Feed-in tariffs (FiTs) used to be one of the simplest parts of going solar. Export excess power, get paid for it, and watch the credits roll in. Today, it’s far more complicated, and where you live in Australia now plays a much bigger role in how valuable those exports actually are.
Across the country, daytime solar is no longer scarce. In some states, the grid is already saturated with midday generation, pushing export values down, and in some cases, close to zero. In others, FiTs still exist but are structured in ways that reward when you export. The result is a patchwork of rules, rates, and retail plans that can make the same solar system perform very differently from one postcode to the next.
This state-by-state reality check looks at how FiTs work across Australia in 2026 – where export payments still matter, where they don’t, and what that means for households deciding how to design, size, or upgrade their solar systems today.
How FiTs work in Australia today
At a basic level, a FiT is the credit you receive for exporting unused solar energy back to the grid. What’s changed is how that credit is set and what retailers and networks actually value.
In most states, FiTs are no longer fixed or generous by default. Some governments set a minimum rate, but this is usually a floor, not a reflection of real market value. Above that minimum, retailers decide what they pay based on wholesale electricity prices, local network conditions, and how much solar is already flooding the grid during the day.
The biggest shift is timing. Midday electricity, when rooftop solar output is highest, is often worth very little because supply is abundant. In contrast, electricity exported in the late afternoon or evening can be far more valuable, when demand rises and solar generation drop. That’s why many newer plans now favour batteries, time-varying exports, or controlled discharge rather than simple daytime exports.
In practice, this means FiTs are increasingly shaped by when you export, how your system is configured, and which state and network you’re connected to.
State-by-state FiT overview
Note: Ranges reflect typical retailer offers in early 2026. Actual rates vary by plan, network, and time of export.
New South Wales (NSW)
- Typical daytime FiT: ~3-6c/kWh
- Evening / time-varying FiTs: up to ~10-20 c/kWh (limited windows, battery-linked)
- Minimum FiT: none (retailer-set)
What this means:
Daytime exports deliver limited value. Meaningful export credits generally require time-shifting via batteries or time-based plans.
Victoria (VIC)
- Minimum FiT (regulated): ~3-4 c/kWh
- Typical retailer FiTs: ~3-6 c/kWh
- Time-varying FiTs: limited availability
What this means:
The minimum FiT protects against zero exports in VIC, but does not guarantee strong returns. Export-heavy systems still underperform compared to self-consumption-focused designs.
Queensland (QLD)
- Typical FiTs (SEQ): ~3-6 c/kWh
- Typical FiTs (regional): ~5-10 c/kWh
- Minimum FiT: none (retailer-set)
What this means:
Regional households, like in QLD, may see higher export value, but FiTs are inconsistent and often offset by higher usage charges.
South Australia (SA)
- Typical daytime FiTs: ~2-5 c/kWh
- Battery/VPP export rates: up to ~15-25 c/kWh (conditional)
- Export controls: common
What this means:
Midday exports are low value in SA. Batteries and controlled export arrangements carry most of the upside.
Western Australia (WA)
- DEBS export rates:
- Daytime: ~2-3 c/kWh
- Evening peak: ~10 c/kWh
- Legacy FiTs: closed to new entrants
What this means:
Export value is tightly time-based in WA. System timing matters more than system size.
Tasmania (TAS)
- Typical FiTs: ~8-10 c/kWh
- Market size: small, fewer plans available
What this means:
Exports still hold reasonable value in TAS, but options are limited and plan choice matters.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
- Typical FiTs: ~6-10 c/kWh
- Renewable penetration: very high
What this means:
FiTs remain moderate in ACT, but export value is under pressure as rooftop solar continues to grow.
