Victoria's three hours of free electricity are available between 11am and 2pm every day under the Victorian Midday Power Saver. The difficulty is that many people are at work and use most of their electricity after they return home.
A compatible home battery solves that timing problem. Green ESS system controls can schedule the battery to charge automatically from the grid during the three-hour free period, then use the stored energy later in the afternoon and evening. You do not need to be home switching appliances on, and more of the free allowance can remain useful after 2pm.
How does the Victorian Midday Power Saver work?
The offer has been available from 1 October 2026 and includes weekends.
- Free general electricity usage from 11am to 2pm
- A daily fair-use allowance of up to 24kWh
- Available to residential customers who opt in and have a smart meter
- Retailers with 1,000 or more Victorian customers are required to offer it
- Rooftop solar, a home battery and home ownership are not required
The 24kWh allowance covers eligible electricity imported by the home during the free period. It is not an extra 24kWh reserved for the battery: appliances, air conditioning, EV charging and battery charging all share the same household allowance.
Why a battery can maximise the free electricity benefit
Without a battery, the household must consume the electricity between 11am and 2pm. Timers can run a dishwasher, washing machine, hot-water system or air conditioner, but many homes will still use only part of the available allowance.
With scheduled battery charging, the energy can follow the household's routine instead:
11am–2pm: battery charges automatically at $0/kWh → evening: stored energy supplies the home
This is especially useful because the regulated Midday Power Saver standing offer charges its highest usage rate from 4pm to 9pm. For the period from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2027, that peak rate is approximately 39.8–49.8 cents per kWh, depending on the Victorian distribution zone.
The battery therefore does more than consume free power. It shifts part of that free midday electricity into the period when the household is more likely to need it and grid electricity is more expensive.
Can a home battery charge for the full three hours?
Yes, when the battery and inverter support scheduled grid charging and the system is configured correctly. Green ESS can set an eligible system to charge automatically during the free window, subject to the retailer plan, site and network limits.
Battery capacity determines how much energy can be stored. Inverter power helps determine how quickly energy can move. Across a three-hour window:
| Inverter power | Theoretical energy moved in 3 hours |
| 5kW | Up to 15kWh |
| 8kW | Up to 24kWh |
These are theoretical figures before conversion losses. Actual charging also depends on the battery's starting state of charge, household consumption during the window, reserve settings, temperature and connection limits.
An 8kW inverter is therefore particularly relevant to the Midday Power Saver: its theoretical three-hour throughput aligns with the offer's 24kWh daily limit. A 5kW option can still move up to 15kWh before losses and may suit a household with lower evening usage.
What battery size suits the 24kWh free-power limit?
The right size still depends on the electricity bill and evening consumption. The goal is to store energy that the home will actually use, not simply install the largest available battery.
For a higher-use or more electrified home, a battery in the 24–25kWh class can make practical use of a large part of the free allowance and carry that energy into the evening. GreenVolt Pro's seven-module configuration provides 24.7kWh nominal capacity in a single cabinet. Paired with an 8kW inverter, it is well suited to households seeking to capture as much of the three-hour window as their usage and site allow.
Not every home needs 24.7kWh. A battery may already contain solar energy at 11am, the home may use part of the free allowance directly, or evening demand may be lower. GreenVolt Pro is modular, so capacity and inverter power can be selected around the household rather than forcing every home into the same configuration.
Is three hours of free electricity worth switching for?
It can be, particularly when a battery or EV allows substantial usage to move into the free period. But the correct comparison is the whole annual bill, not only the $0 window.
Before opting in, check:
- the daily supply charge and every rate outside 11am–2pm;
- the price that applies after the 24kWh daily limit;
- the solar feed-in tariff and any controlled-load charges;
- whether the tariff is the regulated standing offer or a retailer's separate market offer; and
- how much electricity your home can genuinely shift to midday.
The Victorian Government estimates possible annual savings of $149 to $1,102, depending on household circumstances and how much consumption can be shifted. This is not a guaranteed saving.
Use Victorian Energy Compare to compare estimated annual costs, then confirm the final tariff and terms with the retailer.
Store midday electricity for when you are home
The free period does not have to be useful only to people who are home at lunchtime. With automatic scheduled charging, a Green ESS home battery can collect free grid energy at midday and make it available when the household returns in the evening.
Send Green ESS a recent electricity bill, your solar-system details and any planned EV or electric-appliance upgrades. We can assess the household's daytime and evening usage, then recommend the appropriate GreenVolt Pro capacity and 5kW or 8kW inverter configuration.
Request a personalised home battery assessment
Sources: Victorian Government – Midday Power Saver · Victorian Energy Compare – Midday Power Saver advice · GreenVolt Pro
General information only. Eligibility, tariffs, charging performance and savings depend on the retailer, property, meter, system configuration and household usage. Battery figures are nominal or theoretical as stated.
