By Jessica, Discover Energy Customer Service Manager
What is a “Smart Meter”?
A smart meter (sometimes called an advanced meter or a “type 4” meter) is a meter that digitally measures your electricity use. A smart meter will record your energy usage every 30 minutes so you know when and how much electricity is being used.
Typically, smart meters are remotely read which means your electricity usage information is sent directly to us remotely without the need for a meter reader to physically attend your property.
Smart meters are also capable of other things like notifying the electricity distributor in the event of a power failure, measuring the power quality at your premises, or being switched on and off remotely without the need for a field visit from a technician.
What are the benefits of having a smart meter?
There are several benefits to having a smart meter. They can:
Give you access to a wider range of services such as battery storage and solar generation.
Give you detailed information about your electricity usage so you can understand when you’re using your electricity and how much you use at particular times. This can help you reduce your electricity usage, or plan your usage to take advantage of lower rates at different times of the day.
Be remotely read so a meter reader won’t need physical access to your meter. This is particularly helpful if you have access issues like locked gates or your meter is inside the building. It also helps to eliminate estimated bills
Allow us to offer you better and more innovative products like energy management apps, solar trading schemes and online access to your usage data. Discover Energy are also rolling out a new feature that allows you to predict your energy consumption!
Allow for monthly billing. More frequent, smaller bills help reduce bill shock
Allow electricity distributors to detect outages more quickly and monitor the quality of your electricity supply. This will help to minimise the number and length of electricity supply outages.
Are Smart Meters Safe?
Smart meters are manufactured and installed according to Australian Standards. All smart meters must comply with electromagnetic exposure limits developed by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). The same limits apply to things like mobile and cordless phones, Wi-Fi routers and baby monitors.
For more information about Smart Meters and Health you can find a detailed report from ARPANSA here.
How do I get a smart meter?
Easy! You can contact us to ask for a smart meter by phone, email or webchat
Just let us know your account number and address and we will arrange for it to be installed accordingly. Typically it takes 3-4 weeks to have a smart meter installed.
We are also required to install a smart meter for new connections (if you build a new house) or if your current meter is faulty or has reached the end of its life and needs replacing.
If you have any questions you can contact Discover Energy directly or read more information provided by the Australian Energy Regulator here.
Australian energy retailer, Discover Energy is pleased to announce the full API integration of their Virtual Power Plant platform with leading global inverter brand, Sungrow. This means that customers who use hybrid Sungrow inverters for their solar-and-battery systems can optimise money earned from selling excess solar power back to the electricity grid by participating in Discover Energy’s Virtual Power Plant and revolutionary energy trading platform.
Discover Energy’s VPP members currently enjoy highest-in-the-market 25c solar feed-in tariffs as well as smart income made from energy trades from discharged excess battery. They also directly support the integration of more renewable energy into the electricity grid, helping ensure Australia’s transition to a greener future. Membership to Discover Energy is free for eligible customers, with no lock-in contracts.
Established in 2019, Discover Energy has leveraged its deep solar DNA from sister company and largest solar distributer in Australia, One Stop Warehouse to create one of the world’s leading electricity trading platforms. Using proprietary algorithm, Discover Energy’s energy trading platform can predict the National Electricity Market spot price every 30 mins with exceptional accuracy. While many VPP projects around Australia remain in nascent stages of development, Discover Energy’s VPP is notably fully operational with rigorous energy trading already in action. Discover Energy’s partnership and API integration with Sungrow hybrid inverters means that current and future Sungrow customers in Australia can access these state-of-the-art technologies offered by Discover Energy’s platform.
“The goal of Discover Energy is to make energy cheaper, greener and smarter for all Australians. We do this by investing and building technologies that propel profits for prosumers (consumer-producers), which in turn cuts down the length of return of investment for solar and battery, while supporting the growing influx of renewable energy into the traditional energy market. Our VPP customers are already reaping the benefits of our work, eliminating power bills altogether and earning income, less than a year since launching the platform. We are delighted to be able to now open our platform for Sungrow inverter customers.” says Anson Zhang, CEO of Discover Energy.
Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd (“Sungrow”) is the world’s most bankable inverter brand with over 120 GW installed worldwide as of June 2020. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 23-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 120 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%.
Là công ty 100% của Úc, có trụ sở tại Sydney, Discover Energy là đơn vị đầu tiên cung cấp dịch vụ điện gas “đo ni đóng giày” cho cộng đồng người Việt đang sinh sống ở Úc. Dù mới ra mắt thị trường, song Discover Energy đã mạnh dạn đi bước tiên phong, mong muốn mang đến những trải nghiệm tốt nhất với chi phí hợp lý.
