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Solar Sharer Hot Water Savings Calculator

By PumpSwap EditorialLast reviewed 8 July 2026How we research
Quick answer

From 1 July 2026 the federal Solar Sharer Offer gives eligible households in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland 3 free electricity hours a day in the middle of the day, up to 24 kWh. A heat pump uses roughly a third of the energy of an electric element and only needs an hour or two to reheat a tank, so timing it to that window can heat your water for close to nothing. Use the calculator to see an estimate for your home. It is a guide, not a quote.

Solar Sharer Hot Water Savings Estimator

See what you could save on hot water running costs by moving to, or timing, a heat pump to the free-power window. This is an estimate, a guide not a quote.

How the free window works

Australia now generates so much solar around midday that the power is effectively surplus. The Solar Sharer Offer encourages households to soak it up. It is live from 1 July 2026 in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland, with a free window of:

  • 11am to 2pm in New South Wales and South East Queensland
  • 12pm to 3pm in South Australia

You can draw up to 24 kWh free per day inside that window. It is opt-in through your electricity retailer and needs a smart meter, and it is open to renters and homeowners. You do not need your own rooftop solar to take part. Hot water is the ideal load to shift into the window: a tank heats water and then holds it, so you can heat at midday and draw on it that evening. Because a heat pump uses roughly a third of the energy of an old electric element, even a large tank reheat sits well under the daily free cap.

Source: energy.gov.au.

The honest caveats

It is opt-in and retailer-dependent. You have to sign up through a participating retailer on an eligible plan, and terms vary.

You need a smart meter. The free window is measured by an interval-capable meter. You may need one installed.

Rollout and eligibility vary. It is available in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland from 1 July 2026. Elsewhere it may not apply yet.

The rest of your plan still matters. A free midday window can come with different rates at other times. Look at the whole plan before switching.

Even with those caveats, the combination is compelling. A heat pump already runs cheaply, and heating it inside a free window can cut the running cost of your hot water even further. Savings depend on your plan, your usage and how well you time the system, so the calculator gives a range framed as an estimate.

Go deeper

Solar Sharer + Heat Pump Explained

The full guide to near-free hot water in the free window.

Solar Soak Your Hot Water

Timers, diverters and smart controls for daytime heating.

Heat Pump Hot Water Costs

What a heat pump costs installed, by state, brand and rebate.

Hot Water as a Thermal Battery

Why your tank is the cheapest battery you already own.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Solar Sharer Offer?
The Solar Sharer Offer is a federal energy initiative live from 1 July 2026 in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland. It gives eligible households 3 free electricity hours per day in the middle of the day (11am to 2pm in New South Wales and South East Queensland, 12pm to 3pm in South Australia), up to 24 kWh a day. It is opt-in through your electricity retailer and needs a smart meter. It is open to renters and homeowners, and no rooftop solar is required.
How can a heat pump heat water in the free window?
A heat pump uses roughly a third of the energy of a conventional electric element and only needs an hour or two to bring a tank up to temperature. That fits comfortably inside the 3-hour free window with room to spare, and the energy it draws sits well under the 24 kWh daily free cap. Setting the heat pump timer to run during the window means most of your hot water is heated on free power.
How much can I save on hot water?
It depends on your state tariffs, your current system, your usage and how well the system is timed. The calculator shows an estimated range, comparing your current running cost against a heat pump on standard power and a heat pump timed to the free window. Treat the figure as a guide, not a quote. Frame it as up to a certain amount a year rather than a fixed saving.
What if the Solar Sharer Offer is not in my state?
The offer launched in New South Wales, South Australia and South East Queensland from 1 July 2026. If you are elsewhere, switching from gas or electric storage to a heat pump still cuts your hot water running costs on its own, because a heat pump uses far less energy. You can also soak up cheap midday solar using a timer if you have your own panels.
Is this a rebate or a cash payment?
No. The Solar Sharer Offer is not a rebate or a cash payment. It is a free-power window on an eligible electricity plan. You opt in through a participating retailer and you need a smart meter. Look at the whole plan, including rates at other times of day, before switching.