Why does Queensland have two different feed-in tariffs?

History and market structure. Regional Queensland keeps a regulated minimum feed-in tariff set by the QCA; the more competitive south-east was deregulated, so retailers there set their own rates. Check which network — Ergon or Energex — you sit behind.

Who sets the regional Queensland (Ergon) feed-in tariff?

The Queensland Competition Authority sets the regulated minimum for Ergon customers each financial year. It has trended down as wholesale midday prices have fallen, but remains a mandated floor — unlike the deregulated south-east.

Is a higher feed-in tariff always better?

No. A plan with a headline feed-in tariff often carries higher usage or supply charges that wipe out the benefit. Because most homes use a large share of their solar directly, self-consumption usually saves far more than export earns. Compare the total plan cost for your usage, not the feed-in tariff on its own.

Queensland solar feed-in tariffs

Queensland runs two systems at once. In regional Queensland the feed-in tariff is a government-regulated minimum; in the south-east it is deregulated and set by retailers. Which one you are in decides how you should shop.

Source data last verified 21 June 2026.

Queensland — how it works

Split (regional + market)

Regional: 8.66 c/kWh · SE QLD: market-set

split market · 2025-26

2026-27: ~6.15 c/kWh proposedQCA draft determination only — confirm against final determination before publishing.

Two markets. Regional QLD (Ergon network): QCA sets a mandatory flat rate, 8.66 c/kWh for 2025-26 (down from 12.377 c/kWh prior year). A QCA DRAFT determination proposes ~6.15 c/kWh for 2026-27 — NOT yet final (due ~mid-2026), mark pending until confirmed. South-East QLD (Energex network — Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast): deregulated, no mandated minimum, retailers set rates (commonly ~3–10 c/kWh, often with daily export caps). Legacy 44 c/kWh Solar Bonus Scheme runs until 30 June 2028 for eligible pre-July-2012 customers.

Regulator: QCA (regional only) · Queensland Competition Authority — regional QLD feed-in tariff

How Queensland sets its feed-in tariff

In regional Queensland (the Ergon network) the feed-in tariff is a regulated minimum, reviewed by the QCA each year — a genuinely set number. In the south-east (the Energex network) there is no regulated minimum; retailers compete on the rate, so it pays to compare. If you are in the south-east and on a smart meter, you can also tap the Solar Sharer offer of free midday hours.

If you are working out which plan to be on, your distribution network here is Energex (south-east) and Ergon Energy (regional). Your retailer sets the feed-in tariff; the network shapes the charges around it, so the best-value plan is the one that wins on the whole bill for your postcode.

The number that matters more than the feed-in tariff

For almost every solar home, the usage rate — what you pay for grid power, mostly after the sun goes down — moves your yearly bill more than the feed-in tariff does. You buy more than you export, so a cheap usage rate beats a flashy export rate. The highest-value habit is not hunting for a unicorn feed-in tariff; it is using more of your own solar, and being on a plan that is cheap on the power you still have to buy.

Compare Queensland plans on total cost for your usage →

See how all states govern feed-in tariffs or read the July 2026 rate changes.

Common questions — Queensland

Why does Queensland have two different feed-in tariffs?: History and market structure. Regional Queensland keeps a regulated minimum feed-in tariff set by the QCA; the more competitive south-east was deregulated, so retailers there set their own rates. Check which network — Ergon or Energex — you sit behind.
Who sets the regional Queensland (Ergon) feed-in tariff?: The Queensland Competition Authority sets the regulated minimum for Ergon customers each financial year. It has trended down as wholesale midday prices have fallen, but remains a mandated floor — unlike the deregulated south-east.
Is a higher feed-in tariff always better?: No. A plan with a headline feed-in tariff often carries higher usage or supply charges that wipe out the benefit. Because most homes use a large share of their solar directly, self-consumption usually saves far more than export earns. Compare the total plan cost for your usage, not the feed-in tariff on its own.

Compare another state

Feed-in tariffs vary by retailer and plan and change frequently. Regulated/benchmark figures below are from each state's regulator; market ranges are indicative of retailer offers and should be checked against current plans. Self-consumption typically saves far more than export earns.

Reviewed by James Baker, Founder, EnergyPlans.com.au. Data last verified 21 June 2026. Methodology.