SOLAR & BATTERY · ELECTRICITY TARIFF GUIDE
Electricity Plans & Tariffs for Solar and Battery Homes in NSW
Installing solar and a home battery can change the way you buy electricity from the grid — but the electricity plan you choose can also affect the value you get from your system.
Single-rate tariffs, time-of-use pricing, demand charges and solar feed-in tariffs all reward different patterns of electricity use. For a solar and battery home, the plan with the most attractive individual rate is not always the plan that produces the lowest overall bill.
Updated September 2026 · 10 min read · NTN Energy
Why Your Electricity Plan Still Matters After Installing Solar and a Battery
Solar panels can reduce the amount of electricity you buy from the grid during daylight hours, while a battery can store energy for use later. However, most grid-connected homes still interact with the electricity network throughout the year.
You may still import electricity when solar generation is low, when the battery is empty or when household demand exceeds what the solar and battery system can supply. You may also export surplus solar energy and receive a feed-in tariff from your electricity retailer.
Your electricity plan determines how these imports and exports are priced. Depending on the plan, your bill may include a daily supply charge, a single usage rate, peak and off-peak rates, demand charges, controlled-load rates and solar feed-in credits.
This means the performance of a solar and battery system should not be considered separately from the electricity tariff attached to the property.
What Electricity Tariffs Are Available in NSW?
Electricity retailers offer different tariff structures, and the plans available to a household can depend on factors including the electricity meter, network area, retailer and property configuration.
Understanding the basic tariff types makes it easier to compare how a particular plan may interact with solar and battery storage.
| Tariff Type | How It Works | What Solar & Battery Homes Should Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Single rate | The usage rate generally stays the same regardless of time | Simple to understand, but does not provide a cheaper off-peak period |
| Time of use | Electricity prices vary by time of day | A battery may help reduce grid imports during expensive peak periods |
| Demand tariff | Part of the bill is linked to peak electricity demand | Battery discharge may help reduce some grid demand peaks |
| Controlled load | A separate tariff supplies certain dedicated appliances | Often relevant to equipment such as electric hot water |
The tariff names and exact pricing structures used by retailers can vary. Always check the rates, time periods and conditions shown on your own electricity plan.
Single Rate vs Time-of-Use: Which Is Better With a Battery?
There is no universal answer. The better option depends on when your household imports electricity from the grid and how effectively the battery can reduce imports during higher-priced periods.
A single-rate tariff is relatively simple: the usage price generally does not change according to the time of day. This can make bills easier to understand, but there is no lower off-peak usage period to take advantage of.
A time-of-use tariff divides electricity usage into different pricing periods. Peak electricity is generally more expensive, while off-peak electricity is cheaper. Some plans also include shoulder periods between peak and off-peak pricing.
For a home with a battery, time-of-use pricing can create an opportunity to use stored energy during expensive periods rather than importing as much electricity from the grid.
However, time-of-use pricing is not automatically cheaper. If the household continues to import substantial electricity during peak periods, or if the difference between peak and off-peak rates does not suit the household’s usage pattern, another tariff structure may produce a different result.
The useful comparison is therefore not simply the advertised peak or off-peak rate. It is the estimated total bill based on how the household actually uses, imports and exports electricity.
When Are Peak and Off-Peak Electricity Times in NSW?
Time-of-use periods are not identical across every NSW electricity plan.
As a general example, NSW Government guidance shows off-peak periods commonly occurring overnight, with peak pricing concentrated around weekday late-afternoon and evening demand. Shoulder pricing may apply during the periods between peak and off-peak.
One example provided by the NSW Government uses:
Off-peak: 11 pm to 7 am
Peak: 4 pm to 9 pm on weekdays
Shoulder: other specified periods
These times should only be treated as an example. Your actual peak, shoulder and off-peak periods can depend on your retailer, electricity plan, network area and meter, and some tariff periods may also vary seasonally.
Before changing how a battery is scheduled to charge or discharge, check the tariff periods shown on your current electricity plan.
