Discover Energy understands that sometimes the unexpected occurs, such as a power outage.
Here is a guide to help prepare you for when power outages occur on your property, keeping you safe and informed until the moments the lights come back on.
I have a power outage at my property? What steps should I take?
Check-in with your neighbours to see if they have also lost power. This will clarify if the cause of the power outage is:
A community grid issue
Specific to your property
Your Power Outage is caused by a community grid issue Call your electricity distribution company, or visit their website to determine the reasons for your power outage
Your Power Outage is caused by a factor specific to your property
Check if the safety switch has been tripped in your home. If your switch has not been tripped, call you energy retailer (Discover Energy) and your energy distribution company to find out if there are any relevant faults. If there are no current faults, you should engage a licensed electrician to do an electrical check for you.
Getting your power back on
Call your electricity distribution company. They are responsible for the physical delivery of your energy are are usually the best contact to enquire and request for a return to power. Most power outages are resolved by electricity distribution company.
What are the causes of power outages?
The safety switch has been tripped in your home
Planned essential maintenance works. Your distributor should provide you with prior notification
Disconnection due to unpaid bills. There are many steps that occur before a retailer can disconnect your service. You should have plenty of warning before this situation occurs, including numerous notices to you sent via phone, email or post
Severe weather or unexpected technical faults. This is the responsibility of your electricity distribution company. They should be your first point of contact if this is the cause of your power outage.
If the outage is not caused by any of the above, and your electricity distribution company does not report any fault on their end, you might have electrical issues specific to your property. If this is the case, you may need to engage a licensed electrician to do an electrical check for you.
What do I need to prepare for a power outage?
A copy of important contacts including your distribution company (they can be found on your bill)
If possible, a landline phone that does not rely on power or a charged mobile
A fully charge power bank or portable charger for your mobile
Access to a source of lighting such as a torch, flashlight or other battery-operated light devices
Access to news or updates, either through your through phone or radio (battery-powered or car radio)
What if I need an uninterrupted supply of power?
If you need an uninterrupted supply of power because you are on life support equipment or, have a medical condition that requires continuous power supply, you will need to be registered for life support with us. Please contact us to ensure your registration is complete. Check out our FAQ for more information.
If you have any other special needs that require uninterrupted supply, contact us on 1300 946 898.
Discover Energy is launching a new, game-changing offer: the VPP Premium Plan! With the VPP Premium Plan, Eligible battery and solar customers will be able to enjoy a market-leading 45c solar feed-in-tariff for their first 300 kwh exported per quarter* in addition to profit sharing from energy trading.
Being paid for electricity rather than paying for it is the future energy. With Discover Energy VPP, the future is already here.
As part of the Discover Energy VPP Premium Offer, Solar Feed-in will be paid at the following rates:
First 300kwh per quarter: 45c/kwh
Next 300kwh per quarter: 25c/kwh
All remaining kwh: 9c/kwh
All usage thresholds will be calculated daily. You can end this Energy Plan at any time.You must have a maximum inverter capacity of 10KW and have a maximum PV generating capacity of 13.3KW. Discover Energy VPP Approved Operated Products only. Eligible inverter brands are GoodWe, Sungrow, Solar Edge and Alpha ESS.
Here’s an example of what VPP customers receive in lieu of a traditional electricity bill:
A Smart Energy Report
An account summary featuring debits for electricity use and credits for energy sold
As you can see here, this account is in credit. This customer can actually cash out their $133.93 credit, should they wish.
You also receive a solar system report that captures your consumption, feed-in to the grid and energy trading.
Own a solar and battery system? Click Here to find out more about how you can join the DE VPP movement. Phone 1300 946 898 or 0422424064, or email: sales_vpp@discoverenergy.com.au
kakao Channel: Discover Energy KOR 혹은 아래있는 QR code를 스캔하세요.
디스커버 에너지는 호주 교민들에게 한국어 홈페이지로 에너지 가입이 가능하게 만든 최초의 에너지 리테일러 입니다. 한국어 전문가가 일대일로 복잡한 에너지 요금체계를 설명드리고 요금절약 플랜을 찾아드립니다.
·한국어 서비스를 제공하는 호주 전기회사
한국인 에너지 전문가가 고객 한분 한분께 1:1 맞춤형 서비스로 언어 장벽 없이 고객님을 찾아갑니다. ( 카카오톡, 페이스북, 인스타그램, 전화) 호주의 높은 전기 가스 요금 및 복잡한 청구서로 고민하시는 고객 여러분께 우리의 에너지 전문가가 좀더 쉽고 친절하게 질문에 답해드립니다. 호주에서 처음으로 전기 가스를 가입하시나요? 고민하지 말고 한국어로 문의 하세요.
