What is a feed-in tariff?

Solar feed-in tariffs are rebates offered to customers that generate their own solar energy and feed it back into the power grid. For every kilowatt-hour of energy you send back, you get paid somewhere between about 1 and 10c/kWh depending on your plan and state. These rebates show up as a credit on your energy bill at the end of the month.

Can you negotiate feed-in tariffs?

You can't negotiate feed-in tariffs but you can choose a solar plan that best fits your household by knowing how much electricity you use. On that basis, you need to decide between low and high feed-in tariffs and value it against usage rates and supply charges.

Why are solar feed-in tariffs so low?

You might have noticed that FiTs have reached a historical low and seem to be falling each year. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Feed-in tariffs are becoming less important for solar owners with tanking rates and the possibility of charges for exporting to the grid in future. Plus, early adopters of solar were paying much higher prices for the technology. It made sense to have higher FiTs as a result. However, solar panel prices have dropped by almost 80% in the last decade. The adoption of solar has increased tenfold since it has become more efficient and affordable.

How often do feed-in tariffs change?

You can expect FiTs to change each year because of the change in wholesale electricity prices.

Compare solar electricity plans and feed-in tariffs by state

Currently available for electricity and gas in NSW, ACT, VIC, SA and QLD (limited plans in Ergon Area), and for electricity only in TAS. Not available in WA, NT, or for embedded networks and non-quotable meters

How do I find the best solar electricity plan?

Solar owners need to take into account a few factors when choosing a solar plan for their home.

Compare

Shopping around is key to getting yourself the best energy deal for solar. Compare plans available in your area before committing to one.

Estimate your total power bill

Input your energy usage (check your most recent bill) to get the most accurate cost estimate for your household.

Solar export and feed-in tariffs

How much will you be exporting back to the grid? Sustainability Victoria says that most solar systems export 50–70% of their power. If you opt for a provider with a low feed-in tariff (FiT), your power bill credits will also be small.

Check kWh prices

Opting for the highest FiT isn't always beneficial. Some electricity plans offer a very high FiT but only to a limited amount of kilowatt-hours (kWh). Others may offer a decent FiT but a high kWh price at night. In some instances, electricity plans made specifically for solar owners have a different pricing altogether and include a higher daily fixed charge.

Benefit period and discount conditions

Make sure to read the fine print before choosing an electricity plan. Some plans may have restrictions on the size of an eligible system. There could also be export limits or declining FiT after your benefit period has expired.

Which provider in Australia offers the best solar feed-in tariffs?

Our table lists the highest feed-in tariffs available in each state. For most states you'll notice we've included 2 options.

Solar plan	State	Solar Feed-in Tariff	See more
Sumo - Local Residential Single Rate	NSW	Feed in Tariff: 8.8 cents/kWh exported Feed-in tariff applies for the first 8 kWh per day for solar systems less than 10 kW. Not available in conjunction with any other feed-in tariff. Feed in Tariff: 0 cents/kWh exported Above 8 kwh per day for eligible solar systems not exceeding 10kW. Not available in conjunction with any other feed-in tariff.	Read Review
EnergyAustralia - Solar Max	VIC	Current FIT policy: 8 cents/kWh exported Solar Max FIT Current FIT policy: 1.5 cents/kWh exported Solar Max FIT	Read Review
ENGIE - Solar Elec	VIC	Current FIT policy: 8 cents/kWh exported 8 c/kWh for the first 8 kWh, 1 c/kWh for every additional kWh Current FIT policy: 1 cents/kWh exported 8 c/kWh for the first 8 kWh, 1 c/kWh for every additional kWh	Get your quote
Origin Energy - Solar Boost Variable	SA	Solar FIT: 8 cents/kWh exported Origin offers 8 cents per kWh until a daily export limit of 8 kWh is reached. The daily export limit is averaged across your billing period (calculated by multiplying the number of days in your billing period by your daily export limit of 8 kWh) All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any).. All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any). Solar FIT: 2 cents/kWh exported For any amount above the daily export, you will receive our standard retailer feed-in tariff of 2 cents per KWh All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any).	Read Review
AGL - Residential Solar Savers	SA	For the first 8kwh: 8 cents/kWh exported AGL Retailer Feed-in Tariff for the first 8kWh per day ( After 8kwh: 1 cents/kWh exported AGL Retailer Feed-in Tariff Thereafter (>8kWh per day)	Get your quote
Origin Energy - Solar Boost Variable	ACT	Solar FIT: 10 cents/kWh exported Origin offers 10 cents per kWh until a daily export limit of 8 kWh is reached. The daily export limit is averaged across your billing period (calculated by multiplying the number of days in your billing period by your daily export limit of 8 kWh) All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any).. All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any). All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any). Solar FIT: 5 cents/kWh exported For any amount above the daily export, you will receive our standard retailer feed-in tariff of 5 cents per KWh All amounts are GST-inclusive (if any).	Read Review
EnergyAustralia - Solar Max	ACT	Solar Max Superior Feed-in-Tariff: 8 cents/kWh exported EnergyAustralia Retailer Feed-in-Tariff for the first 10kWh per day (excl. GST if any) Retailer Feed-in-Tariff: 3 cents/kWh exported EnergyAustralia Retailer Feed-in-Tariff thereafter (excl. GST if any)	Read Review

"Solar power is more popular than it's ever been in Australia. But because of this, tariffs from the power companies aren't necessarily what they used to be. So before you automatically opt for a feed-in tariff, make sure you check whether you'd be better off on your bill using it yourself, or storing it."

