“Three hours of free power a day?” The public response to a government scheme aimed at making rooftop solar benefits accessible to all households

High uptake of rooftop solar helps with the renewable energy transition but comes with challenges: households unable to install solar cannot benefit financially; and excess midday power burdens the grid. To address these challenges, Australia is pioneering the Solar Sharer scheme – three hours of free electricity around midday. This study leverages this historic opportunity to learn how governments can successfully introduce such schemes. Solar Sharer success depends on consumers (1) opting into an eligible retail plan, and (2) shifting electricity use to midday. This study provides insights into pre-introduction consumer perceptions of Solar Sharer and identifies three key constructs associated with willingness to opt into Solar Sharer and shift power use to midday: perceived climate change threat; trust in the government; and environmental identity strength. Findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of consumer behaviour in energy markets and offer practical recommendations for governmental messaging when introducing such schemes.