Solar Energy Providers

1st Energy rated best in solar provider comparison

We all know solar can help you save on power, but many of us still overlook the importance of finding the right electricity provider. You deserve to be rewarded properly for your solar investment, and that means your electricity provider should go above and beyond to help you save. Unfortunately, however, only 61% of solar customers we surveyed think they’re getting a good deal on electricity, while just 54% are happy with their feed-in tariff. This could be related to the fact that 74% haven’t switched providers in the last two years.

Many of those who haven’t switched recently said it’s because they haven’t had time or the comparison process is too complicated – but it doesn’t have to be. And that’s why we’re here to help. Canstar Blue does all the hard work for you, by annually canvassing the opinions of solar customers right across Australia, asking them to rate their solar provider across key variables like value for money, customer service, feed-in tariff clarity, online tools & advice, and overall satisfaction, to help you make a better-informed decision.

Best-Rated Solar Providers

This year, more than 2,400 bill-paying solar customers took part in our survey, with 10 different retailers compared. They were rated in the following order for overall satisfaction:

• 1^st 1st Energy
• 2^nd Lumo Energy
• 3^rd Alinta Energy
• 4^th Click Energy
• 5^th Red Energy
• 6^th Origin Energy
• 7^th Simply Energy
• 8^th ActewAGL
• 9^th EnergyAustralia
• 10^th AGL

1st Energy was the only electricity provider to be rated five stars for overall satisfaction by its solar customers. In fact, it achieved top marks across all research categories, including value for money, customer service, feed-in tariff clarity and bill & cost clarity. Lumo Energy, Alinta Energy, Click Energy and last year’s best-rated solar provider, Red Energy, all received four stars for overall satisfaction. It was three stars overall for Origin Energy, Simply Energy, ActewAGL, EnergyAustralia and AGL.

We also received feedback on Aurora Energy (Tasmania), Synergy (Western Australia) and Ergon Energy (regional Queensland). However, as these solar retailers operate in areas where there is no competition between electricity providers – and customers have no choice – they have not been included in the final results. This has since changed in the case of Aurora Energy in Tasmania where, ironically, 1st Energy has now entered the market. You can compare solar tariffs in Tassie here.

Read on for our updated guide to solar energy companies in Australia, their feed-in tariffs and what you can do to get a better deal, starting with the basics on the installation costs of solar and whether it’s still worth the investment. But first, here is a glance at the solar-specific deals on our database:

QLD Solar Plans

Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. See here for further information on the Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4600kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,570/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

Brand	Features		Price(estimated**)
Basic Plan Information	No Fuss – Solar No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 11c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	13% LessThan Reference Price^^	$1,370	Go To Site
Basic Plan Information	Solar Boost Plus No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 20c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	EqualTo Reference Price^^	$1,563	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Banksia Solar No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 12c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	EqualTo Reference Price^^	$1,574	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Solar As You Go No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 14c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	2% MoreThan Reference Price^^	$1,609	More Details
View all electricity plans listed on Canstar Blue			**^^View important information

VIC Solar Plans

Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. See here for further information on the VDO, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year, meaning that the VDO is $1,334/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

Brand	Features		Price(estimated˜)
Energy Fact Sheet	Solar Step-Up No Conditional Discounts Other Features 13.5c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	7% Less Than VDO›	$1,238	Go To Site
Energy Fact Sheet	Solar Boost Plus No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 15c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	1% Less Than VDO>	$1,326	More Details
Energy Fact Sheet	Banksia Solar No Conditional Discounts  Other Features: 13c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	Equalto VDO›	$1,337	More Details
Energy Fact Sheet	Solar Max Conditional Discounts 28% less than VDO for paying on time and direct debit Other Plan features: 18c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	47% MoreThan VDO›	$1,422	More Details
Energy Fact Sheet	Solar As You Go No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 20c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	8% MoreThan VDO›	$1,446	More Details
View all electricity plans listed on Canstar Blue			˜›View important information

NSW Solar Plans

Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. See here for further information on the Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 3900kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,467/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

