Power plans, VPPs and retailers
Solar feed-in tariffs 2026-27: what you're paid in every state
The short answer
Feed-in tariffs are low in 2026-27: most retailers pay a few cents per kWh you export, and some pay nothing on standard plans. Only Tasmania (9.276c) and regional Queensland (6.006c) set a minimum; the NT and WA's Synergy pay more in the late afternoon and evening. As of 26 September 2026, the typical rates we use range from 2c to 9.33c.
What is a feed-in tariff?
A feed-in tariff is what your retailer credits you, in cents per kWh, for solar you send to the grid: when your panels produce more than your home is using, the extra goes into the grid. It's set by your retailer, and in a few places a regulator sets a minimum or a benchmark. It isn't a rebate, and it isn't the same as what you pay for power: most homes pay 25 to 45c for each kWh they buy.
Rates in every state
| State | How it's set | Typical rate we use |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | No mandatory minimum. IPART's 2026-27 benchmark is 3.4–6.5c, with higher evening benchmarks for time-varying plans. | 4c/kWh |
| Victoria | No regulated minimum since 1 July 2025; set by retailers. | 2c/kWh |
| Queensland | South-east: set by retailers. Regional QLD: 6.006c flat, set by the QCA for 2026-27. | 4c/kWh |
| South Australia | No regulated minimum since 2017; set by retailers. | 3c/kWh |
| Western Australia | Synergy (DEBS): 10c from 3pm to 9pm, 2c at other times. Horizon Power rates vary by town. | 3c/kWh |
| Tasmania | Regulated minimum of 9.276c for 2026-27, offered by Aurora. | 9.28c/kWh |
| the ACT | Not regulated; set by retailers. | 3c/kWh |
| the Northern Territory | Jacana: 9.33c, or 18.66c from 3pm to 9pm with a smart meter. | 9.33c/kWh |
The “typical rate” is what our calculator assumes when you don't enter your own. It's deliberately modest: headline rates are often capped (for example, only the first few kWh a day) or only last a year. Your bill shows your actual rate.
What is a time-varying feed-in tariff?
A time-varying feed-in tariff pays different rates at different times, and more plans now have one: little or nothing in the middle of the day, when solar floods the grid, and more in the late afternoon and evening, when it's needed. The NT's 3pm to 9pm rate and Synergy's DEBS in WA are examples, and NSW's regulator publishes evening benchmarks too. A battery, or panels facing west, can earn more on these plans.
What do low feed-in tariffs mean for you?
Low feed-in tariffs mean the solar you use yourself is worth far more than the solar you export:
- Use your own solar. Each kWh you use yourself saves the full price of grid power; each one you export earns only a few cents. Running the dishwasher, washing machine, pool pump or hot water in the middle of the day pays.
- Batteries make more sense. Storing solar you'd export for a few cents, and using it in the evening instead of buying power, is what a battery earns. See is a battery worth it in 2026.
- Size solar to your use, not just your roof. A much bigger system mostly adds low-value exports, unless you'll use the power (an electric car, going all-electric) or add a battery.
- Compare the whole plan. A high feed-in tariff on a plan with expensive usage or supply charges can leave you worse off. Use the government's comparison sites: Energy Made Easy, or Victorian Energy Compare in Victoria.
Do premium feed-in tariffs still exist?
Yes: a few older systems still earn premium rates from older schemes. Check before you add a battery or change your system:
- Queensland: Solar Bonus Scheme (44c), until 1 July 2028. Closed to new applicants in 2012. Current customers can add a battery or panels without losing it, but a battery may only supply the home when the 44c system isn't generating (or needs a separate connection).
- South Australia: Premium feed-in tariff (44c), until 30 June 2028. For systems applied for before 30 September 2011. Installing a battery, or increasing the approved panel or inverter capacity, ends the premium tariff.
See adding a battery to existing solar.
The Solar Sharer Offer
In NSW, south-east Queensland and SA, retailers must also offer a plan with three free hours of electricity in the middle of the day (up to 24 kWh). It's about what you pay, not what you're paid for exports, and it suits homes that can shift use into those hours. See the Solar Sharer Offer.
Questions people ask
What is the solar feed-in tariff in 2026?
It depends on your state and retailer. Most pay a few cents per kWh; Tasmania has a 9.276c minimum, regional Queensland 6.006c, and the NT's Jacana pays 9.33c, or 18.66c from 3pm to 9pm with a smart meter.
Is there a minimum feed-in tariff in NSW?
No. IPART publishes a benchmark (3.4–6.5c for 2026-27) but retailers don't have to pay it.
Is there a minimum feed-in tariff in Victoria?
Not any more. The Essential Services Commission stopped setting a minimum from 1 July 2025, so rates are set by retailers.
Why are feed-in tariffs so low?
So much rooftop solar exports in the middle of the day that the electricity is worth little then. Rates are higher on some plans in the late afternoon and evening.
Should I choose a plan with the highest feed-in tariff?
Not on its own. Compare the whole plan, including usage and supply charges; a high feed-in rate can come with higher prices. Our calculator uses typical rates as of 26 September 2026.
Sources
- IPART: Solar feed-in tariff benchmark 2026-27 (NSW)
- QCA: Regional Queensland feed-in tariff 2026-27
- ESC: Victorian Default Offer 2026-27 price determination
- Synergy: DEBS price schedule
- Tasmanian Economic Regulator: regulated feed-in tariff 2026-27
- Jacana Energy: residential pricing
- energy.gov.au: Solar Sharer Offer
General information, not financial advice. Rebate rules change: figures on this page come from our rules table, last verified 26 September 2026. How we're paid: installers pay Homerise for introducing you. No brand or installer pays to be mentioned in a guide.