· 저렴한 에너지 요금
디스커버 에너지의 또 다른 자랑은 저렴한 요금과 편리한 서비스 입니다. 더이상 복잡한 에너지 청구서에 고민하지 마세요. 가장 최근 빌을 비교하여 고객님의 에너지 환경에 가장 알맞은 요금절약 플랜을 찾아드립니다.
·스마트한 이용환경
환경보호를 지향하는 디스커버 에너지는 100% 디지털 서비스를 지향합니다. 고객님의 에너지 사용량을 디스커버 에너지 앱을 통해(안드로이드 또는 애플) 모니터 할 수 있으며, 청구서 확인과 요금 납부도 가능합니다. 알렉사와 구글 스마트 홈 어시스턴트로 고객님의 스마트 홈 링크도 가능합니다.
·디스커버 에너지만의 프로모션
고객님께 더 가깝게 다가가고자 특별한 가입프로모션을 안내 드립니다. 한국인 에너지 전문가와 상담한 결과 고객님의 최근 빌과 비교하여 더 저렴한 플랜을 제시하지 못할경우 가입과 상관없이 $100 EFTPOS 카드를 드립니다.
Become RE100: Discover Energy will also apply free 100% Accredited GreenPower to offset any of your consumption from the traditional energy grid until 31 December 2020, making your home 100% renewable energy for the rest of the year.
Adding a GoodWe inverter? Enjoy an additional $50 guaranteed VPP Smart Income
If you’ve added a GoodWe inverter to your new LG (LV) battery, Discover Energy will add an additional $50, increasing your guaranteed smart income to $150 over 12 months.
Hurry! Offer applies to the first 150 units only. NSW, SA, SE QLD only.
First 150 units only. New installations from 1st September – 31st October only. NSW, SA, SE QLD only. LG Chem LV models only. LG Chem models that are compatible with GoodWe solar inverters are RESU 6.5, RESU10, RESU13.
From 10 November 2020 to 10 December 2020, when you refer a friend and they successfully sign up and switch, you both receive $50 electricity credit each!
There’s no cap on the number of friends you can refer, which means significant rewards for you if they switch! Simply send referral details to your account manager/energy consultant or get your friends to mention the promotion when they sign up.
Start referring and receiving credits! Send your referrals to your Energy Consultant via Facebook Messenger here: http://m.me/discoverenergy
Terms and Conditions
To qualify for the $50+$50 referral promotion, a customer must be referred to Discover Energy, and signed up to a Discover Energy service during the promotional event period (11.10.20-12.10.20). Upon the successful switch of the referred customer, both the referrer and referee are each eligible for a $50 AUD electricity credit, which will be applied according to the rules of the below credit schedule.
$50+$50 referral promotion rules: The referrer must be a current customer of Discover Energy.
The $50 AUD electricity credit received by both customers will be applied following the below credit schedule:
$20 when the referee is switched, $10 when the referee pays the bill for the first time, $10 when the referee pays the bill for the second time and the final $10 when the referee pays the bill for the third time. This schedule applies to both parties.
There is no upper limit for successful referrals during the promotional period. For example: If a customer refers 10 referees who successfully sign up and switch to a Discover Energy service, the referer will receive a $50 credit for each customer, or $500 dollar electricity credit to their account.
The $50 electricity credit received by both parties are non-transferable, and both parties have the right to give up the reward.
During the promotional period, if either the referrer or the referee leaves Discover Energy for any reason, the other party is still eligible for the credit. However if the referee leaves Discover Energy, the referrer will only receive the amount of credits eligible according to the credit schedule. The referee will still receive the $50 credit for joining, even if the referrer leaves Discover Energy.
The $50 AUD electricity credit includes GST and cannot be exchanged for cash.
This activity does not conflict with Discover Energy’s “Share and Save promotion” ($30 credit for a social media share, $20 credit for 30 likes) and a customer is eligible to receive both rewards in tandem.
The promotion “$50+$50 referral promotion” will temporarily replace the existing “$60 referral promotion” for the promotional period. Customers cannot receive both rewards in tandem.
The final interpretation of promotional outcomes belongs to Discover Energy.
Discover Energy may, at its absolute discretion, either decline to apply the $50+$50 referral promotion or, if it has already been applied, remove the $50+$50 referral promotion credit from the relevant account where Discover Energy reasonably believes that the referrer or referee are taking unfair advantage of this offer.