Brand	Features		Price(estimated**)
Basic Plan Information	Solar Boost Plus No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 23c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	1% LessThan Reference Price^^	$1,448	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Banksia Solar No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 14c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	EqualTo Reference Price^^	$1,471	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Solar As You Go No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 15c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	EqualTo Reference Price^^	$1,479	More Details
View all electricity plans listed on Canstar Blue			**^^View important information

SA Solar Plans

Here are some of the cheapest solar-specific deals from the retailers on our database. These costs are based on SA Power network in Adelaide but prices will vary depending on your circumstances. We show one product per retailer, listed in order of lowest price first. See here for further information on the Reference Price, which in this comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year, meaning the Reference Price is $1,941/year. Use our comparison tool for a specific comparison. These are products from referral partners†. Our database may not cover all deals in your area, and please check retailer websites for up to date information.

Brand	Features		Price(estimated**)
Basic Plan Information	Solar Optimiser No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 18c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	9% LessThan Reference Price^^	$1,775	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Banksia Solar No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 17c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	EqualTo Reference Price^^	$1,945	More Details
Basic Plan Information	Solar As You Go No Conditional Discounts Other Features: 22c/kWh Feed-in Tariff	4% MoreThan Reference Price^^	$2,019	More Details
View all electricity plans listed on Canstar Blue			**^^View important information

Is solar still a good investment?

There are many factors to consider when it comes to whether or not solar is a wise financial investment – which we’ll come to – but if you’re looking for some high-level guidance, our latest survey found that:

• Households spent an average of $5,918 installing their solar systems. This is down from $6,076 in 2018 and $6,350 in 2017, so it seems costs are coming down gradually.
• 86% so far believe installing solar has been a good financial decision. This number has been fairly consistent over the years.

So whether you’re considering installing solar panels for the first time, or just looking to boost the value of your current home with a better deal from a retailer, here is a guide to help you along, including details of the solar feed-in tariffs available in your area.

Solar rebates and incentives

Although there are fewer government incentives for installing solar today than there were a decade ago, there are still two schemes in place that dramatically reduce the cost of installing solar and can improve your return on investment. These are feed-in tariffs and Small-scale Technology Certificates.

Small-scale Technology Certificates

Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are part of a federal scheme which rewards customers with a form of rebate. When a household installs a solar system, it will receive a number of STCs. The amount awarded depends on the customer’s location, as well as their generator size. These certificates can be sold on an open market or given to your solar installer for a hefty discount on your system.

Solar Feed-in Tariffs

If your solar panels produce more electricity than you can use, the excess solar power will be fed into the energy grid for your retailer to sell to other customers. For each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity that a solar system exports, your solar company credits you a small rebate called a ‘feed-in tariff’ (FiT). This is also occasionally referred to as a ‘buy-back’ rate.

Feed-in tariffs by state

There is no nationwide solar scheme in place, meaning that feed-in tariff rates vary across the country. Some states enforce mandated feed-in tariff rates, while others only provide ‘recommendations’ and some simply leave it up to the retailers to set their rates. Below is a list of mandated or recommended feed-in tariffs across Australia, but the good news is most retailers offer higher rates than the minimum required (which we’ll come to below).

Source: Respective state government websites, July 2019. Rates subject to change in July 2019.         

Time-varying feed-in tariffs

Some states have begun introducing ‘time-varying feed-in tariffs’. This new FiT is similar to a time-of-use tariff in that the rate you receive for exported solar varies depending on the time of day. Customers are paid a hefty FiT rate during peak hours when everyone is using electricity, but the trade-off is that you are then paid slightly less for exported electricity throughout most of the day when demand is comparatively low.

Time-varying feed-in tariffs require a smart meter and have been compulsory in Victoria since July 2019. From this time, the minimum time-varying FiT will be 9.9-14.6c/kWh. There will also be a single range FiT of 12c/kWh, with one flat rate applying for all energy exported regardless of the time of day. NSW also has minimum time-dependent FiTs ranging from 6.5c/kWh early in the morning to as much as 17.2c/kWh in the late afternoon. However, conditions apply.

