A solar feed-in tariff or FiT refers to how much you are paid per kWh of electricity when you export excess energy from your solar installation to the grid.
A FiT means that as well as generating your own electricity you can also earn a small income on it.
FiTs were originally introduced by the government as an incentive to stimulate demand for solar PV systems. As the solar industry has matured and solar panel prices have dropped by almost 80 percent, FiT rates have reduced considerably.
With current system payback periods typically less than 6 years, any FiT you receive can be considered a bonus and welcome financial sweetener as opposed to a make-or-break factor – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop around for the best rate.
Below is a guide to FiT schemes and offers by state/territory. We have provided minimum and maximum FiT rates for each state’s major retailers by market share and also for the top 3 retailers offering the highest maximum FiT rates.
Remember, a good solar feed-in tariff is important, but to find the best deal you also need to value usage rates and supply charges. The best way to ensure you are seeing the whole picture and getting the best deal overall is to compare your current energy plan with a range of other offers using our free energy comparison tool.
Victoria Feed-In Tariffs
In Victoria, the Essential Services Commission sets a mandatory minimum feed-in tariff for households. From 1st July 2022, the minimum feed-in tariff will fall from 6.7c to 5.2c per kWh. The minimum FiT rates are lower than for 2021-22 due to a forecast decrease in daytime wholesale electricity prices for 2022-23.
Retailers can also offer solar customers a time-varying minimum FiT. From 1 July 2022, customers on the time-varying FiT rate receive a day rate of 5 c/kWh, an overnight rate of 7.1 c/kWh and an early evening rate of 6.9 c/kWh (refer table below). The time-varying rates have all decreased compared with the respective 2021-22 rates.
| Flat FiT (c/kWh) | Time-varying FiT (c/kWh) | ||
| All times | Overnight Weekdays: 10pm-7am Weekends: 10pm-7am | Day Weekdays: 7am-3pm, 9pm-10pm Weekends: 7am-10pm | Early Evening Weekdays: 3pm-9pm Weekends: n/a |
| 5.2c | 7.1c | 5.0c | 6.9c |
Victorian electricity retailers are required to offer eligible FiT customers no less than these rates for electricity exported to the grid. Electricity retailers may offer a higher rate than the regulated minimum but are not obligated to do so.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates VIC
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| 1st Energy | 6.7c | 11.7c |
| Tango Energy | 6.7c | 10.1c |
| Elysian Energy | 10.0c | 10.0c |
Feed-in tariff rates for major VIC retailers
| Vic Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| AGL | 6.7c | 6.7c |
| Origin | 6.7c | 10.0c |
| EnergyAustralia | 7.1c | 10.0c |
| Simply Energy | 6.7c | 6.7c |
| Red Energy | 6.7c | 8.0c |
| Lumo Energy | 6.7c | 6.7c |
| Alinta Energy | 6.7c | 6.7c |
| Momentum Energy | 6.7c | 10.0c |
New South Wales Feed-In Tariffs
There is no set minimum feed-in tariff rate in NSW, although there is a benchmark range of 4.6 to 5.5c/kWh, according to Energy NSW.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates NSW
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| GloBird Energy | 3.0c | 20.0c (first 14kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
| Red Energy | 6.0c | 18.0c (first 5kWh/day, 6c thereafter) |
| Nectr | 0.0c | 15.0c (first 10kWh/day) |
Feed-in tariff rates for major NSW retailers
| NSW Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Origin | 2.0c | 10.0c (first 14kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
| EnergyAustralia | 7.6c | 10.0c |
| AGL | 5.0c | 10.0c |
| Red Energy | 6.0c | 18.0c (first 5kWh/day, 6c thereafter) |
| Alinta Energy | 6.7c | 6.7c |
| Simply Energy | 5.5c | 5.5c |
| Powershop | 0.0c | 13.0c |
| Dodo | 7.0c | 7.0c |
Queensland Feed-In Tariffs
If you live in South East Queensland, there is no mandated rate for electricity exported to the grid. Instead, electricity retailers offer competitive, market-based tariff rates.
