Getting a better Energy deal - WHAT A JOKE!

[russ57]

I've been with amber for a while. Very happy. The price in the app includes network charges.
Yes, they go negative. Last Sunday..
Screenshot_20230903-140454_Amber Electric.jpg

Works really well with batteries.
I dont think I've used more than a couple of kW in peak time (3-9pm) this year.

(according to my latest bill, I paid 4c kW average for the actual energy, swamped by network, environmental certificates, hedging and other sundries. Total around 15c kwh Co consumed.)

[FenceFurniture]

Not quite 4 weeks in, and things seem to be going really well with Amber. That's a small sample of course, but based upon usage charges only (no daily con fees) the bill for the last 24 days with Amber would be $86.31, as opposed to Origin's "Retention Rates" which would have made a bill of $137.02, and if I was stupid enough to accept their new rates without moaning (and y'all know how good I am at that ) it would have been $167.95, so almost double Amber's rates. Daily supply charges can make a difference to that of course. Then add on the $19 monthly membership fee and the $86.31 becomes $105.31, still well under Origin's "We love you so much we'll run at a loss for you, yeah bollocks" rates. (they did actually try to tell me they were running at a loss for me).

The amount of data Amber provides is unreal – usage and costs per 15 minutes, live, and downloadable in CSV format.

[Bushmiller]

FF

When you first talked of Amber, I mentioned it to a colleague at work. He immediately looked up Amber and announced that it was not available in his area (suburb of Toowoomba). Is it only a Sydney/Blue Mountains thing?

Regards
Paul

[FenceFurniture]

Nah, just a Katoomba thing Paul.

AFAIK they are NSW & VIC, but not in all regions. Possibly the coastal fringe?

[FenceFurniture]

Actually in NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, and SEQ

https://www.google.com/search?client...city+available

[FenceFurniture]

This graph shows what has been happening...rather graphically...

The blue lines are Amber rates that I have been charged (and russ57 indicated it actually does include the daily connection fee – we'll soon see), but does not account for the $19/month membership fee. Dark is Peak, light is Controlled load.
The two pink flatliners are Origin's "We love you too much" rates (dark pink is Peak, light is CL 1).
The two green flatliners are Origin's "We think you're an idiot" rates (dark green is Peak, light is CL 1).

What this shows is that Amber's Peak rate (dark blue) has always been 5-10 cents per kWh less than Origin's best rate (the dark pink line)
and Amber's Controlled Load rate (light blue) has always been 4-10 cents per kWh less than Origin's best rate (the light pink line). On one occasion Amber was 1c more than Origin (where the light blue crosses above the light pink).

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[FenceFurniture]

This shows the difference even more starkly. Total cost of the three plans: Amber in amber, Origin Mate's in green, Origin Idiot's in red.

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[FenceFurniture]

After the first month of Amber I am pretty satisfied with them. This updated chart has all the costs and rebates built in. Underneath the graph you can see the totals for each system. Even though Amber was about the same as Origin "Mates" on several occasions, the disparity the rest of the time makes Amber 18% cheaper for the month. As for the Origin's "We think your an Idiot" rates...you'd have to be an idiot to accept them.

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