Solar Owner Electricity Plans: What Changes After Panels Go On
Once solar panels are installed, the electricity plan comparison changes completely. Before solar, you compare import rates and supply charges. After solar, you also compare the feed-in tariff, the timing of peak and off-peak windows relative to your generation and consumption pattern, and whether the plan's structure works with or against your new usage profile. Many households stay on the same plan after solar installation and leave value on the table.
- The feed-in tariff (FIT) is now a bill component, not just a number to admire. It directly reduces your bill for every kWh you export.
- Time-of-use pricing changes value once you have solar. Off-peak windows during solar generation hours are less useful; peak windows in the evening (when solar isn't generating) become the focus.
- Review your plan within 3 months of installation — after your first full quarterly bill showing export, you have the data to run a real comparison.
- Plans, FIT rates and availability change regularly. Any comparison should use current plan terms.
What changes on the bill after solar
Before solar:
- Daily supply charge
- Usage charge (all kWh imported from grid)
After solar:
- Daily supply charge (unchanged)
- Usage charge (only kWh imported from grid — now reduced by self-consumption)
- Solar export credit (kWh exported × FIT rate — appears as a credit against the bill)
The bill amount is: (supply charge × days) + (import kWh × import rate) - (export kWh × FIT rate)
The plan decisions that matter after solar
1. Feed-in tariff rate
The FIT reduces the bill for every kWh sent to the grid. In 2025, voluntary FIT rates in most states range from 5–20c/kWh depending on retailer and plan. Higher FIT reduces the solar export credit.
However: FIT cannot be evaluated alone. A plan with 15c/kWh FIT and 42c/kWh import rate may cost more than a plan with 8c/kWh FIT and 28c/kWh import rate, depending on the export/import ratio. Run the full annual cost calculation (see the FIT article in the Learn section for the formula).
2. Time-of-use pricing structure
For households with solar, the relevant time-of-use windows are:
- Morning and afternoon solar generation hours (9am–3pm): if the plan has a shoulder or off-peak rate during these hours, it charges less for any grid import during this period — but if the household is importing little during these hours anyway (solar is covering it), the rate matters less.
- Evening peak period (typically 5–9pm): this is when most solar homes draw from the grid after generation stops. The peak rate is the rate that matters most for cost after solar.
A plan with a high off-peak rate during solar hours and a moderate peak rate in the evening may be better for a solar household than a plan with a very low off-peak rate but a high peak rate — because the solar home imports primarily in the evening.
3. Export limits
Some DNSP areas and plans include export limits — a maximum kW the system can export to the grid, set at the meter or via the retailer's metering arrangement. If your system generates significantly more than the household consumes on sunny days, and the export limit caps what can be sent to the grid, excess generation is curtailed (wasted).
Check your solar installer's documentation for any export limit noted during the connection process. If an export limit was applied, the amount of export shown in your inverter app will exceed the amount on your bill.
The review window after installation
After the first full quarterly bill with solar data:
1. Note your average daily import and export kWh from the bill
2. Run these numbers through Energy Made Easy or Victorian Energy Compare — both allow you to compare plans including solar export credits
3. Compare the estimated annual cost on your current plan vs the best alternative in the comparison tool
4. If the saving is over $50/year, the administrative effort of switching is justified
Signs you may be on the wrong plan post-solar:
- Your FIT is below 6c/kWh and better FITs are available without significantly higher import rates
- Your plan does not offer time-of-use pricing but your usage pattern (low daytime, higher evening) would benefit from it
- The plan was chosen before solar and has not been reviewed since installation
After solar installation, review your plan within 3 months using your first solar-period bill. The comparison changes from simple import cost to import timing plus export value. Use Energy Made Easy with your actual import and export kWh figures to identify whether switching saves money.
Analyse your bill to understand your solar import and export pattern before comparing plans.