Tom Goodwin

Editor

That's because energy consumption habits vary by household. You might benefit from a flat FiT that's not the highest around but still good. Or you may prefer the highest FiT for a certain amount per day followed by a lower FiT per kWh for the remainder of the day.

Did you know?

Nearly a third of solar owners (32%) couldn't tell you what feed-in tariff rate they're actually being paid for the power they export back to the grid, and in WA, that jumps to just over half (56%). It's worth digging out your bill and checking, because a low rate could be costing you real money every quarter, per Finder's 2026 Energy Report.

High solar feed-in tariffs vs usage rates: Which is better?

Higher feed-in tariffs can look attractive on paper but most plans with higher FiTs likely have a more costly usage rate. This means you'll end up paying more to buy additional energy from the grid if you ever need to.

Relying on the feed-in tariff to pay off your system is a common solar mistake, since you'll usually save more by using your solar power than by exporting it.

To find the best feed-in tariff for your home, you need to consider the following:

How much grid energy you use per day. The more power you pay for, the more important it is to have a low usage rate.
How much solar you export. If you don't buy much power but export heaps to the grid, a high FiT could drive down your bill.

Here are the benefits and drawbacks of seeking out higher feed-in tariffs:

- Turn your unused solar energy into rebates. Feed-in tariffs let you convert excess energy into a credit on your bill.
- Encourage environment-friendly energy. Feed-in tariffs are a decent incentive to make eco-friendly solar generation more cost-effective.
- High-export houses can benefit. If your house runs on mostly solar power already and you have some to spare for export, getting a high tariff has no downsides.
- Feed-in tariffs are much lower than usage rates. You save far more money by using your solar power and not buying grid power rather than exporting it.
- High feed-in tariffs mean higher usage rates. Plans that boost your export price almost always make it pricier to buy power from the grid too.
- Strict eligibility requirements. Retailers often limit their highest rate to the following:
  - Customers with solar systems under a certain size (usually ~10kW)
  - The first few kWh exported per day (typically ≤5kWh)
  - The first 6–12 months of your plan
  - Customers who purchased their solar system through the retailer

If you're worried that feed-in tariffs won't really cover your costs, consider investing in a solar battery to reduce your reliance on grid power. These extend the time it takes for your solar system to pay itself off but can be an excellent long-term investment. If you'd rather spread the cost, here's how solar and battery finance works. Already have panels? Here's how to add a battery to an existing solar system. If you haven't had your system fitted yet, here's what to expect during solar panel installation, including how long it takes before you can start earning a feed-in tariff.

Good to know. FiTs are less important than they used to be. Back in the day, you would be paid up to 60c/kWh for each bit of energy exported. These days, you'll be lucky to get paid more than 10c/kWh in most states.

Why compare energy with Finder?

We know our stuff. Our experts review hundreds of plans each month. It's hard work, but we love it.

You can rely on us. We update plan data on dozens of providers daily, and we're constantly fact-checking.

We're here to help. We've helped millions of Aussies find cheaper energy. That's pretty powerful.

Frequently asked questions

Solar feed-in tariffs are rebates offered to customers that generate their own solar energy and feed it back into the power grid.
For every kilowatt-hour of energy you send back, you get paid somewhere between about 1 and 10c/kWh depending on your plan and state. These rebates show up as a credit on your energy bill at the end of the month.
You might have noticed that FiTs have reached a historical low and seem to be falling each year. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Feed-in tariffs are becoming less important for solar owners with tanking rates and the possibility of charges for exporting to the grid in future.
Plus, early adopters of solar were paying much higher prices for the technology. It made sense to have higher FiTs as a result. However, solar panel prices have dropped by almost 80% in the last decade. The adoption of solar has increased tenfold since it has become more efficient and affordable.

Sources

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Senior Utilities Editor & Tech Expert

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Mariam Gabaji is a journalist with 13 years of experience, specialising in consumer topics like mobile services and energy costs. Her work appears in the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, The Guardian, SBS, 7News, A Current Affair and Money Magazine. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and was a finalist for the 2024 and 2025 IT Journalism Award for Best Telecommunications Journalist. See full bio

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Compare solar electricity plans and feed-in tariffs by state

The best feed-in tariffs available can range from 8 to 10 cents per kWh depending on where you're based.