Solar Bonus Schemes

In an effort to boost solar power uptake, most state governments introduced a range of solar schemes, offering bonus feed-in tariff rates of up to 60c/kWh to customers who installed solar early on (generally before 2012). However, there have been a number of significant changes to these schemes over recent years.

At the end of 2016, the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme came to its natural conclusion and households in the state stopped receiving feed-in tariff rates of 20 or 60 cents per kWh. The silver lining for solar customers in NSW is that most solar energy retailers have increased their basic feed-in tariffs following recommendations from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

It’s much better news for Queenslanders as their state government has committed to upholding its Solar Bonus Scheme until 2028. Meanwhile solar bonus schemes in South Australia were somewhat reduced in 2016. However, SA solar customers may still receive a 44c/kWh feed-in tariff until 2028, while some Victorian households will still receive 60c/kWh until 2024.

It’s important to understand that the Solar Bonus Scheme is now closed to new customers. This means that if you have recently installed a solar system – or you plan to soon – you will not receive a premium feed-in tariff, only the basic FiT of about 6 to 16 cents per kWh, depending on your location and retailer. However, some solar companies are now offering seemingly generous rates of their own to attract new customers.

List of Feed-in Tariffs by Retailer

Solar has become a competitive space for energy retailers, with some trying to give themselves an edge by offering higher feed-in tariff rates. Below is a list of the solar retailers in our report and the feed-in tariffs they currently offer across the major states. Keep in mind this list does not include all retailers, so be sure to shop around and keep all your options open.

Source: Respective retailer Basic Plan Information Documents, July 2019.

Hit the links below to jump to a wide comparison of feed-in tariffs in your state:

• QLD Feed-in Tariffs
• VIC Feed-in Tariffs
• NSW Feed-in Tariffs
• SA Feed-in Tariffs
• ACT Feed-in Tariffs
• TAS Feed-in Tariffs
• WA Feed-in Tariffs

You might notice that 1st Energy – the winner of our 2019 ratings – doesn’t offer the biggest feed-in tariffs on the market in some areas. But it’s important to understand that a higher feed-in tariff won’t necessarily mean it’s a better deal on electricity. It could be the case that it is simply masking increased usage and supply charges. That’s why it’s important to shop around and compare energy deals to see which provider and plan is best for you, with regards to the feed-in tariff you receive, but also what you pay for the power you draw from the grid.

Net vs Gross Solar Metering

To get the most out of your solar, it’s important to know the difference between net metering and gross metering.

• Gross metering: All of the electricity your solar panels produce is exported to the energy grid.
• Net metering: Electricity produced by solar panels is used by the home and only the excess electricity is exported to the grid.

Because the price of electricity usually exceeds the buy-back rate on solar, it’s generally advised that customers remain on a net metering setup. That said, those who receive a premium feed-in tariff on a Solar Bonus Scheme will often save more with gross metering. You’ve probably heard people boast about ‘making money’ from their solar and not paying anything for energy? These are those people!

Installing Solar: What to Consider

Most Australians are by now well aware of the advantages of solar power. That said, it’s not necessarily a good investment for everyone. If you’re yet to install solar, here are a few key points to consider:

• Location: Households in sunnier areas such as the NT, QLD, WA and parts of NSW stand to benefit the most from solar panels. Most areas of VIC and SA can also be suitable for solar power, provided they receive favourable weather.
• System size: Picking the right sized solar system will depend on how you plan to use it. Consider your rates, how much electricity your property uses, and if you’re eligible for a FiT. If you’re on the fence about what system size you should choose, you might want to opt for a small (and cheaper) one – you can always upsize in the future. To give you some idea, we’ve previously found 3kW and 5kW systems to be the most popular with survey respondents.
• The cost: The hefty price tag is undoubtedly the biggest barrier to installing solar, with our 2019 survey finding customers spent an average of nearly $6,000. While the price of solar is generally coming down, even the most basic system will set you back a few thousand dollars.

