Amber Electric energy

Amber Electric aims to deliver transparent services to the customers by passing on wholesale rates for a flat monthly fee. The company has a unique business model with no exit fees or contracts.

Amber Energy Australia offers a different pricing model from other energy suppliers. Unlike most other retailers, the company does not have any base rates and discounts. Amber uses wholesale rates, which are updated every 30 minutes. This means that during times of higher demand, the rates are higher and vice versa.

What are Amber’s energy plans?

Amber provides energy to South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. Customers are charged directly at the wholesale prices, which are often lower than the Default Market Offer (DMO). The company guarantees that their users don’t pay more than the DMO price during the year, and any difference is refunded.

Amber charges its customers a small monthly subscription fee. The company encourages customers to keep an eye on their energy usage and use electricity during non-peak times to reduce their expenses. Customers can monitor energy usage via the online portal.

As the company has no lock-in period contractual agreements, customers don’t need to pay any exit charges. However, Amber charges late payment fees and dishonour fees, which you can avoid if you remember to pay bills on time and have enough money in your bank account when your direct debt is due.

Since the energy prices change every 30 minutes, customers have to install smart meters to track their real-time usage. Users also need to pay static supply charges, and the billing is done monthly. Bill payments can be made via direct debit.

Does Amber offer solar rebates?

Amber Energy provides customers direct access to wholesale prices and rebates for energy they feed back to the grid. 

Amber also offers 100 per cent GreenPower for environmentally-conscious users. You’ll pay a slightly higher price for your energy usage to support renewable energy generation under the Government GreenPower Program.

What is SmartShift?

SmartShift is a technology that optimises your home devices like household batteries, electric hot water systems, and pool pumps to reduce energy costs. SmartShift technology automates energy usage to the hours when the wholesale prices are lower. The devices are controlled either with a physical SmartShift device or remotely via the SmartShift service.

The company says you can reduce the running costs by $150 - $400 per year based on your usage, when compared to customers who don’t use the SmartShift technology. You can access this technology at no cost for one year as a trial.

How do price spikes affect energy pricing?

The wholesale prices often increase to more than $3/kWh for a few hours every day. The company provides notice about possible energy pricing spikes via email, text, or a notification sent to your mobile. You can then save money by shifting non-required energy usage to non-peak hours.

How can you track your usage?

You can use the app to view live wholesale prices, prices over the previous six hours and forecast the next 12 hours to plan your usage.

You can also use the app to view and track live solar feed-in tariff during the day. 

With the Amber app, you’re able to view your everyday usage history, which is broken down by the type of meter.

How do you pay your energy bills?

The company accepts bill payments via credit card and direct debit. The energy bill gives you the exact date on which the amount will be directly debited. If you pay the bill using a credit card, you’ll pay an additional 1 per cent transaction fee. There is also a $16 penalty for late payments.

If you’re facing difficulties paying your energy bills, you can contact the company via email to [email protected] to learn about hardship assistance.

How and when are you charged?

Smart meter customers are charged monthly, and customers with the basic meter receive their bills quarterly. You’ll receive the bill two weeks before its due date, ensuring you’ve got enough time to prepare. The bill is automatically processed.

What are the charges on an Amber energy bill?

The bills may vary from one customer to another based on their network, the Amber plan they’ve chosen, and whether they have controlled or solar load. The items included in the bill are as follows:

• Real-time wholesale usage charge in cents/kWh
• Wholesale daily supply charge in cents/kWh
• Subscription fee also in cents/kWh

Is Amber Electric the right choice for you?

Although Amber offers a unique pricing model for energy usage, it will be right for some customers but not right for others. Checking Amber Electric product reviews by other users may be helpful.

If you sign up with Amber, being aware of your usage may help to take advantage of non-peak savings. If the majority of your energy usage is during non-peak times, Amber may still be a good option. However, it’s worth considering the monthly subscription fee. Additionally, if you primarily use energy during peak hours, finding a plan with a reasonable single price tariff will give you a better idea of what you’ll be paying during the billing period. Lastly, don’t forget to compare the plans and rates offered by other service providers in your location to make the right choice for you.