Like all other parts of Australia, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has incentives that make switching to solar energy more appealing to households. One of these incentives is the Feed-in Tariff (FiT for short).
This article lists the best solar Feed-in Tariff in ACT, as well as a few other topics that you might be asking about. Below is a list of said topics. Feel free to tap on any of them to skip sections but I highly recommend reading from the top.
- What is a solar feed-in tariff?
- An overview of energy retailers in ACT with solar Feed-in Tariffs
- Ranking them from best to worst
- Other factors you should consider when choosing your energy retailer
What is a solar feed-in tariff?
As previously stated, a solar Feed-in Tariff is one of the ways the government is incentivizing Australians to get a rooftop solar system.
“How does it work?”, you ask.
So, instead of just paying your energy retailer for importing power from the electricity grid, this scheme also gets you credits for sending your excess solar electricity to the grid. These credits are what we call, well… solar feed-in tariffs.
That being said, the value of feed-in tariffs can be different for different electricity retailers. This brings us to our main topic: What electricity retailer has the best solar FiT?
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Electricity Retailers in ACT and Their Feed-in Tariffs
| Energy Provider | Minimum Feed-in Tariff | Maximum Feed-in Tariff | Notes/Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin Energy | 17 c/kWh | 20 c/kWh | These rates are only applicable to customers who bought new solar systems from Origin. Otherwise, the solar feed-in tariff rates go down to 10 or 12 c/kWh, depending on the plan. Moreover, 17 c/kWh is a flat rate that applies to you if your solar system size is over 7 kW. If your solar system is under 7 kW, you’re eligible for the 20 c/kWh flat rate. |
| ActewAGL | 11 c/kWh | 15 c/kWh | The 15 c/kWh feed-in tariff rate is only for the first 15 kWh of solar energy you export per day. After that, all excess energy you send to the energy grid has a value of 11 c/kWh. |
| EnergyAustralia | 7.6 c/kWh | 7.6 c/kWh | |
| Red Energy | 6 c/kWh | 6 c/kWh | |
| Discover Energy | 2 c/kWh | 10 c/kWh | The feed-in tariff rates depend on how much excess energy you export to the grid per day. You get credited 10 c/kWh for the first 3.2877 kWh; 4 c/kWh for the next 3.2877 kWh, and 2 c/kWh thereafter. Also, these rates only apply to their Solar Smart offer. Outside of this, their feed-in tariffs have a flat rate of only 1 c/kWh. |
Top 3 Solar Feed-in Tariffs in ACT (2024)
1. Origin Energy
This company is Australia’s largest and perhaps most popular energy provider. As of late, it has been making waves in the renewable energy sector, which, of course, includes solar panels.
They currently also have the best solar feed-in tariff offerings in ACT. At least according to the maximum value of their Solar Boost Plus plan. If you’re the average household, you’ll likely qualify for the 20 c/kWh rate since most Australian homes only need 6.6 kW solar energy systems.
Origin Energy has other plans you can choose from, too, including the aforementioned Boost Plan with a solar FiT rate of 12 c/kWh. You can qualify for this plan if you already have an existing solar system that you didn’t get from this company.
2. ActewAGL
ActewAGL is the joint venture of AGL and Icon Water Limited. AGL, in particular, is right behind Origin Energy as one of the largest energy providers in the Australian Capital Territory. And, more importantly, they have the 2nd highest solar feed-in tariff rates in ACT.
Speaking of which, their maximum FiT is valued at 15 c/kWh. Here’s why that’s such a good thing:
- First, that’s nearly twice as high as the next one on this list.
- Second, you’re getting this rate for the first 15 kWh of solar energy you export. 15 kWh is a high threshold! You likely won’t have that much excess energy to begin with.
- Third, even if you do import more than 15 kWh of energy, you’ll still get credited 11 c/kWh. That’s still significantly higher than the next retailer on this list.
Although, if you’re exporting that much energy, I highly recommend investing in a solar battery instead. It can save you more money in the long run.
Recommended: 12 ways to save more money with solar panels
3. EnergyAustralia
EnergyAustralia isn’t quite as large as AGL and Origin but it’s still one of the most prominent energy providers in Australia. This, of course, includes the Australian Capital Territory.
Like any other electricity retailer, EnergyAustralia also has different feed-in tariff rates for every state. Particularly for ACT, they will currently credit you 7.6 c/kWh of excess electricity you send to the grid.
That’s a flat rate, too. So you can export excess energy as much as you want at any time of the day, and that rate won’t change.
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Why FiTs value shouldn’t be the only factor when choosing energy retailers
If you’re not sure if you should stay with your electricity retailer or switch to another company, do keep in mind that the rate of their solar feed-in tariffs shouldn’t be your only consideration. Nor should it weigh the heaviest.
For one, the highest feed-in tariff rates aren’t anywhere close to the price of buying electricity. In Canberra, for example, Origin Solar Boost Plus has a feed-in tariff rate of 20 c/kWh. Usage rates, on the other hand, cost upwards of 28 c/kWh.
Having said that, there are other factors you should consider:
Customer service
To cut straight to the point, good customer service makes your experience better. Bad customer service, well… it’s just not pleasant.
I mean, I’m sure you’ve had experience with companies and their staff that just don’t give a damn about your concerns. Good customer service might not directly lead to more savings, but if you’re going to be dealing with them year after year, your experience better be good.
Billing transparency and convenience
If your friends and family are using different electricity retailers from you, it’s a good idea to ask them about how their provider handles bills.
How easy are the bills to understand? What details are there? Can you pay your bills online? Do they have automatic payments?
The more convenient paying the electricity bill is for you, the better.
Their commitment to renewable energy
In other words, how invested are they in renewable energy systems (e.g., solar panels)?
From an altruistic point of view, a company that cares about the environment will invest in new green energy projects, help save nature, and put effort into using less energy in their operations. If you care about that, that should be something you should look into.
From a personal standpoint, though, a company that’s heavily invested in renewable energy will likely also continue pushing to give you a better deal. They’ll be proud of it, too, so they’ll tell you all about it in their marketing campaigns.
Technology
Check if the electricity retailer you’re eyeing has modern tools to check how much energy you’re using as well as how much excess energy you’re sending them.
Most of these tools start with smart meters. You can read your import and export data straight from the meter, but some companies have apps where you can check your data more conveniently.
Recommended: Our comprehensive guide to solar power net metering
Their contract’s T&Cs
Please, please, PLEASE read the contract from the energy company before you sign it. The contract is going to have crucial information, such as whether the price of electricity is fixed or changing.
Conclusion
In summary, we think the best solar feed-in tariff in ACT is the Origin Solar Boost Plus. With a maximum solar FiT rate of 20 c/kWh, it has the most premium feed-in tariff, after all.
This is followed closely by ActewAGL’s 15 c/kWh, which is still well above the average.
The rate of their feed-in tariffs shouldn’t be the only thing you consider when you’re choosing your energy provider, though, because the value of feed-in tariffs is far lower than the price of buying electricity.
Having said that, if you’re ready to make the switch, we have a network of pre-vetted solar power installers at the ready. Just say the word, and we’ll get you 3 FREE quotes from them right away.