Discover Energy is delighted to announce their partnership with AlphaESS, one of the leading energy storage solution and service providers in the globe. Discover Energy has worked with AlphaESS to allow full interface integration between AlphaESS hybrid inverters and Discover Energy’s virtual power plant (VPP) and energy trading platform. This means that customers with AlphaESS hybrid batteries—who are already enjoying savings through solar feed-in-tariffs and decreased reliance on the traditional electricity grid—can earn further income through energy trading and the selling of excess battery, thereby increasing the influx of renewable energy into the Australian energy market.
Launched by the founders of Australia’s largest solar distributor, One Stop Warehouse, Discover Energy has leveraged its extensive solar energy DNA to develop one of the world’s first energy trading platforms. The patented algorithm that drives Discover Energy’s trading platform utilises machine-learning, AI and deep solar data to develop electricity spot-price forecasting with unprecedented accuracy and facilitate optimised energy profits for Discover Energy VPP members. Notably, Discover Energy’s platform is the first of its kind to allow users to directly participate in electricity trading and make their own independent trades, however most users opt in to allow Discover Energy algorithm to make optimised trades on their behalf. In addition to energy trading, Discover Energy VPP members also enjoy uncapped 25c solar-feed-in tariffs*.
SMILE5 from AlphaESS
The objective of a Virtual Power Plant is to relieve the power flow load of the grid by smartly distributing the power generated by the individual units during periods of peak load. Additionally, the combined power generation and power consumption of the networked units in the Virtual Power Plant is traded on the energy exchange. In terms of many years’ storage data and flexible location of AlphaESS , Discover Energy VPP provides complete highly available, fail-safe and uninterrupted solution platform to customers who are interested by renewables.
“At Discover Energy, decentralised energy trading is a reality, not just a concept. Across Australia, our customers are making energy trades using their stored battery use and earning smart income from it. We are delighted to partner with AlphaESS in making VPP technology and energy trading accessible for their Australian customers” says Anson Zhang, CEO and founder of Discover Energy.
Founded in 2012, AlphaESS specializes in providing advanced energy storage products and intelligent energy management solution to the world, pursuing an ambitious goal to transform from a product manufacturer into a network provider.
As an energy storage system integrator covering full power range, AlphaESS has more than 100 patents in the ESS field and its products meets various international standards certified by the most prestigious testing authorities such as TUV Rheinland and SGS, making Alpha products successfully build a reputation of great quality and reliability. The company therefore has its competitive edge in multiple applications in both residential and commercial market, aiming to deliver the most cost-effective and fit-for-purpose solutions.
In 2015, AlphaESS established subsidiaries in Germany and Australia, followed by Italy, UK etc.. Nowadays, AlphaESS has over 10 branches providing local services and 40000+ systems actively running in 50+ countries, enabling millions of people to live with reliable, accessible and clean energy.
At Discover Energy, we help customers everyday to better understand their energy and assist them in accessing cheaper, smarter and greener energy. In this new series, we present answers to some of our most frequently asked questions the most important things you need to know about your electricity.
Why are my energy bills so high?
There are various reasons why your most recent energy bill might be very high. In fact, we wrote a whole article about it. But here’s a general breakdown of what makes up your energy bill, to help you understand how your bill is calculated.
Your energy bill is dependent on the tariff your plan is on. All energy plans have a fixed tariff known as the daily supply charge: this is a daily fixed rate that you pay for use of the network and is not affected by the amount of energy you use.
Your bill will also have variable charges based on your usage for the period. Here are the two most common tariffs you will be on.
Flat Rate (Single Rate) Tariff: If you are on a flat rate tariff, you will pay the same rate for the amount of energy you consume, regardless of the time of the day you use it. If you have a traditional meter, you will likely be on a flat rate tariff. Gas plans only use single-rate tariffs.
OR
Time of use Tariff: If you are on a Time of Use (Peak, shoulder and off-peak tariff, you pay a different price for energy depending on the time of day you use it. For example, on a time of use tariff you will pay a higher rate of energy at a peak period, usually afternoon and early evening when usage is high (for example, 2pm-8pm). During off-peak (10pm-7am), you will pay a lower rate. Shoulder rates usually sit somewhere in between the peak and off-peak rates and would apply to all other times of the day. The rates and timing schedules of a time of use tariff vary depending your network distributor and the allocated tariff. If you have a smart meter, you will likely be placed on a time of use tariff.
In addition to one of the above tariffs, you might also have a control load tariff, which is a specific tariff for a specific appliance in your home such as an electric hot water system.
Want a more detailed explanation of a Discover Energy bill? Check it out here.