How Can a Battery Work With a Time-of-Use Tariff?
A battery can help shift when a household relies on electricity from the grid.
During the middle of a sunny day, solar generation may supply the home directly while surplus solar charges the battery. As solar production falls later in the day, the battery can discharge to support household loads and reduce grid imports.
This can be particularly useful when the evening coincides with a higher-priced peak tariff period.
Depending on the battery system, electricity plan and operating strategy, grid charging during lower-cost periods may also be possible. For example, some households may choose to charge a battery during an off-peak period when solar generation is expected to be insufficient.
However, regularly charging from the grid is not automatically the best strategy for every home. The price difference between tariff periods, battery efficiency, solar forecast, available battery capacity and household demand all affect the result.
Battery settings should therefore support the household’s overall energy strategy rather than simply charging or discharging at fixed times without considering the electricity plan.
Battery capacity also affects how much energy can be shifted between different parts of the day. See What Size Solar Battery Do I Need? for our battery sizing guide.
These are general considerations rather than fixed sizing rules. Actual requirements depend on electricity consumption, solar generation, equipment specifications and the household’s objectives.
Does a Higher Solar Feed-in Tariff Always Mean a Better Electricity Plan?
No. A higher solar feed-in tariff can increase the credit you receive for exported solar electricity, but it is only one part of the overall electricity plan.
A plan offering a higher feed-in tariff may also have higher usage rates, a higher daily supply charge, different time-of-use pricing or conditions that limit how much exported electricity receives the advertised feed-in rate.
For a household with a battery, this becomes particularly important because more solar energy may be stored and used within the home instead of being exported.
When the retail price of importing electricity is significantly higher than the amount received for exporting solar, using more of your own solar energy can be valuable. However, the best outcome still depends on the complete tariff structure and the household’s import and export profile.
Compare the whole electricity plan — not just the feed-in tariff.
Check the daily supply charge, grid usage rates, tariff periods, feed-in conditions and any battery or VPP requirements before comparing plans.
What Is the Solar Sharer Offer?
From 1 July 2026, the Australian Energy Regulator’s Default Market Offer framework includes a Solar Sharer Offer for eligible customers with smart meters.
In NSW, the Solar Sharer Offer provides eligible households with a free-power period from 11 am to 2 pm each day, with up to 24 kWh of electricity available free during that window under the current offer settings.
The concept is designed to encourage households to shift flexible electricity use into periods when renewable energy is abundant. Depending on the household, this could include activities such as running appliances, heating water or charging an electric vehicle.
For a solar household, however, “free electricity” should still be considered in context. Many solar homes already generate their own electricity during the middle of the day, so the financial benefit will depend on how much additional grid electricity the household can practically use during the free period and the pricing that applies during the rest of the day.
As with any electricity offer, compare the complete plan rather than selecting it based on one feature alone.
What Is a Demand Tariff and Why Does It Matter?
A demand tariff includes a charge related to how much power a property draws from the grid during specified periods, rather than charging only for the total amount of electricity consumed.
This is different from normal energy consumption measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Demand is generally concerned with how much power is being drawn at a particular time, commonly expressed in kilowatts (kW).
A household can therefore use a similar amount of energy over a billing period but receive a different demand charge depending on how concentrated its grid usage is.
For example, operating several high-power appliances at the same time may create a higher grid demand than spreading those loads across different periods.
A correctly configured battery may be able to supply some household demand during these periods and reduce the amount of power drawn from the grid. Whether this produces meaningful savings depends on the specific demand tariff and household load profile.
For a detailed explanation of the current federal support and NSW VPP incentive, see our Home Battery Rebates in NSW: 2026 Guide.
How Does a VPP Electricity Plan Change the Calculation?
A Virtual Power Plant, or VPP, connects participating batteries so they can respond collectively to electricity market and grid conditions.
Depending on the provider and agreement, a VPP operator may control the battery for some periods, including charging or discharging stored energy, in return for incentives, bill credits or other financial benefits.
