Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff Guide 2026: Rates by State

A feed-in tariff (FiT) is the rate your energy retailer pays you for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar electricity you export to the grid. Unlike net metering (used in some US states and other countries), where exports are credited at the full retail import rate and your meter effectively runs backwards, Australia's FiT system pays a separate, generally much lower, rate for exports. This distinction is fundamental to understanding Australian solar economics: self-consuming your solar energy (i.e., using it in your home as it is generated) saves you the full retail rate of AU$0.25-0.36/kWh, while exporting earns you only AU$0.04-0.12/kWh. The difference — the FiT-to-retail spread — is the single most important metric for determining whether a battery makes financial sense.

Feed-in tariff rates across Australia vary significantly, driven by state regulations, retailer competition, and solar penetration levels:<br><br> <strong>Victoria (VIC):</strong> 3.9c/kWh (regulated minimum) — Lowest in Australia. The Essential Services Commission sets the minimum FiT quarterly. Some retailers offer up to 12c/kWh on premium plans. VIC also offers the Solar Homes rebate (AU$1,400) and interest-free loans up to AU$8,800 for solar + battery. Low FiT makes batteries very attractive in VIC.<br> <strong>South Australia (SA):</strong> Minimum 5c/kWh (distributed generation). Retailer offers: 5-8c/kWh. SA has the highest retail rates in Australia (36c/kWh), creating the widest FiT-to-retail spread (31c/kWh). Combined with the AU$2,000 Home Battery Scheme, SA offers the strongest battery financial case in Australia.<br> <strong>New South Wales (NSW):</strong> No mandatory minimum. Retailer offers: 5-9c/kWh. Competitive retailer market with downward pressure on FiT rates as solar penetration increases. NSW battery rebate (AU$2,400) available for homes with existing solar.<br> <strong>Queensland (QLD):</strong> No mandatory minimum. Retailer offers: 6-10c/kWh (south-east QLD), Ergon Energy: 9.28c/kWh flat (regional QLD). QLD's high sun hours (5.0/day) mean large export volumes, so even a 1c/kWh difference matters significantly.<br> <strong>Western Australia (WA):</strong> Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS): 10c/kWh peak (3pm-9pm), 2.5c/kWh off-peak. The time-varying structure encourages battery storage to shift exports to peak periods. WA's isolated grid means policy can change faster than in NEM states.<br> <strong>ACT:</strong> Minimum 8c/kWh regulated. Retailer offers: 8-12c/kWh. Highest minimum FiT in Australia. ACT's Sustainable Household Scheme offers interest-free loans up to AU$15,000 for solar + battery.<br> <strong>Tasmania (TAS):</strong> Aurora Energy: ~7.5-8.5c/kWh (regulated by Tasmanian Economic Regulator). Lower sun hours (3.8/day) reduce export volumes. Moderate FiT makes battery case less compelling than in states with wider spreads.<br> <strong>Northern Territory (NT):</strong> No regulated minimum. Retailer offers historically 8-20c/kWh — the highest FiT rates in Australia but paired with very high sun hours (5.8/day) and generous battery grants (up to AU$6,000).<br><br> For a typical 6.6kW system exporting 4,000 kWh/year, annual FiT income ranges from AU$156 (VIC minimum) to AU$480+ (NT high end) — a AU$324/year difference. However, self-consumption savings dwarf this: avoiding 4,000 kWh of retail purchases saves AU$1,000-1,440/year.

Your FiT rate is shown on your electricity bill — usually listed as 'Solar Feed-in Tariff' or 'Solar Export Rate' in the generation/export section. If you cannot find it on your bill, log into your retailer's online portal or call them directly. Unlike some countries where FiT rates are locked for 20+ years, Australian FiT rates can change with 30 days' notice from your retailer, though they typically move gradually. You can compare FiT rates across retailers using the Australian Government's Energy Made Easy website (energymadeeasy.gov.au) or, if you're in Victoria, the Victorian Energy Compare tool (compare.energy.vic.gov.au). These official tools show all available plans and FiT rates for your postcode.

When choosing an energy retailer for your solar home, the FiT rate is important but should not be your only consideration. A higher FiT rate often comes with a higher daily supply charge or a smaller pay-on-time discount. Always compare the total annual cost: (annual consumption × import rate) + (daily supply charge × 365) - (annual exports × FiT rate). A plan with a 10c/kWh FiT but a higher import rate may cost more overall than a plan with a 6c/kWh FiT and a lower import rate. For most solar homes, the import rate matters more than the FiT rate because self-consumption is 2-9 times more valuable than exports. The best retailer for you depends on your consumption pattern, export volume, and whether you have (or plan to add) a battery.

The FiT-to-retail spread (the difference between what you save by self-consuming and what you earn by exporting) is the key metric for Australian solar homes. In SA with 36c/kWh retail and 5c/kWh FiT, the spread is 31c/kWh — every kWh you shift from export to self-consumption saves 31c. In ACT with 27c/kWh retail and 10c/kWh FiT, the spread is 17c/kWh. Strategies to maximise self-consumption include: running pool pumps and clothes dryers during the day (these are large, shiftable loads), pre-cooling or pre-heating your home during solar hours, scheduling dishwashers and washing machines for daytime operation, using smart home automation to trigger loads when solar production exceeds household demand, and adding a battery to store excess midday solar for evening use. For most Australian households, a 10-20% increase in self-consumption is worth more than a 2-3c/kWh improvement in FiT rate.

The financial case for a home battery depends almost entirely on your FiT-to-retail spread. The wider the spread, the more valuable the battery becomes. In SA (31c spread), a battery can pay back in 6-8 years — among the best in Australia. In ACT (17-19c spread), battery payback is typically 10-14 years unless you qualify for the AU$15,000 interest-free loan. In VIC (3.9c FiT, 25c retail, 21c spread), the spread is wide but the battery payback is helped by the Solar Homes interest-free loan. Key takeaway: if your FiT is above 10c/kWh and your retail rate is below 28c/kWh, a battery may not improve your financial return compared to a larger solar-only system. If your FiT is below 6c/kWh and your retail rate is above 30c/kWh, a battery is likely worth serious consideration.