Origin Energy Solar Review 2026: Plans, Loop VPP and Verdict

Origin Energy is one of Australia’s largest electricity retailers, and as at November 2026 its best solar feed-in rate is 12c per kWh on Solar Partner Plus (first 8 kWh exported a day), or 29c on Battery Earner for evening exports from a battery home. Origin no longer sells or installs rooftop solar itself: it stopped at the end of 2024 and now points customers to installers in the SolarQuotes network, which it owns.

Origin Energy holds 4.2 stars from 12,631 ProductReview.com.au reviews and 4.3 from 26,626 on Trustpilot, both checked November 2026. This is independent desk research; Origin was not contacted and did not pay.

Key facts

• Origin Energy no longer sells residential solar: SolarQuotes states that “as of the end of 2024” Origin does not sell it, and Origin remains responsible for warranty support on systems it already installed.
• Origin Energy bought SolarQuotes, with SolarQuotes stating the handover was due on 1 December 2024 and that it would stay an independent business unit.
• Origin Solar Partner Plus pays 12c per kWh on the first 8 kWh exported each day and 3c above that, but only if you buy an eligible system from an Origin approved installer, according to the Energy Made Easy product data read on 14 November 2026.
• Origin Battery Charge gives 0c per kWh from 11am to 3pm on up to 28 kWh a day and pays 11c per kWh on up to 10 kWh exported from 6pm to 9pm, according to the same data.
• Origin Basic, the standard plan, lists usage and supply prices that equal the Default Market Offer ceiling in the Ausgrid, Energex and SA Power Networks areas (Solar Cobber calculation, November 2026).
• Origin Battery Lite, the Origin Loop VPP offer, advertises up to $400 of value in year 1: a $200 bill credit plus $1 per kWh exported in Loop events up to 200 kWh a year, per Origin’s installer page.

How Origin Energy works

Origin Energy is a conventional retailer: you pay a daily supply charge plus usage rates, with feed-in credits for exports. It sells many plan variants per network, including Basic, Go Variable, Affinity Variable, Weekday Shift, Night Shift, and the solar and battery plans below. The AER’s product feed lists Origin electricity plans on the Ausgrid, Endeavour, Essential Energy, Energex and SA Power Networks networks and in all five Victorian zones.

Origin sells electricity in the eastern states and South Australia. Households in south-west Western Australia buy electricity from Synergy, not Origin. Rates differ by network and change, so read the fact sheet for your address. Our Default Market Offer guide explains the benchmark used below.

Origin Energy for solar owners

Origin’s solar plans differ mainly in the feed-in rate, because the usage and supply prices are the same as Origin Basic in each network. The table lists the single-rate plans without controlled load, read from the AER’s Energy Made Easy product data on 14 November 2026.

The 8 kWh daily limit is averaged across the billing period, so a sunny day’s extra exports are not lost if another day is below the limit. Battery Earner pays 28c from 4pm to 9pm on Energex and 27c from 5pm to 9pm on SA Power Networks.

Origin’s daytime feed-in rate for a solar-only home is 3c, 8c or 12c depending on plan, against an IPART benchmark of 3.4c to 6.5c for 2026-27 (see our feed-in tariff tracker). Only the evening battery rates are high. Check the state guides for NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

What does an Origin solar plan cost a year? A worked example

On the same usage, Solar Partner Plus costs about $263 a year less than Origin Basic because of the higher export credit. This is a Solar Cobber calculation, not an Origin quote.

Assumptions: the household buys the grid kWh the AER assumes for its network (3,900 in Ausgrid, 4,600 in Energex, 4,000 in SA Power Networks), exports 3,650 kWh a year (10 kWh a day), and the single-rate prices below apply. Origin’s feed-in data states amounts are GST inclusive “if any”; we treated credits as untaxed. Prices are the feed’s ex-GST figures multiplied by 1.1, which reproduces the AER default offer prices exactly.

Working: Basic 3,650 x 3c = $109.50. Boost 2,920 x 8c + 730 x 3c = $255.50. Partner Plus 2,920 x 12c + 730 x 3c = $372.30.

Solar Partner Plus saves $263 a year against Basic in every network, and Solar Boost saves $146. The network matters more than the plan: South Australia costs about $435 a year more than Ausgrid on the same plan.

Origin Energy for battery owners

Origin has two battery-focused retail plans and one VPP offer. A virtual power plant (VPP) is a group of home batteries one operator can control together; see our VPP guide.

• Battery Charge gives free power from 11am to 3pm (up to 28 kWh a day, then off-peak rates), plus 11c on up to 10 kWh of evening exports. The cost is high rates the rest of the day.
• Battery Earner pays 27c to 29c per kWh for exports during the evening peak, with no cap on solar and battery exports, according to Origin’s installer page.
• Battery Lite, Origin Loop’s partner offer, adds up to $400 of value in year 1: a $200 credit for new Loop customers plus $1 per kWh exported in Loop events up to 200 kWh a year. Origin says Charge and Lite need compatible batteries and inverters and links a model list we did not open.

Event earnings depend on how often Origin calls events, so the 200 kWh annual cap is a ceiling, not a forecast. We could not open Origin’s Loop terms in November 2026, so check control rights, reserve levels and exit terms before signing.

Battery Charge trades free midday power for rates above the default offer outside the window, such as 36.3c overnight in Ausgrid against a 33.1c flat default. Compare it with GloBird ZEROHERO, Amber Electric and AGL’s VPP, and see our battery rebate guide for the federal discount.

Does Origin Energy sell and install solar?

No. Origin stopped selling residential solar at the end of 2024, according to SolarQuotes, and RenewEconomy reported on 17 October 2024 that the SolarQuotes deal coincided with the winding up of Origin’s rooftop installation business. SolarQuotes also states Origin is responsible for warranty and consumer-law obligations on systems it installed, with a solar support line on 1300 791 468 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm AEDT).