Solar Storage Batteries

A solar storage unit is a battery capable of storing the electricity your solar panels produce, rather than having it exported to the energy network. Solar battery technology has improved considerably in recent years and new residential products such as the Tesla Powerwall, Ecoult Ultrabattery and Aquion battery have helped bring the technology to the mainstream market. You can see a detailed list of solar batteries available in Australia here.

Solar storage batteries remain fairly uncommon. That said, three in five respondents to our 2019 survey (58%) said they aspire to go 100% off the grid. To do so, you’ll need a significant storage capacity.

Solar customers that receive a small feed-in tariff stand to save the most with a solar battery. By storing electricity for later use, the customer is saving the price they would have paid for electricity. This is often a saving of 20 to 35 cents per kWh, rather than the 6 to 16 cents they might have received with a feed-in tariff. Unfortunately, solar batteries remain quite expensive in Australia, costing upwards of $8,000 to purchase and install. At present, that means a solar battery might end up costing you more than you will save, though that will depend on the size of your solar system, as well as the price you pay for electricity.

Solar Plans: What’s available?

Solar is set to reshape the Australian energy market in the coming decades, and it’s quickly becoming a key battleground for energy companies. We are seeing providers getting increasingly creative with their plans. Diamond Energy, for example, recently introduced its GridCredits100 plan, which gives eligible solar customers up to 100c/kWh for electricity at times of high network demand. Some retailers have also experimented with variable rate feed-in tariffs, where the rate you receive for your solar-generated electricity will vary depending on current wholesale prices. While there are some solar-focused energy retailers and products – including Sanctuary Energy – in the majority of cases, signing up to a solar plan will not be too dissimilar to an ordinary electricity plan. The only difference is that you will also receive a feed-in tariff, so assuming you’re entirely self-sufficient, you’ll still need to compare plans based on their usage and supply charges. However, it appears that solar-specific products are becoming more common, with the likes of AGL, Origin and Click Energy offering higher-than-average feed-in tariffs on some plans.

Best-Rated Solar Retailers

To help you decide which solar retailer might be the best fit for your personal circumstances, here is an overview of the 10 providers in this year’s review.

1st Energy

Operating across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and most recently, Tasmania, 1st Energy is a relatively new power retailer that has built a reputation for offering big discounts, while promising an “excellent level of customer service” and “quick solutions” to any problems. Australian-based, 1st Energy claims that its prices actually reflect the real cost of doing business. When it comes to solar, 1st Energy’s feed-in tariffs are relatively modest, but its solar customers are clearly satisfied with the value and service they receive from the retailer.

Lumo Energy

Lumo Energy emerged as the highest-rated solar retailer in 2017. While it couldn’t hold onto its title the following year, or climb back on top in 2019, it clearly still has some pretty happy solar customers. Lumo operates in Victoria and South Australia only, with some competitive feed-in tariffs added to its range of energy plans. Lumo Energy is one of two retail brands owned by renewable energy generation company, Snowy Hydro – the other being Red Energy. Like Red, Lumo Energy has a rewards program to offer additional value. Lumo Ameego brings various savings at retail stores, restaurants and cinemas.

Alinta Energy

Alinta Energy is a rapidly-growing energy provider, operating across QLD, NSW, SA, Victoria and WA. Alinta doesn’t offer much in the way of solar and its feed-in tariffs are below average in most states, the exception being Queensland where it has a solar-specific product with competitive rates and feed-in tariff. However, Alinta Energy tends to offer some of the most competitive usage rates on the market, so solar customers could still get a good overall deal. The retailer also has a rewards program which brings savings on multiple leisure and entertainment activities.

Click Energy

Click Energy used to have a variety of solar products across QLD, NSW, Victoria and SA, scaling back to just one in July 2019. Click Energy is generally a price-competitive retailer, but it’s important to check the base prices you have to pay before considering how good or bad the feed-in tariff may be. With Click Energy solar, it’s usually a trade off between good electricity rates and a good feed-in tariff, with its solar plan usually bringing higher rates than its other offers. While this may seem confusing at first, once you have a good understanding of how much energy you export, you’ll have a good idea of which product will be best for you.

