Victorian Feed-in Tariffs in 2026: Why Exporting Solar Is Worth Less

If you installed solar a few years ago, you may remember feed-in tariffs being high enough that exporting excess power back to the grid felt like a genuine income stream. That gap has narrowed sharply.

Minimum feed-in tariffs set by the Essential Services Commission have trended downward as more rooftop solar comes online across Victoria, while retail electricity prices have continued to climb over the same period.

The practical effect is simple: a kilowatt-hour of solar you export to the grid is now worth a fraction of what the same kilowatt-hour would save you if you used it yourself, or a battery stored it for you to use after sunset.

This is the main reason battery economics have improved even as panel and inverter prices have come down — the value isn't just backup power, it's capturing energy that would otherwise be exported for very little.

Some retailers also now offer time-varying feed-in tariffs, paying more for exports during evening peak demand windows. Pairing this with a battery that discharges strategically, rather than exporting everything as it's generated, can meaningfully change your bill.

We review your actual export and usage data during a free consultation and model whether your household would benefit more from a bigger solar system, a battery, or adjusting your tariff plan — with honest numbers either way.