Origin’s solar and battery offers today are therefore retail plans tied to a system bought elsewhere, with Solar Partner Plus requiring an Origin approved installer. We found no Origin-published installed prices or panel and battery brands, and Origin’s installer page names no brands. That is a disclosure issue for readers: SolarQuotes, which Origin owns, is a lead-generation site that earns referral income from installers. Solar Cobber is a directory that may also earn referral or advertising fees, so compare quotes from several places.

For benchmark prices, the Solar Choice index below shows fully installed standard offers including GST and the STC discount, dated 1 November 2026. See also solar panel cost in Australia.

Perth is cheapest at A$5,230 for 6 kW and Darwin dearest at A$9,890. The Solar Partner Plus extra credit of about $263 a year (above) is worth weighing against any price difference between installers.

What customers say about Origin Energy

Ratings below cover Origin as a whole (electricity, gas and LPG), not solar alone.

Only 9% of Origin’s SolarQuotes install ratings are 5 stars, while 56% are 4 stars (Solar Cobber calculation: 314 / 556).

What customers praise

Reviewers on ProductReview.com.au and Trustpilot praise individual staff as patient and helpful, especially with hardship arrangements and payment plans, and say problems were resolved once they reached the right person.

Common Origin Energy complaints

Public reviews cluster around billing errors, estimated-usage bills, delays with moving and reconnection, plan and feed-in rate mismatches, long phone waits, and a reported data breach (ProductReview.com.au, November 2026). Trustpilot complaints also cite rising daily supply charges. Trustpilot states Origin replied to 93% of negative reviews.

Risks to understand before switching

• Rates, credits and event terms can be varied by notice; the AER feed says Origin may vary charges with at least 5 business days’ notice.
• Solar Boost and Partner Plus credits apply only to the first 8 kWh a day; large systems export more.
• Battery Charge and Earner need compatible equipment and an eligible network tariff.
• Origin’s headline usage rates in the feed equal the default offer, so you pay no discount for the standard plan.
• Loop events can discharge your battery; read the reserve and control terms first.

Regulator action against Origin

As reported by ESD News on 19 December 2024, the Federal Court ordered Origin subsidiaries to pay $12 million for breaching the National Energy Retail Rules on more than 5,000 occasions over life support obligations, and Origin separately admitted 1,973 further breaches under an enforceable undertaking. We could not open the AER’s own enforcement pages in November 2026, so check the AER for current matters.

Origin Energy vs alternatives

Our solar sharer offer guide covers the regulated free-power alternative, and peak and off-peak times explains the windows.

Who Origin suits, and who should avoid it

Origin suits solar homes that bought an eligible system through an approved installer and want a plan tied to the default offer, and battery homes that can export in the evening. Look elsewhere if you want a retailer that installs solar, want rates below the default offer, or have a battery that cannot cover the evening.

Compare installers in the Solar Cobber directory, including the Origin Energy listing, and see our quote comparison guide.

FAQ

Does Origin Energy still sell solar panels?

No. Origin Energy stopped selling residential solar at the end of 2024, according to SolarQuotes, and now refers customers to independent installers in the SolarQuotes network, which it owns.

What is the Origin Energy solar feed-in tariff?

It ranges from 3c per kWh on Origin Basic to 12c on Solar Partner Plus for the first 8 kWh exported a day. Battery Earner pays 27c to 29c per kWh in the evening peak, per AER Energy Made Easy data read in November 2026.

What is Origin Solar Boost?

Origin Solar Boost Variable pays 8c per kWh on the first 8 kWh of daily exports and 3c above that. Its usage and supply prices match Origin Basic in the networks we checked.

What is Origin Loop VPP?

Origin Loop is Origin’s virtual power plant for home batteries. Its Battery Lite offer advertises a $200 credit plus $1 per kWh in events up to 200 kWh a year, per Origin’s installer page in November 2026.

Is Origin Energy good for solar?

It is average for solar-only homes and better for battery homes. Daytime feed-in is 3c to 12c, but evening battery exports earn up to 29c per kWh.

Who installs Origin solar systems now?

Independent installers do. Solar Partner Plus requires an Origin approved installer, and Origin says its solar support line (1300 791 468) handles warranty questions on systems it installed.

Is Origin Energy cheaper than the default offer?

Not on Origin Basic: its usage and supply prices equal the default offer ceiling in the Ausgrid, Energex and SA Power Networks areas. Other plans may be lower, so compare on Energy Made Easy.

Sources

• AER Energy Made Easy product data (Consumer Data Right), Origin plans, read 14 November 2026
• AER Default Market Offer 2026-27 final determination
• Origin Energy installer partner page (Battery Charge, Earner, Lite, Solar Partner Plus)
• SolarQuotes: Origin Energy installer review page
• SolarQuotes: Why I’m selling SolarQuotes (17 October 2024)
• RenewEconomy: Origin snaps up Solar Quotes as it exits rooftop PV installation (17 October 2024)
• ESD News: Origin fined $12m for breaching life support obligations (19 December 2024)
• IPART solar feed-in tariff benchmark
• Solar Choice Solar Panel Price Index, November 2026
• ProductReview.com.au: Origin Energy and Trustpilot: Origin Energy

About this review

This review was written by the Solar Cobber editorial team from independent desk research checked in November 2026. We did not contact Origin Energy, and no retailer paid for or reviewed this article. Solar Cobber is a free directory that may earn referral or advertising fees from installers, and commercial relationships never affect our content. Rates differ by network and change often, so check the fact sheet for your address before switching. This is general information, not financial advice. If you spot an error, tell us through our contact page.