Compare electricity plans with solar feed-in tariffs

Compare electricity plans for solar across Australia to find yourself the best deal.

• NSW
• VIC
• QLD
• SA
• TAS
• ACT

Providers	Average Electricity Price	Solar Feed-in Tariff	Compare prices
Origin	$1,820	2.0c - 20.0c	See your rates
AGL	$1,410	5.0c - 10.0c	See your rates
EnergyAustralia	$1,860	7.6c - 10.0c	See your rates
Simply Energy	$2,000	5.5c	See your rates
Energy Locals	$1,700	7.0c	See your rates

See more energy plans in NSW

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in New South Wales. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

Providers	Average Electricity Price	Solar Feed-in Tariff	Compare prices
AGL	$	6.7c	See your rates
Powershop	$1,129	6.7c
Alinta	$	6.7c
Origin	$1,299	6.7c - 20.0c	See your rates
Energy Australia	$1,284	7.1c - 10.0c	See your rates

See more energy plans in VIC

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in Victoria. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

Providers	Average Electricity Price	Solar Feed-in Tariff	Compare prices
Alinta	$	0.0c - 8.0c
Origin	$1,690	2.0c - 12.0c	See your rates
Simply Energy	$1,455	4.5c	See your rates
Dodo	$1,610	5.0c - 8.5c
Energy Australia	$1,800	6.6c - 10.0c	See your rates

See more energy plans in QLD

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in Queensland. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

Providers	Average Electricity Price	Solar Feed-in Tariff	Compare prices
Powershop	$2,230	0.0c - 3.0c
Origin	$2,170	3.0c - 12.0c	See your rates
AGL	$2,030	5.0c - 10.0c	See your rates
Simply Energy	$	4.5c	See your rates
Alinta	$1,860	8.0c

See more energy plans in SA

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in South Australia. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

Providers	Average Electricity Price	Solar Feed-in Tariff	Compare prices
CovaU	$1,450	0.0c - 6.5c	Learn more
Elysian Energy	$	7.0c - 9.0c	Learn more
Energy Locals	$2,000	6.6c	See your rates
1st Energy	$	6.5c - 10.0c	See your rates
Aurora Energy	$2,030	6.5c	Learn more

See more energy plans in TAS

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in Tasmania. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

Providers	Average electricity price	Solar feed-in tariff	Compare prices
Origin	$2,280	7.0c - 14.0c	See your rates
ActewAGL	$1,671	5.5c - 12.0c	See your rates
Energy Australia	$2,380	7.6c - 10.0c	See your rates
Red Energy	$1,660	6.0c	See your rates
Energy Locals	$1,810	7.0c	See your rates

See more energy plans in ACT

Note: These are the top 5 ranked plans in the ACT. See more and learn how we rated these providers at the link above.

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 electricity provider in Australia offers the best feed-in tariffs?

Feed-in tariffs vary widely depending on your state, energy provider and plan. For the table below, we've listed the plan with the highest feed-in tariff by state.

• Watch out for: Many of the highest feed-in tariffs have special conditions, such as restricting the size of your solar system or only applying to a small amount of exported energy per day.

High 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.

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:

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.

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.

Frequently asked questions

• 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 1 and 20c/kWh depending on your plan. 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 FiTs 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.