If you are switching from another energy provider to Discover Energy, you should consider comparing more than just the electricity tariffs. Unlike other providers, Discover Energy has a stated commitment to offering a “smarter solution” rather than the “traditional energy supply model”. While you can buy the usual electricity and gas plan from Discover Energy, you will likely benefit more if you are keen on adopting advanced technologies to monitor and transform your household’s energy usage. Given that Discover Energy is a newer retailer, you should check if they cover your postcode, even if they appear to operate in your city or region.
For instance, there are three electricity plans offered by Discover Energy in South Australia, Solar Smart, Smart Saver, and Economy Saver. All three plans offer customers the same supply and usage charges, but customers opting for the Solar Smart or Smart Saver plans could realise more savings. However, since these are smart plans, customers need to agree to receive all bills and communications by email or through their Discover Energy online account.
Further, Solar Smart customers could be eligible for a higher solar feed-in tariff, which is currently 16 cents/kWh for the first 300 kWh sent back to the grid in a quarter and 10 cents/kWh for the next 300 kWh. In comparison, the other two plans offer a flat solar feed-in tariff of 6 cents/kWh. If you haven’t installed solar photovoltaic panels on your property, Discover Energy can provide you with the panels as well as storage batteries at a competitive price. This equipment is sourced from One Stop Warehouse (OSW), some of whose directors are also executives of Discover Energy.
Customers who want to rely on smart technology even more are encouraged to turn their homes into a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) and earn energy income by trading it with Discover Energy. This conversion involves installing an inverter to power your home, which is run using a battery charged by solar power. An app installed with the inverter enables cloud-based monitoring of your home’s energy usage as well as the energy demand on the grid in your area.
The excess solar power generated in your home can be sold to the grid in exchange for a premium feed-in tariff. For example, Discover Energy customers signing up for the VPP plan in Victoria could be eligible for a solar feed-in tariff of up to 20 cents/kWh of electricity exported to the grid.
Another smart technology option offered by Discover Energy is IntelliPower, an AI-based electricity demand forecasting and supply switching service. The IntelliPower system monitors data collected by a compatible smart solar inverter to estimate when to power your home using electricity from the grid instead of using solar power. According to the company, customers choosing a time-of-use electricity tariff stand to gain the most from implementing the IntelliPower technology. For instance, during peak demand hours, when electricity from the grid is most expensive, your home could be powered using more solar power if there’s enough energy stored in the inverter.