Red Energy

Red Energy is a well-rounded energy retailer, offering competitive rates, moderate feed-in tariffs and a modest pay on time discount off your entire bill. Last year, this combination saw it top our solar ratings table, but in 2019 it has to settle for four stars overall – still a creditable performance. Red Energy does not have any solar-specific plans, but it has attractive option that includes FiTs. The retailer’s big selling point is its partnership with Qantas which bring Frequent Flyer points with some plans, while customers on its other plan have access to Red Energy Rewards – the retailer’s loyalty program that delivers money off various leisure and entertainment activities.

Origin Energy

As one of Australia’s largest energy retailers, Origin has a wide range of electricity deals, including the ‘Solar Boost’ and ‘Solar Boost Plus’ and ‘Solar Optimiser’. All products include above-average feed-in tariffs. However, all Origin electricity plans include some form of feed-in tariff. Origin also sells and installs solar panels, batteries, inverters, home monitoring systems and practically anything else you will need to start saving on electricity with solar. However, Origin clearly still have some work to do in terms of customer satisfaction, rated three stars overall this year, just like last time.

Simply Energy

Simply Energy has a host of interesting energy offers such as products including free movies tickets and deals exclusive to members of certain clubs. Simply Energy offers competitive feed-in tariffs, as well as a reasonable conditional discount off electricity usage charges when customers pay their bill on time. Like many retailers, Simply Energy does not offer any plans specifically marketed at solar customers, but the value-add incentives that come with its standard plans, plus reasonable feed-in tariffs, could still provide you with a good overall energy deal.

ActewAGL

ActewAGL retails electricity and gas services in the ACT and surrounding parts of NSW. ActewAGL is a very cut and dry retailer, offering a modest discount and feed-in tariff. ActewAGL is also a solar installer and claims that as your energy retailer, it has an advantage over other solar installers because it can look at your usage data to accurately tailor a system for your home. ActewAGL scored three stars from its solar customers for overall satisfaction.

EnergyAustralia

Unlike Origin, EnergyAustralia doesn’t offer any specific solar products, but its standard plans do still include competitive feed-in tariffs. Combined with large guaranteed discounts, solar customers could get a good deal from EnergyAustralia, but be sure to check the basic usage rates being charged. While EnergyAustralia doesn’t directly install solar itself, it does work with customers to help find and organise the right solution for their home. In our latest review, EnergyAustralia scored three stars for overall satisfaction and the same outcome in all other research categories.

AGL

One of Australia’s largest electricity, natural gas and solar retailers, AGL offers a diverse range of energy products to suit varying needs and preferences. These include a specific deal for solar customers in the shape of ‘AGL Solar Savers’, which delivers higher than average feed-in tariffs across the states. But you may need to specifically ask for this product given that AGL does not always make it publicly available in all areas. All other AGL plans provide reduced but reasonably competitive FiTs. However, AGL customers clearly want more from their retailer, rating it towards the bottom of our ratings again this year.

How to get the best value from solar

A growing number of Aussies are turning to solar to escape rising power prices. Recognising this, more and more energy retailers are focusing on products designed to help solar customers save. Households with solar panels now have an unprecedented number of options available to them, meaning it’s more important than ever to frequently compare providers and products. It also means that you need to be increasingly wary of traps – while a particular plan might include a very juicy feed-in tariff, this may be compensated for with increased electricity rates or smaller discounts.

When comparing providers, be sure to look at their Energy Price Factsheets and ask plenty of questions if you’re unsure about any of the terms. Just like all energy users, solar customers shouldn’t just set and forget with one provider. Make sure you regularly compare retailers and plans so you can truly maximise your solar savings.

List of Feed-in Tariffs by State

Queensland Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

Victoria Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

New South Wales Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

South Australia Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

Australian Capital Territory Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

Tasmania Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

Western Australia Solar Feed-in Tariffs

Source: Canstar Blue electricity database/respective retailer websites, July 2019.

Further reading:

• QLD Solar Guide
• VIC Solar Guide
• NSW Solar Guide
• SA Solar Guide

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