SA electricity retailers: What green services do they provide?

Created as a separate page 2007/09/06, last editing (minor, mainly formatting) 2023/01/16
Contact: David K. Clarke – ©


 
Since I first wrote this page at least one more retailer, Simply Energy, has been set up, others may have left.

If you are environmentally responsible, want to consume only 'green' electricity, and want to generate and sell-back green power to the grid, who do you deal with? After I had trouble working out who provides what services I wrote this page to pass on what I learned to others.
 

Be warned that many people who have 'gone solar' have had problems with their electricity supply retailer. There was an article about one person's experiences in ReNew (the journal of the Alternative Technology Assocaiation) #107, April to June 2009. As Kermit said, "It's not easy being green".

You might get some idea of the quality of service by the presence or absence of an email address for each retailer in the table below. If they do not provide an email address, are they interested in your feedback and answering your questions?

www.escosa.sa.gov.au/site/ Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) has an Energy Consumer Toolkit at http://www.escosa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=194 I am informed that ESCOSA cannot give information on retailers who buy-back solar power.

I will be pleased to receive any information from retailers, or anyone else, correcting any errors that I might have made on this page, or providing more useful information.

Consumers who have problems with retailers should first try to sort out the problem with the retailer, if that achieves nothing, take it up with the Energy Industry Ombudsman, 1800 665 565. I have done so.

Also see Footnotes, below


Energy Retailers

In alphabetical order
AGL South Australia Pty Limited
Website: http://www.agl.com.au
Telephone: 131 245
E-mail: customer.service@agl.com.au

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?Yes
Both in the same contract?Yes, at least if you push
My impression of their servicePoor
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif?*?
Price Responsive Load?*No
All options clear and easy to compare??
Response to my inquiryNo response
Fee for green electricityFlat $0.05/hWh
My wife and I have had a lot of trouble trying to get AGL to sort out its billing for our power (2009/03/22).

Aurora Energy Pty Ltd
Website: http://www.apayg.com.au
Telephone: 1300 102 010

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Electronic contact via Internet page?Yes
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??

Country Energy
Website: http://www.countryenergy.com.au/
Telephone: 132 356
E-mail: info@countryenergy.com.au

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??
Response to my inquiryNo response

Energex Retail Pty Ltd
Website: http://www.energex.com.au/

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Electronic contact via Internet page?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare?No
 

Energy Australia
Customer Enquiry Line: 138 808
Website: http://www.energy.com.au

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?No
My impression of their serviceFair
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??

Ergon Energy Pty Ltd

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No

International Power (Retail) Pty Ltd

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No

Momentum Energy Pty Ltd
Website: http://www.momentumenergy.com.au
Telephone: 1300 662 778
Email: info@momentumenergy.com.au

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
Responded to inquirey?Yes
 

NRG Flinders
Website: http://www.nrgflinders.com.au

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Electronic contact via Internet page?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??

Origin
Website: http://www.originenergy.com.au/
Gas and Electricity Sales Phone: 13 24 63
LP Gas Enquiries Phone: 13 24 62
Customer Service Phone: 13 24 61
Origin Shop: 13 14 27
Appliance service, repair & installation: 13 27 74
Email: enquiry@originenergy.com.au

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?Yes
Both in the same contract?Yes
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif?Yes
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??
Response to my inquiryYes, rather slow

Powerdirect Pty Ltd
Customer Enquiry Line: 1300 307 966
Website: http://www.powerdirect.com.au
Email: info@powerdirect.com.au

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??

Red Energy Pty Ltd
(electricity only)
Telephone: 131806
Website: http://www.redenergy.com.au
Email: enquiries@redenergy.com.au

Green energy option?No?
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??
Response to my inquiryNo response
 

South Australia Electricity Pty Ltd
1300 360 294
http://www.southaustraliaelectricity.com.au/

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?No
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare??

TRUenergy
Website: http://www.truenergy.com.au
Telephone: 133 466

Green energy option?Yes
Buy back power from solar panels?Yes
Both in same contract?No
Electronic contact via Internet page?Yes
Off-peak, 'J' tarrif??
Price Responsive Load?No
All options clear and easy to compare?No
Response to my inquiryNo response
Fee for accredited green power
Annual - "based on 6000kWh per annum"
10% $32.40
20% $64.80
50% $160.80
100% $322.20

 


Footnotes

Price Responsive Load?
The price the consumer pays depends on the balance between supply and demand at the moment. See Sustainable Electricity. Not available in Australia yet, so far as I know.

Off-peak, 'J' tarrif?
A lower charge per kWh for power used for purposes such as heating water overnight - in the low demand period.

All options clear and easy to compare?
Is their Internet page well laid-out? Can you see all the options? Is it easy to find the one you want?