Dịch vụ tốt, giá tiết kiệm
Discover Energy tự hào với các gói sản phẩm giá cả đặc biệt cạnh tranh, đồng thời luôn hỗ trợ khách hàng trong tất cả công đoạn chuyển đổi dịch vụ. Mức giá từ Discover Energy đảm bảo minh bạch và sát sao với nhu cầu sử dụng thực của từng khách hàng. Khi đến Discover Energy, hãy cho chúng tôi biết hóa đơn mới nhất của quý khách, chúng tôi sẽ đưa ra gói dịch vụ tiết kiệm hơn.
“Số hóa” dịch vụ điện gas
Là một công ty có nền tảng công nghệ phát triển, Discover Energy sử dụng hóa đơn điện tử thay vì hóa đơn giấy. Người dùng dễ dàng xem hóa đơn online, hoặc tải ứng dụng Discover Energy (Apple và Android) để theo dõi, điều chỉnh cách sử dụng điện gas, cũng như thanh toán và nhận hóa đơn. Ngoài ra, khách hàng có thể kết nối tài khoản của mình với các thiết bị smart-home như Alexa hay Google Home Assistant.
“Đo ni đóng giày” dịch vụ cho người Việt
Với mong muốn tạo điều kiện để cộng đồng người Việt tại Úc dễ dàng nhận được những trải nghiệm tốt nhất, Discover Energy có tư vấn viên luôn túc trực trên Zalo, Facebook và điện thoại để tư vấn cho từng khách hàng, cả bằng tiếng Việt lẫn tiếng Anh, tùy theo nhu cầu. Mọi thắc mắc về điện gas, dù rắc rối đến mấy, đều sẽ được giải đáp nhanh chóng và dễ hiểu.
Bạn thấy bối rối với việc chọn dịch vụ điện gas?
Bạn chuẩn bị dọn đến nhà mới?
Hoặc bất kỳ thắc mắc nào liên quan đến điện gas, hãy đến với Discover Energy! Chúng tôi sẽ lắng nghe, thấu hiểu, giải đáp và hỗ trợ quý khách một cách tốt nhất!
Chương trình đặc biệt, dành riêng cho người Việt tại NSW
Để đánh dấu việc Discover Energy ra mắt dịch vụ đối với cộng đồng Việt Nam, chúng tôi có một chương trình đặc biệt. Hãy gọi Discover Energy ngay hôm nay kèm theo hóa đơn điện mới nhất của bạn. Nếu chúng tôi không thể mang đến gói giá tốt hơn, tiết kiệm hơn, quý khách sẽ nhận được một gift card Eftpos trị giá $100. Không cần đăng ký, chỉ cần hóa đơn điện mới nhất để thực hiện thử thách!
Gọi Tư vấn viên Hồng Hoa (Flora) ngay bây giờ để tham gia:
*Chương trình chỉ áp dụng cho gói điện hộ gia đình tại NSW, SA và QLD (SE). Không áp dụng cho Solar và Embedded Plans. Mỗi địa chỉ chỉ nhận được một Eftpos gift card.
Discover Energy: Mang đến dịch vụ điện gas Tiết kiệm – Tiện nghi – Bền vững
As we dive into spring, we’re all looking forward to extra sunshine and warmer weather. But there’s something on the horizon that most of us are not looking forward to: the winter power bill. Because of COVID-19, we’re spending more time than ever at home, meaning that our energy costs are likely to have soared over the cosy season too. But smart management of our energy can make a big difference and help us avoid the dreaded energy bill shock.
Here’s a closer look at what else is driving your electricity or gas costs—and how to manage them so that your next bill is much friendlier to your wallet.
1.Vampire Appliances
Household appliances such as your plug-in heater, your clothes dryer, fridge or television can be sneaky drivers of household power costs. For example, did you know 5 hours daily usage of a plug-in heater can add an extra $1.70 to your bill a day? Do you have a second fridge? According to energy.gov.au, it might be costing you $172 a year in electricity costs alone.
What you can do about it:
Choose higher quality, more efficient appliances. It can be tempting to purchase that cheap plug-in heater, but your budget purchase might be much more expensive for you in the long run. Similarly, it’s a good idea to assess whether your current appliances are too old, and not using energy efficiently. When you buy an appliance, aim to find one that has a good Energy Rating and is energy efficient. According to the Government’s Energy Rating website, every extra star rating on Fridges can saves you around 23% in energy costs.
Turn off your appliances when not use: Keeping appliances such as your television or game console on standby or sleep mode can costs you money over time, so remember to fully turn off your appliances when not in use.