Solar feed-in tariff for regional Queensland
If you live outside South East Queensland, you may be able to access the regional solar feed-in tariff. This is a flat rate tariff available to eligible Ergon Energy Retail customers and Origin Energy customers. For the 2020–21, the regional feed-in tariff is 7.861 cents per kilowatt hour. To find out if you’re eligible, contact your electricity distributor:
- Ergon Energy Retail if you’re connected to the Ergon Energy network
- Origin Energy if you’re connected to the Essential Energy network.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates QLD
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Sumo | 6.0c | 12.0c (first 5kWh/day, 7c thereafter) |
| Nectr | 0.0c | 11.5c (first 10kWh/day) |
| Red Energy | 5.0c | 11.5c (first 5kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
Feed-in tariff rates for major QLD retailers
| QLD Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Origin | 2.0c | 10.0c |
| AGL | 5.0c | 10.0c (first 14kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
| Alinta Energy | 0.0c | 8.0c |
| EnergyAustralia | 6.6c | 10.0c |
| Red Energy | 5.0c | 11.5c (first 5kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
| Locality Planning Energy | TBC | TBC |
| ReAmped Energy | 0.0c | 6.0c |
| Simply Energy | 7.0c | 7.0c |
South Australia Feed-In Tariffs
There is no mimimum FiT in South Australia. The retailer feed-in tariff, which is available to anyone with an eligible solar PV system, is a variable amount offered by retailers. It can change regularly due to influences such as the wholesale price of electricity and market competition.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates SA
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Nectr | 0.0c | 12.0c (first 10kWh/day) |
| EnergyAustralia | 8.5c | 10.0c |
| Momentum Energy | 0.0c | 10.0c |
Feed-in tariff rates for major SA retailers
| SA Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| AGL | 5.0c | 10.0c (first 14kWh/day, 5c thereafter) |
| Origin | 3.0c | 10.0c |
| Simply Energy | 4.5c | 4.5c |
| EnergyAustralia | 8.5c | 10.0c |
| Alinta Energy | 8.0c | 8.0C |
| Lumo Energy | 3.0c | 3.0c |
| Powerdirect | 5.0c | 5.0c |
| Energy Locals | 6.5c | 6.5c |
Western Australia Feed-In Tariffs
Western Australia does things a little differently to the rest of the country when it comes to energy. If you live out west, you have no choice of electricity retailer, with Synergy and Horizon Power covering metro and regional areas respectively.
WA’s residential Feed-in Tariff scheme came to its scheduled end last year. Fortunately, eligible residents can still access the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS). DEBS offers residents a time of export payment for electricity they export to the grid, divided into peak (3pm to 9pm) and off-peak (9pm and 3pm) rates.
DEBS rates for major WA retailers
| WA Major Retailers | Off-peak DEBS rate | Peak DEB rate |
| Synergy | 2.75c | 10.0c |
| Horizon Power | 3.0c | 10.0c |
Australian Capital Territory Feed-In Tariffs
Since new applications to the ACT government’s feed-in tariff scheme closed in 2011, FiTs are no longer regulated and are set by retailers. Until recently, strict state regulations meant only a few electricity retailers wanted to operate in the ACT, leaving customers with fairly limited options. Fortunately, more retailers have entered the market in recent years, allowing customerso shop around for better deals.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates ACT
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Nectr | 0.0c | 12.0c (first 10kWh/day) |
| EnergyAustralia | 7.6c | 10.0c |
| ActewAGL | 7.2c | 10.0c |
Feed-in tariff rates for major ACT retailers
| ACT Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| ActewAGL | 7.2c | 10.0c |
| Origin | 7.0c | 8.0c |
| EnergyAustralia | 7.6c | 10.0c |
| Energy Locals | 7.0c | 7.0c |
| Red Energy | 6.0c | 6.0c |
Tasmania Feed-In Tariffs
Tasmania has historically had one most heavily regulated energy markets in the country. Aurora Energy was the only electricity retailer servicing homes in Tasmania until February 2019 when 1st Energy was permitted to enter the local market. Since then, several more retailers have made their move in Tasmania, allowing customers to shop around for a better deal.
As of July 2021, a minimum solar feed-in tariff rate was set to 6.501c/kWh in Tasmania. However, some providers choose to offer more competitive rates than this.
Top 3 feed-in tariff rates TAS
| Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| 1st Energy | 6.5c | 10.0c |
| Elysian Energy | 7.0c | 9.0c |
| Glow Power | 7.0c | 7.0c |
Feed-in tariff rates for major TAS retailers
| TAS Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Aurora Energy | 7.2c | 10.0c |
| 1st Energy | 6.5c | 10.0c |
| Elysian Energy | 7.0c | 9.0c |
| Energy Locals | 6.6c | 6.6c |
| Glow Power | 7.0c | 7.0c |
Northern Territory Feed-In Tariffs
The Northern Territory energy market is regulated by the state government for users of less than 750 MWh of electricity a year, offering customers limited choices but the assurance of a fair price even if they live in a remote region.
When it comes to feed-in tariffs, the Northern Territory government previously offered a “Premium” feed-in tariff of 26.05c per kWh.
On April 5, 2020, the government announced a new standard feed-in tariff of 8.3 cents per kWh that applies to all new business and residential solar installations up to 30kW capacity. Energy retailers are welcome to offer more generous FiT at their discretion.
Customers who installed their system prior to April 5, 2020, can continue on the premium feed-in tariff until 1 July 2022, at which point they will be transferred to the standard feed-in tariff.
Feed-in tariff rates for major NT retailers
| NT Major Retailers | Min Solar FiT | Max Solar FiT |
| Rimfire Energy | 11.0c | 15.0c (with new solar installation, 11.0c existing) |
| Jacana Energy | 8.3c | 8.3c |
