Retail Market Advice Toolkit

Get a better deal,get help from the experts 

The tariff that underpins your energy supply is governed by an energy contract. Retailers may offer you two types of contracts:

Standard retail contracts

• include set terms and conditions and can’t be changed by the retailer.
• You are most likely to be on this type of contract if you have never changed retailers or if you haven’t contacted a retailer about an energy contract. Under some standard retail contracts, the price you pay for your energy is set by the state or territory government.

Market retail contracts

• have a minimum set of terms and conditions, but other terms and conditions can vary from contract to contract.
• You might not be eligible for all market retail contracts offered by energy retailers but you can shop around to see what offers are available to you. Market contracts may cost less, offer renewable energy or discounts, and often have fixed term durations where exit fees are charged if you leave early. Market contracts differ between retailers and it is advisable when choosing a market contract to shop around for the one that best suits your needs.

Source: AustralianEnergy Regulator, https://www.aer.gov.au/consumers/choosing-an-energy-retailer/energy-contracts

Historically there has been no uniform standard for tariffs, meaning it is incredibly difficult to compare tariffs across different energy retailers. There are however some tools and services you can use to cut through the noise.

Energy made Easy

Developed by the Australian government, Energy Made Easy allows users to compare all generally available gas and electricity plans, including details such as GreenPower options or solar feed-in tariffs, discounts and incentives, and key terms and conditions. This should make it much simpler to find a plan tailored to individual situations. Click here

Business Energy Advice Program

A federal government initiative, facilitated by the NSW business chamber, to deliver free energy advice to small businesses. Book your consultation now.

Understanding how much you are using and where the power drain is coming from is key to making positive changes.

In addition to energy rates, energy consumption is the other main driver of your energy bill. It also happens to be something you have significant control over. Understanding the way and how much energy you use may uncover opportunities to get a better deal or reduce your consumption levels (energy efficiency). There are 3 ways you can access your energy consumption data.

Energy bill

Your bill will give you a basic indication of energy consumption, typically average usage per day and total usage for billing period. It however provides limited detail on daily consumption patterns.

Interval data

Depending on your meter type, you may be able to access interval data for your site. Interval data is energy consumption data, typically captured in 5, 15 or 30 minute intervals, over a 12 month period. This enables detailed insights to be obtained on daily and seasonal consumption patterns.

Smart meter

You may have your own smart meter installed which provides direct access to detailed energy consumption data. Taking the time to review this may reveal significant savings opportunities.

Interval data can be requested directly from your retailer. Many retailers are moving to have all this available via their online portals, so make sure to check there first before sending a request.

To request your consumption or to access your portal, click on the corresponding link below.

ActewAGL

AGL

Alinta Energy

Aurora Energy

Blue NRG

Click Energy

Diamond Energy

Dodo Power & Gas

Energy Australia

ERM Business Energy

Lumo Energy

Momentum Energy

Next Business Energy

Origin Energy

Power Direct

Powershop

Red Energy

Simply Energy

Powerclub

Energy Locals

1st Energy

FutureX

Covau

Every energy bill outlines the tariff and rates you are on, but what does that mean?

Your tariff is the amount charged for providing energy under your contract. It includes both fixed and variable charges.

The fixed charge:

• is not based on how much energy you use. It will be separately identified on your bill, and is often called the ‘daily supply charge’ or ‘service to property’ charge. It can be displayed as a daily rate on your bill (e.g. in ‘cents per day’), but may appear as a single figure for a billing period.

The variable charge:

• or ‘consumption charge’ is the amount you pay for each unit of electricity and gas you use. It is listed on your bill as cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh) for electricity and cents per megajoule (c/MJ) for gas.

There are different tariff types that apply depending on the type of meter you have and who your electricity distributor is. The tariff type will determine how the variable charge component is billed. There are usually three different types of rates:

Single Rate

• Also known as a flat rate, standard rate, anytime rate, or ‘peak only rate’.
• Charge for usage regardless of when or how the consumer uses electricity.
• It typically applies to consumers that have an accumulation meter.

Time of Use Rate

• Charge different rates for electricity use at different times of day or week, these include:

Peak rate

The amount you are charged during the high-energy use times. These are generally weekdays between 4pm – 8pm. 

Off-peak rate

This is when energy use is charged at its lowest rate. It is generally weekdays and weekends from 10pm – 7am.

Shoulder rate

The shoulder rate is the price that is charged between the off-peak and peak hours.

Controlled Load Rate

• Apply to electricity that is being used by large, stand-alone appliances such as electric hot water systems, electric slab heating or irrigation pumps. These are typically metered separately. 

The information on a typical bill can include confusing terms and jargon. But if you understand your energy bill and what it all means, it is the first step to saving.

In Australia, there are multiple energy retailers who all format their bills differently. To help you cut through the confusion, we have listed bill explainers for the key energy retailers. Click the links below to understand how to read your bill and get on top of your usage.

RETAILER
ActewAGL
AGL
Alinta Energy
Aurora Energy
Blue NRG
Click Energy
Diamond Energy
Dodo Power & Gas
Energy Australia
ERM Business Energy
Lumo Energy
Momentum Energy
Next Business Energy
Origin Energy
Power Direct
Powershop
Red Energy
Simply Energy
Powerclub
Energy Locals
1st Energy
Covau