So why is my bill so high?
Your energy bill might be high because you’ve used a lot more energy during peak period. For example, due to COVID-19, many households are spending more time at home than they normally do, or the weather has been extreme so you’ve been using your air-conditioner or heater more than usual. Or perhaps you’ve been using your appliance which has a control-load tariff applied to it more than usual. Check that your energy offer is current, some offers only have limited benefits that expire after a set period. If your benefit period has expired, you may no longer be receiving a discount.
Discover Energy is pleased to announce Virtual Power Plant (VPP) compatibility with GoodWe, leading global manufacturer of solar inverters and energy storage solutions. This means that GoodWe customers with batteries are now eligible to join Discover Energy’s VPP network, which allows them access to the cutting-edge technology of Discover Energy’s proprietary energy trading platform*.
Leveraging proprietary and patent-protected software and big data, Discover Energy’s energy trading platform executes exceptional electricity-price forecasting, leading to unprecedented revenue potential when customers sell their excess battery energy back to the electricity grid. While customers receive a guaranteed 25c/kwh for solar-feed-ins, the price for battery energy traded at optimal periods through Discover Energy’s platform can be significantly higher. Customers who allow Discover Energy’s platform to make trades on their behalf enjoy profit-sharing with Discover Energy, as well as the ability to cash in their credits.
GoodWe’s ET series inverters are among the range of the inverters from the brand that are compatible with Discover Energy’s VPP and energy trading platform
GoodWe was founded in the year 2010 in the city of Suzhou and in just a few years has achieved a leading position in the global market and was ranked as Global No. 1 Hybrid Inverter Suppliers by Wood Mackenzie in 2019. GoodWe is notable for having the largest single phase inverter range in Australian market, as well as the largest storage range in the Australian market. GoodWe inverters feature inbuilt DC isolators in most models, and deliver high efficiency with all models above 97%. GoodWe listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange in September 2020 and has recently announced its exclusive partnership with General Electric (GE). GE solar inverters will be under the GoodWe management and guided by GE. GE has authorised GoodWe to use their brand for solar inverters globally and exclusive to GoodWe.
Discover Energy’s vision is to propel the speed of adoption of solar and battery in Australian households and businesses, thereby helping to increase the market-share of renewables in the electricity market and usher a cleaner, greener future for all. “Discover Energy’s trading platform, with its ability to access unprecedented electricity prices for battery users, allows its members to significantly reduce the length of return of investment of solar and battery. We are delighted to partner GoodWe and welcome GoodWe customers to join us in the exciting new frontier of electricity trading” says Anson Zhang, CEO and co-founder of Discover Energy.
At Discover Energy, we help customers everyday to better understand their energy and assist them in accessing cheaper, smarter and greener energy. In this new series, we present answers to some of our most frequently asked questions the most important things you need to know about your electricity.
Here are two commonly asked questions from Discover Energy customers:
Why are my energy rates different than my friend, even though we live in neighbouring suburbs and use the same energy provider?
One of the main reasons why the rates of your energy plan are different is due to your household location, which determines which electricity distribution network you are connected to.
For example, here are the three distribution networks that serve NSW:
EndeavourEnergy
Area served – Southern & Western Metropolitan Sydney and surrounds including the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra.
Ausgrid
Area served – Central Coast, Inner, Northern & Eastern metropolitan Sydney and surrounds
Essential Energy
Area served – Country & regional NSW, Southern regional QLD
Some networks incur more distribution costs than others. For example, the NSW suburb of Bankstown is part of the Ausgrid network and typically pays higher distribution costs than neighbouring suburb, Cabramatta, which is part of the Endeavour Energy network. Therefore, you will always need to provide your suburb to receive an energy comparison or energy quote.
Not sure who your distributor is? If you are not sure who your distributor is, you can find out by checking your bill or contacting your retailer.
_____
Does the quality of energy change from provider to provider?
We’ve been asked by customers if it’s possible to pay for “premium” energy or if some retailers provide better quality energy than others. The short answer is no. Physical energy is purchased from the national energy market and the supply of your energy (how your household receives energy) is delivered and managed by your energy distribution network. While you may receive the occasional interruption to your energy due to such events as extreme weather or animal interference, overall, everyone receives the same quality and service, regardless of their distribution network or their retailer.
Moving from one retailer/provider to another, for example moving from AGL to Energy Australia, or to a new energy retailer as Discover Energy, will not affect the delivery or “quality” of your energy in any way. You will still receive the same safe, reliable energy by your energy distribution network, regardless of which retailer you choose.
