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Bigger-than-expected power bills can give customers a nasty jolt, particularly when they’re home more because of the pandemic. EnergyAustralia has found ways to ease the impact and help people manage their budgets through a range of services on its new customer innovation platform On by EnergyAustralia.

 

Power bills are Australia’s second biggest source of financial stress after rent, surveys indicate. Households often find themselves confronted with unexpectedly high bills, complex calculations of charges and discounts, and difficulties in comparing different pricing plans. It is easy to understand their frustration.

 

With this in mind, EnergyAustralia launched the customer innovation platform, On by EnergyAustralia, in November 2019 to make household power plans clearer and to develop simpler and innovative services that save time, money and energy.

 

One of the most important aspects of the platform is that customers can participate in trials that help shape EnergyAustralia’s future products and services. Its first round of trial products and services were aimed at ensuring there were fewer unwanted surprises when power bills arrived.

Simple solutions

One way to improve complex energy plans in Australia is to make them more like the mobile phone plans, which generally offer simpler fee structures, with competitive fixed monthly prices and top-up features.

 

With Easy Plan and Easy Plan Plus, delivered through On by EnergyAustralia, these features have become a reality for many residential customers in Australia.

 

Traditionally, customers are charged for their energy usage by the kilowatt-hour, and at different rates according to the time of day. Easy Plan and Easy Plan Plus move towards a flat rate pricing based on usage, with additional safeguards to prevent costs from escalating during the peak summer and winter periods.

Customers checking power bills
Simpler power bill fee structures provide customers with greater convenience.

As with phone plans, customers have the option to pick a suitable plan based on their energy usage habits. They can choose one with different set amounts of electricity usage or, for a higher fee, one that includes unlimited usage, subject to a fair usage policy. Easy Plan and Easy Plan Plus come with options to top up if customers go over their limits, or to roll over an unused balance.

 

Trials have generated positive feedback, with customers saying the plans help them to budget, particularly during times when their energy use can fluctuate. They also appreciate features like regular usage alerts and the flexibility to scale their plans up or down.

By having a solar and battery system installed, EnergyAustralia customers reduce their grid electricity use and power their homes with greener energy.

Working on sunshine

The platform has also trialled a solar and battery plan called Solar Plus Plan, launched in May 2020, to make household solar more affordable and accessible.

 

Eligible customers in New South Wales were invited to apply to take part in a trial where On by EnergyAustralia installed a high-quality energy system for their home, with solar panels, an inverter, and a Tesla Powerwall, which customers could pay off in monthly instalments. 

 

The breakthrough with the plan lies with the zero upfront cost to the customers. The ownership of the solar and battery systems is transferred to them after they have stayed on the same tariff for seven years, enabling more households to use solar energy. 

Details of Solar Plus Plan

Free time

Free Saturdays is another innovative offering available through the On by EnergyAustralia platform. Eligible customers pay nothing for their home electricity on Saturdays for a year, while a competitive usage and supply charge applies for the remainder of the week. Customers on this plan receive an update every week, showing how much they have saved through the initiative.

 

At a time of global uncertainty, EnergyAustralia hopes its initiatives can bring value and greater peace of mind to customers, as well as the opportunity to shape the company’s future offerings and make the arrival of household power bills less of a shock.