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Bruce Mountain, Professor and Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University

Three hours of free power sounds great – but it could raise other costs and hamstring rooftop solar

moisseyev/Getty

It was the news that rippled around the nation – and then the world: at least three hours of free grid-supplied electricity for Australian households, every day.

The new Solar Sharer program announced by Federal Minister for Energy Chris Bowen would require retailers to offer at least three hours of free power daily during the sunniest period to homes with smart meters. It would begin next year in New South Wales, south-east Queensland and South Australia.

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