Solar feed-in tariffs.

What a feed-in tariff is

When your panels make more power than your home is using, the extra goes to the grid, and your retailer pays you for it as a credit on your bill, in cents per kWh. That rate is your feed-in tariff.

Who sets it

In most places, each retailer sets its own feed-in tariffs, plan by plan. In Victoria, the Essential Services Commission sets a minimum that retailers must pay. Rules differ between states, so check your plan's fact sheet.

Not every feed-in is a flat rate

• Tiered: a higher rate for the first exports each day, then a lower rate.
• Time-varying: a different rate at different times of day.

Why the highest feed-in isn't always best

A plan can pay a generous feed-in and charge more for the power you buy, or more each day. Most solar homes still buy a lot of power, especially in the evening. The best plan is the one with the lowest total cost once your exports and your usage are both counted.

The Wizard prices each plan's feed-in, tiers included, against your exports and your usage, together. Solar and batteries in BillWizard.

Using your own solar

Feed-in rates are usually well below what you pay for power, so every kWh you use yourself is worth more than one you export. Running appliances in the middle of the day can be worth more than a higher feed-in.

General information, not personal financial advice. Plan rules differ by state and retailer: check a plan's own fact sheet before you sign up.