Northern Territory (NT)
- Typical FiTs: ~7-10 c/kWh
- Export limits: common, often strict
What this means:
Tariff rates matter less than system approval limits and storage options in the NT.
| State / Territory | Typical daytime FiT (c/kWh) | Evening / time-varying FiT | Minimum FiT | Key takeaway |
| New South Wales | ~3–6 | Up to ~10–20 (battery-linked, limited windows) | None | Export value is timing-dependent; batteries matter |
| Victoria | ~3–6 | Limited | ~3–4 (regulated floor) | Minimum FiT exists, but returns remain modest |
| Queensland | ~3–6 (SEQ)~5–10 (regional) | Limited | None | Regional areas fare better; plan trade-offs common |
| South Australia | ~2–5 | Up to ~15–25 (battery / VPP) | None | Midday exports weak; storage drives value |
| Western Australia | ~2–3 (day)~10 (evening peak) | Yes (DEBS) | Scheme-based | Timing outweighs system size |
| Tasmania | ~8–10 | Limited | None | FiTs still relatively strong, fewer plan options |
| Australian Capital Territory | ~6–10 | Limited | None | Moderate FiTs under growing pressure |
| Northern Territory | ~7–10 | Limited | None | Export limits matter more than rates |
Across most of Australia this year, daytime FiTs sit below 6 c/kWh, while higher export value increasingly depends on timing, batteries, and network rules.
What these differences mean for solar households
The table above shows FiTs no longer behave consistently across the country, and they no longer reward solar in the same way they once did. Two households with identical systems can see very different outcomes purely of where they live and how their local network values exports.
Low daytime FiTs don’t mean solar has stopped making sense. They mean exports are no longer the main source of value. In most states, the biggest savings now come from using more of your own solar during the day, not sending it back to the grid for a few cents per kilowatt-hour.
It also means chasing a high headline FiT can be misleading. Plans with higher export rates often come with higher usage charges, narrow time windows, or conditions that limit how much you actually earn. In many cases, households end up worse off overall.
In 2026, FiTs work best as a bonus. How and when you use electricity matters more than the export rate alone, and that’s what’s driving the growing focus on batteries, time-of-use planning, and smarter system design.
Batteries, time-of-use exports, and the FiT logic
As daytime FiTs fall, the value of when solar is exported has overtaken how much is exported. Across most states, electricity is cheapest in the middle of the day and most valuable in the late afternoon and evening, when demand rises and rooftop solar output drops.
This is where batteries change the economics. Instead of exporting excess solar at low daytime rates, households can store that energy and either use it later or export it during higher-value periods under time-varying or battery-linked tariffs.
In states like SA, NSW, and WA, this timing difference can mean the gap between a few cents per kilowatt-hour and double-digit export credits.
That doesn’t mean batteries automatically stack up for everyone. Battery-friendly FiTs are often conditional, limited to short windows, or tied to specific retail plans or Virtual Power Plant (VPP) arrangements. The financial return depends on system size, household usage, and how often higher export rates actually apply.
What’s clear is that FiTs are no longer passive. To capture more value, households increasingly need systems that can respond to price signals rather than relying on flat daytime exports alone.
How to respond if your state’s FiT is low
When export rates are weak, the goal becomes reducing how much electricity you need to buy from the grid. For many, this delivers more reliable savings than chasing higher FiTs.
- Increase self-consumption: Run energy-hungry appliances during daylight hours so more solar is used on site instead of exported for a few cents per kilowatt-hour.
- Review your electricity plan: Plans with higher FiTs often come with higher usage rates or restrictive conditions. Look at the total bill impact, not just the headline export rate.
- Avoid oversizing purely for exports: Adding more panels without changing usage patterns can lead to diminishing returns in low-FiT states.
- Consider storage or export controls: Batteries, export-limited systems, or time-of-use optimisation can deliver better value than relying on flat daytime exports.
- Match system design to how you live: Households that are home during the day benefit differently from solar than those with evening-heavy usage. System design should reflect this.
FiTs aren’t dead, but they’ve changed
FiTs still exist across Australia, but they no longer play the role they once did. In most states, exporting solar during the middle of the day delivers limited value, while higher returns are increasingly tied to timing, storage, and network rules.
The state-by-state differences matter. A system that performs well in one location may underdeliver in another, even with the same panels and inverter. That’s why designing solar around household usage, not just export rates, has become essential.
In 2026, FiTs work best as a secondary benefit rather than the foundation of a solar investment. Households that focus on self-consumption, choose plans carefully, and adapt to time-based pricing are far better placed to get lasting value from solar — regardless of where they live.
Energy Matters has been in the solar industry since 2005 and has helped over 40,000 Australian households in their journey to energy independence.
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