Feed-in tariffs in 2026 remain a patchwork: retailer offers, legacy schemes, and network constraints all sit on top of a national story that “solar exports are worth less than avoided imports.” Understanding how your state and retailer set the rate matters — but self-consumption still does more heavy lifting for most bills.
There is no single national feed-in rate
Outside a few legacy arrangements, feed-in tariffs are largely retailer products. Two neighbours on the same street can receive different cents-per-kilowatt-hour depending on their plan. Comparison sites help, yet plan fine print on solar eligibility, export limits, and demand charges still needs a careful read.
NEM states versus Western Australia
On the National Electricity Market, competition among retailers creates a spread of solar plans. Western Australia operates differently, with Synergy and regional arrangements shaping what grid-connected households can expect. Tasmania’s winter generation profile also changes how valuable a modest feed-in feels across the year.
| Region focus | What households often see | Practical caution |
|---|---|---|
| NSW / ACT | Retailer FIT competition; export limits common in some DNSP areas | Check approved export kW with the quote |
| Victoria | Retail plans plus network context; strong solar penetration | Do not assume midday exports clear at quote FIT forever |
| Queensland | Retailer offers; regional vs SEQ network differences | Confirm Ergon/Energex pathway early |
| South Australia | High rooftop density; dynamic export more discussed | Model curtailment on mild, sunny days |
| WA | Different market structure to the NEM | Use WA-specific plan advice, not eastern averages |
| Tasmania | Lower winter yield; FIT is only part of value | Weight self-consumption heavily |
Guaranteed versus variable rates
Some plans advertise a fixed feed-in for a contract term; others float with the retailer’s published rate. Variable rates can fall after you install. Build sensitivity into your payback sheet: what if the FIT drops by a few cents?
A high feed-in on day one is a marketing input; avoided imports are the durable asset.
Export caps blunt headline tariffs
A generous cents-per-kWh figure means little if your inverter may only export a few kilowatts. On bright weekends with low household load, generation above the cap is curtailed. Ask the installer and retailer how export measurement and capping interact on your meter.
- Compare FIT and import rates on the same plan
- Note whether the FIT is fixed or reviewable
- Record the distributor export limit beside the FIT
- Re-check plans after the first quarterly bill with solar
Time-of-use and solar soaker plans
Some retailers reward charging batteries or running loads at midday. Others punish evening peaks so hard that solar-plus-habit-change beats any FIT shopping. Read the whole tariff, not the solar footnote.
How to use FIT data without over-weighting it
When ranking quotes, lock generation and self-consumption assumptions first. Only then layer FIT scenarios. Households that reverse that order often buy oversized arrays for export income that never materialises at the modelled rate.