.

‘Wholesale and retail energy costs are falling thanks largely to increased solar and wind generation and battery output. But these savings are being eaten up by rising network costs,” said Nexa Advisory CEO Stephanie Bashir.

‘Investment in our infrastructure is important, but it is incumbent on these monopolies, and their regulators, to ensure that what is done is targeted where we need it for the future energy system, and undertaken efficiently, cost effectively, and that those costs are recovered from consumers fairly,” said Ms Bashir. 

The  AER also confirmed the  Solar Sharer Offer, of 3 hours of free power for NSW, South Australia and SouthEast Queensland households.  

“This is a smart way to provide access for households to 3 hours of free power during the day when solar power is abundant,” said Douglas.  

To make use of the Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) from 1 July, electricity account holders need to tell their electricity provider they want to OPT IN, and request a SMART METER. 

The regulator assures consumers that ‘the price of the Solar Sharer Offer will be regulated using the same annual price as the time of use DMO available in each distribution zone.’ 

AER CEO Claire Savage says this provides ‘the added safety of it being a regulated price, which means consumers can feel confident they are not being overcharged outside the free power period.’ [1]

“It’s renters and apartment residents who could benefit the most from making use of the Solar Sharer Offer, but residents will need to shift as much of their electricity use as possible to the free 3 hour window. (11am-2pm in NSW and SE Queensland, and 12-3pm in South Australia)

“You can do this by setting timers on your appliances – most modern appliances have inbuilt timers including: dishwashers, washing machines, pool pumps, electric vehicle chargers, heating and cooling systems, rice cookers, slow cookers.

“You can also buy plug-in Programmable Digital Timers online or at hardware stores, electrical appliance outlets or even some supermarkets.”

“Beyond Solar Sharer, more needs to be done in this term of the federal government to ensure all Australians, regardless of whether they rent or live in apartments, can get access to cheap clean rooftop solar power.

“We need to see a dedicated Solar for Renters policy to overcome the barriers that lock millions of renters – one third of our homes – out of solar savings.

“A major barrier is the ‘split incentive’ dilemma  – landlords need to pay for upgrades on their property and tenants receive the bill savings.

“Economic modelling by Rennie Advisory shows that a small tax law change to accelerate depreciation on solar, battery and energy efficiency investments by landlords on rental properties could save renters up to $57 billion nationally over 20 years.” [4]

NOTES

[1] AER releases final Default Market Offer 26-27, Australian Energy Regulator, 26 May 2026

[2] Regulator reduces default Victorian energy prices, Victorian Essential Services Commission, 25 May, 2026

[3] Power Network Costs to rise nationally, with one exception, Solar Quotes, 25 May, 2026

[4] Solar for Renters: Closing the Gap with Accelerated Depreciation, Rennie Advisory/Solar Citizens, 8 may 2026

About Solar Citizens

Solar Citizens is an independent, community-based organisation that champions a democratic, people-powered energy system that cuts bills, reduces emissions, and makes Australia a global leader in the clean-energy transition. Our website is https://www.solarcitizens.org.au/

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