Feed-in tariffs (FiTs) were once a huge part of the solar value story in Australia. In the early days, some states paid 44–60 cents per kWh for exported solar — more than twice what you were paying to buy electricity. Those days are long gone.
In 2026, FiTs range from around 2–12 cents per kWh depending on your state and retailer. Here's the honest picture — and what it means for your system.
Why Feed-In Tariffs Dropped
The original high FiTs were a policy tool to kickstart solar uptake. They worked — rooftop solar installation went from niche to mainstream. Once penetration reached meaningful levels, state governments wound back the generous rates. The current market-based FiTs reflect something closer to the actual value of solar electricity to the grid.
The grid doesn't actually need as much midday solar as it once did — there's now so much rooftop solar in states like SA and QLD that the wholesale electricity price at midday sometimes goes negative. Your FiT is tied (loosely) to this wholesale value, which is why it's fallen.
2026 Feed-In Tariff Rates by State
New South Wales
No mandated minimum. Market-based rates typically 5–12c/kWh depending on retailer. Competitive retailers like Amber, Origin, and AGL offer different rates. The NSW benchmark rate set by IPART is around 5–6c, but shopping around can get you closer to 10–12c.
Victoria
Victoria has a regulated minimum FiT (set by the Essential Services Commission) of around 4.2c/kWh in 2026. Most retailers pay above the minimum — competitive rates are in the 6–10c range. VPP programs can push effective rates higher.
Queensland
Market-based. Standard rates 5–12c. Ergon and Energex customers on controlled plans may see different structures. Time-varying FiTs are emerging — some retailers pay more for morning or afternoon exports when the grid is under pressure.
South Australia
The state with Australia's highest solar penetration also has among the most dynamic FiT structures. Standard rates are modest (3–8c), but time-varying FiTs and VPP participation can significantly improve effective export earnings during peak demand periods.
Western Australia
Synergy's standard DEBS (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme) pays 2.25c/kWh off-peak and 10c/kWh during peak periods (3pm–9pm). Exporting during peak hours is significantly more valuable — a good reason to consider a battery that can shift export timing.
Tasmania
Aurora Energy pays around 8–10c/kWh, making Tasmania's FiT relatively consistent and reasonable given its lower solar irradiance.
Self-Consumption Beats Export — Every Time
This is the most important thing to understand about FiTs in 2026: every kWh you use directly from your solar panels saves you 28–40c (depending on your retail rate). Every kWh you export earns you 3–12c. The gap is enormous.
Maximise self-consumption by: running dishwashers and washing machines during the day, setting hot water to heat during solar hours, running air conditioning during generation rather than waiting until evening.
If you can shift just 20–30% of your daytime loads to coincide with solar production, your savings go up significantly — without changing anything about your actual system.
So Is Exporting Worthless?
Not worthless — every cent helps. But don't buy a bigger system hoping to profit from export. Buy it to maximise self-consumption. Export revenue is a bonus, not the business case.
The businesses case for solar in 2026 is: replace expensive grid electricity with free solar electricity. That math works extremely well almost everywhere in Australia.
Want to see the numbers for your specific usage pattern and state? Upload your bill to GridBeater for a real personalised analysis.
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