For years, Australians have been been installing solar panels at a rapid clip. Now, that investment is paying off.

The Australian government announced this week that electricity customers in three states will get free electricity for up to three hours per day starting in July 2026.

Solar power has boomed in Australia in recent years. Rooftop solar installations cost about $840 (US) per kilowatt of capacity before rebates, about a third of what U.S. households pay . As a result, more than one in three Australian homes have solar panels on their roof.

“Now we’re at the level where we can share more of that power with more Australians,” Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy, said in an Instagram video announcing the policy.

The Solar Sharer plan will be available t

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