Adelaide and SA Feed In Tariff Information
Last Updated: 13th Nov 2024
Current solar feed-in tariffs in South Australia are Voluntary Retailer Contributions. This means SA electricity retailers don’t have to pay anything for solar electricity exported to the grid, although they usually do offer a feed-in tariff.
Here are some electricity plans with better than average feed-in tariffs, available as of Ausgust 2024. They are given in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh):
- Alinta Energy: 8c
- Energy Australia Solar Max: 10c for 1st 12kWh per day and 4.5c
- CovU Energy: 5.5c
- Engie 5.5c
If your solar inverter is 10 kilowatts or less, you can also use these plans:
- Engie Solar: 11c for the first 8kWh per day and then 4c
- AGL Solar Savers: 10c for first 10kWh per day and then 4c
Note that when an electricity retailer gives a figure such as 10 kWh per day, they actually mean 10 kWh multiplied by the number of days in the billing cycle. They don’t actually look at every individual day.
For the most up-to-date rates from these retailers and others, use our electricity retailer comparison tool.
Note that plans with higher feed-in tariffs won’t always result in the lowest electricity bills. You need to carefully compare the FiT rate with other charges such as the supply charge and consumption rates. Always check the fine print for other details that may affect whether a plan is best for you.
Also note that while feed-in tariffs are a nice bonus, the most value you’ll get from your solar panels is through maximising consumption of the electricity they generate.
Find Feed-In Tariffs And Compare Electricity Retailers
To find current SA solar feed-in tariffs offered by a wide variety of retailers in your area, you can enter your postcode into the retailer comparison tool below:
South Australia’s Older And Higher Feed-In Tariffs
South Australians who applied to install solar panels before the 30th of September 2011 could lock in a 44 cent feed-in tariff until the 30th of June 2028.
Those who applied from the 1st of October 2011 to the 30 of September 2013 could lock in a 16 cent feed-in tariff until the 30th of September 2016. This 16 cent feed-in tariff is now over.
If a household increases the size of its solar inverter or the capacity of its solar panels beyond what was already approved by SA Power Networks, they lose the high feed-in tariff.
Solar feed In tariff rules if you want to upgrade your solar system in SA
If you are in SA, on the 44c FiT and are thinking of upgrading your solar power system you need to find out what size system your installer received permission for to connect to the grid.
You can upgrade your system up to the size that is on your ‘permission to connect’ notice from SA Power Networks without forfeiting your 44c solar feed in tariff.
If you go over this size, you lose your 44c FiT and have to go onto the the current FiT (5c – 12c depending on retailer).
Just to be clear, here’s an example:
You’re in South Australia and have an 8kW inverter and 5kW of solar panels. Your installer applied for and received permission to connect an 8kW PV system. You can add another 3kW of panels and keep your existing 44c tariff. If you add more than 3kW of panels, you will lose the 44c FiT for the entire system and will get paid the current FiT rate.
If you are considering upgrading, I’ve written a detailed page on how to avoid getting burned when upgrading your solar power system.
The SA government’s official solar feed in tariff information is here.