Getting to know the 3 hours free electricity plan for residential clients

To maximize your home solar and battery system in South Australia, you can use a "Double-Charge" stratagem. This approach uses two daily low-cost or free windows to keep your battery full and your EV charged, even during the low-generation winter months.

Starting July 1, 2026, the mandatory Solar Sharer Offer (SSO) will provide a daily three-hour block of free electricity in South Australia, typically scheduled for the middle of the day (e.g., 11 am to 2 pm).

Remember: it is only available for residential customers and you have to ask to have it.

Here is the 3 major energy retailers who has already given the 3 hours free electricity and the power window details in South Australia:

  • OVO Energy ("The Free 3"): Provides free electricity specifically from 11 AM to 2 PM daily.

  • AGL ("Three for Free"): Schedules its free window slightly earlier, from 10 AM to 1 PM.

  • GloBird Energy ("FreeLunch"): Typically offers a two-hour cost-free window between 12 PM and 2 PM

1. Midday "Free Window" Stratagem (11 am – 2 pm)

During winter or rainy days when solar panels produce very little, use the grid to "top up" for free.

  • Forced Battery Charging: Manually set your battery inverter to "Charge from Grid" during these free hours. This ensures your home battery is 100% full to cover the expensive evening peak (4 pm – 9 pm) without needing solar input.


  • Heavy Load Shifting: Run high-energy appliances like your dishwasher, washing machine, or electric hot water system during this window.

     

  • Pre-Heating (Thermal Battery): Set your reverse-cycle air conditioner to heat the house during this time. This uses free energy to warm the "thermal mass" of your home, reducing the need for heating during the evening.

     

2. Midnight "EV Plan" Stratagem (11 pm – 6 am)

Most SA EV plans offer deep discounts (e.g., 4.5c to 8c/kWh) overnight.

 

  • Scheduled EV Charging: Use your EV’s onboard timer or a smart charger to start charging at midnight. This avoids using your home battery capacity for the car, preserving that stored energy for your household appliances.


  • Secondary Battery Buffer: If your home battery was depleted during a particularly dark winter day, you can set a secondary "minimum charge" schedule to top it up to ~20-30% during this cheap window to ensure you have power for the morning breakfast rush.

     

3. Strategic Hardware & Settings

Component Best Practice for Winter/Rain
Hybrid Inverter Ensure it is set to "Time-of-Use" mode so it prioritizes grid-charging during free/cheap windows.
Smart Meter Mandatory for accessing both the 3-hour free SSO and EV overnight plans.
Battery Sizing A battery sized to cover your full evening and morning consumption (e.g., 10kWh–15kWh) is critical when solar generation is low.

Winter Efficiency Warning

  • Efficiency Loss: Be aware that "AC charging" (grid to battery) involves a small energy loss during conversion, but since the power is free during the midday window, this loss is financially irrelevant.

     

  • Cap Awareness: The Solar Sharer Offer often includes a 24kWh daily cap on free electricity. This is more than enough to fully charge most residential batteries and run a household, but avoid charging a completely empty EV and a battery simultaneously if it exceeds this limit.