00:00As the days get warmer, like many Australians, Charlie Roderick knows her power use will start to soar and so will her bills.
00:10And like 2.5 million other Australians in an apartment, she doesn't have the luxury of solar panels to shield the blow.
00:16As a renter, obviously you can't just put solar on your roof, you can't really do much about it.
00:20You just kind of have to deal with the rising costs.
00:24That equation could be about to change, with the Federal Government announcing it will force energy retailers to offer free electricity to households for at least three hours a day.
00:33The scheme will be available to customers with a smart meter from next July, initially in South East Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
00:41Households must opt into the scheme through the so-called default market offer.
00:46There is no catch, but it's up to people whether they take this offer up, they can look at this.
00:51We are requiring energy companies to make this an option.
00:55There is now so much rooftop solar in Australia that it's often squeezing out most other generators, including coal plants which are still required to help keep the grid stable.
01:05It's also pushing daytime power prices ever lower.
01:09So low, in fact, that generators effectively have to pay someone to take the output off their hands.
01:15Batteries can help soak up much of this excess rooftop solar, but they can be expensive.
01:20It's why the Government is hoping this initiative will help shift more energy users to the middle of the day, when more energy is being generated.
01:28But not everyone is happy.
01:30Experts say the scheme will benefit households with a battery or an EV, but it could have unintended consequences.
01:37I think forcing retailers to offer it for free for three hours is only likely to push up other costs for consumers.
01:44Apartment renter Charlie Roderick, for one, is welcoming the move.
01:48Slicking my kettle on and looking next door at the solar and thinking, oh yeah, those panels next door are going to be powering this cup of tea.
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