This means a VPP offer should not be compared only on the standard electricity usage rate or solar feed-in tariff. Homeowners should also understand how the battery may be controlled, how much capacity remains available for household use or backup, how incentives are calculated and what happens if they want to leave the program.
A VPP can provide value for some households, but the financial and operational outcome depends on the individual offer and how it fits with the household’s battery objectives.
For more information about current battery incentives and the NSW VPP incentive, see our Home Battery Rebates in NSW: 2026 Guide.
It is worth reviewing your electricity plan after installing solar or a battery because the way your household interacts with the grid may have changed significantly.
Before solar, a household may have purchased most of its electricity from the grid. After installing solar, daytime grid imports may fall and exports may increase. Adding a battery can shift the profile again by storing some surplus solar and reducing evening imports.
A plan that suited the household before these changes may not necessarily remain the most suitable afterwards.
Rather than changing plans based on one advertised rate, review recent consumption, solar exports and battery behaviour. If possible, use smart-meter or interval data to understand when electricity is being imported and exported.
You can then compare available market offers using the household’s new energy profile rather than relying only on historical electricity bills from before the solar or battery system was installed.
If you are still considering whether storage makes financial sense for your household, see Is a Home Battery Worth It in Sydney?
Before choosing a new electricity plan for a solar and battery home, check:
✓ Daily supply charge
✓ Single-rate or time-of-use usage rates
✓ Peak, shoulder and off-peak periods
✓ Solar feed-in tariff
✓ Any limits or conditions attached to higher feed-in rates
✓ Demand charges
✓ Controlled-load rates
✓ VPP requirements or battery-control conditions
✓ Whether your meter supports the tariff
✓ How your household actually imports and exports electricity
A plan that looks cheaper based on one rate may cost more overall once the complete tariff structure, solar exports and battery behaviour are considered.
PLANNING SOLAR OR BATTERY?
Design Your System Around How You Use Energy
Electricity tariffs are one part of the solar and battery equation. System size, household usage, solar generation, battery capacity and when you import electricity from the grid all affect the result.
NTN Energy can assess your electricity usage and energy goals when designing a solar or battery system for your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a time-of-use tariff better if I have a battery?
A time-of-use tariff can work well with a battery when stored energy reduces grid imports during expensive peak periods. However, it is not automatically the cheapest option for every household. The result depends on the tariff rates, battery operation and when the household imports electricity.
What are peak and off-peak electricity times in NSW?
Peak and off-peak periods vary between electricity plans. NSW Government guidance provides examples where weekday peak pricing occurs in the late afternoon and evening and off-peak pricing occurs overnight, but customers should check the exact periods shown on their own retailer plan.
Can I charge my home battery from the grid during off-peak hours?
Some battery systems and electricity plans allow grid charging, which can make it possible to charge during lower-cost periods. Whether this is appropriate depends on the battery configuration, tariff, solar forecast, household usage and any applicable program or VPP conditions.
Is a higher solar feed-in tariff always better?
No. A higher feed-in tariff may be offset by higher usage rates, supply charges or other plan conditions. Solar and battery households should compare the estimated total bill rather than choosing a plan based only on the feed-in tariff.
What is a demand charge on an electricity bill?
A demand charge is linked to the level of power drawn from the grid during specified periods. It is different from simply charging for total electricity consumption in kWh. The exact way demand is measured and charged depends on the electricity tariff.
Should I change electricity plans after installing a solar battery?
It is worth reviewing your plan because solar and battery storage can significantly change when you import and export electricity. Whether you should actually switch depends on how your new usage profile compares with the rates and conditions of available plans.
Official Electricity Tariff Information
For current information about electricity tariffs, solar pricing and NSW electricity plans, refer to the official resources below.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute financial or electricity retail advice. Electricity tariffs, rates, feed-in tariffs, VPP terms and eligibility can change and vary by retailer, network area, meter and property. Check the current terms of any electricity plan before making a decision.