Free Power Is So 2017 — Welcome to Profit Power

There’s a lot of talk about “free power hours,” but that idea’s getting dated. If you look closely at Queensland’s price history, the real story isn’t just when power is free — it’s when you’re getting paid to use it.

On the chart, those blue patches aren’t freebies — they’re profit power. Times when prices go negative and the market literally rewards you for charging your battery, heating your water, or topping up your EV. And those moments are becoming more common, not less.

So yes, you can still chase the classic “free power plan” from 2017 — or you can join 2025 and start using profit power instead.

Here’s how the pattern plays out most of the year:

Best (11 AM – 4 PM): Cheapest window. Solar is strong, prices often dip below zero. Perfect for heavy loads.
Good (7 AM – 11 AM): Still inexpensive. A solid backup window for flexible appliances.
OK (9 PM – 4 AM): Stable overnight rates. Great for EV charging if daytime isn’t possible.
Avoid (4 PM – 9 PM and 4 AM – 7 AM): The expensive shoulder periods when solar drops and demand spikes.
With Powston, you can take this further — our control system reacts live to market conditions, finding those hidden “profit power” windows automatically.

But even without full automation, simple timers can go a long way. For things like pools, reliability often matters more than precision — skipping cycles to save a few cents can cost much more later. Saving 15 cents in power and spending $100 at the pool shop isn’t a win.

So, think less about free power. Think about smart power — and profit power.