Take note when you’ve bought a new appliance. Your consumption may have been driven by organic extra use of a new product, or your new appliance may be more inefficient in ways you didn’t expect—it’s a good idea to keep note of this!
2. The weather
When the weather becomes been more extreme, for example swelteringly hot or extremely chilly, we are all likely to turn to our appliances for relief. But relying on heating and cooling appliances can definitely amp up your electricity expenses. For example, a ducted air conditioner is one of the most notorious drivers of household electricity costs, and can account for 50% of your electricity bill.
What you can do about it:
Assess your home in the ways you can better maximise the efficiency of your heating/cooling. Fixing small issues such as drafts from windows and doors, or adding extra shade or cover on windows can have a big impact in keeping the heat or cold in. Also remember that every adjustment to your heating or cooling device—1 degree higher in cold weather or 1 degree lower in hot weather—can increase heating or cooling costs by 5-10%. Also consider insulation options, which can be a cost-effective solution to keeping houses warmer or cooler.
3. Your energy consumption is being estimated
If you don’t have a smart meter, your energy consumption must be read physically by a meter reader, or it is estimated by the grid network’s algorithm. These estimated bills can sometimes drive your power costs, particularly if a correction or adjustment is made to the estimate.
What you can do about it:
Make sure your meter is safe and accessible for the meter reader when they visit your residence to make a reading. For example, keep pets away from the meter.
Keep track of your meter and your bills, noting when an estimated reading has been applied. If your Discover Energy bill is based on an estimated bill that you believe is inaccurate you can send us your own meter reading to replace the estimated read within 10 days of the estimated read date. You can do this by taking a photo of your meter that clearly shows the meter display and sending it to us at service@discoverenergy.com.au.
4.You’ve been switched to a TOU (time of use) tariff plan
Perhaps you’ve opted for or have been moved to a Time of Use tariff. This means that you pay more when you use energy during certain times when demand for energy is at its highest (peak demands). When you first switch to a TOU tariff, you might not be aware of your consumption habits and may get a big shock when you get your latest bill by how much you’ve consumed.
What you can do about it:
Get energy smarter and prepare for peak demand periods: Be aware, and make other people in your residence aware of when peak demands or TOU Tariff charges will apply. Develop a plan for how you will minimise and develop awareness of your energy consumption habits. Small habits, such as using the clothes dryer in off-peak periods, can make a big difference.
Get greener, smarter, cheaper energy with Discover Energy. Find out our energy plans here, or get a personalised quote based on your latest energy bill. Upload it here or send it to our Facebook messenger.
具有寻求庇护身份的过桥签证持有人(Bridging Visa Holders, with Asylum Seeker status)
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
JobSeeker Payment,Widow Allowance,Youth Allowance,Partner Allowance,Parenting Payment,Special Benefit,Community Development Project (CDP),New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS),ABSTUDY,Austudy,Farm Household Allowance (FHA),War widow pension under legislation of the United Kingdom or New Zealand.
5.不能与年收入大于$3000的人居住在一起,除非该收入是由Centrelink /退伍军人事务部 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)所给与的补贴,或者该收入来自当地父母或家庭成员提供的。
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
JobSeeker Payment,Widow Allowance,Youth Allowance,Partner Allowance,Parenting Payment,Special Benefit,Community Development Project (CDP),New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS),ABSTUDY,Austudy,Farm Household Allowance (FHA),War widow pension under legislation of the United Kingdom or New Zealand.
Did you know that food wastage accounts 8% of our total greenhouse emissions? While most food wastage happens even before it arrives on your plate, we all can still make a powerful impact by managing our food habits and avoiding waste with smart consumption.
One of the best ways to do this and save money is to use a great bulk recipe: something easy that you can whip up over the weekend and enjoy the benefits of, all week long. We’ve asked our staff to send their favourite bulk food ideas and received a great breakfast recipe from our Customer Service Manager, Jessica.
So without further ado, here’s a tasty and luxurious cinnamon and cacao granola recipe to tide you over a busy week!
Tasty Granola with Cacao
Makes 10-12 servings
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 x 150g packet slivered almonds
1 x 165g packet seed mix (pepitas & sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup desiccated or shredded coconut
1/4 cup linseeds
1/4 cup cacao nibs (keep the rest in the pantry for future batches or use them in place of chocolate chips in banana muffins)
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil (don’t skip this, it’s what makes the granola super crispy!)
1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup if vegan)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine coconut oil and honey in a small bowl and microwave for 30 second intervals until coconut oil is melted. Add oil and honey mixture to dry ingredients and stir until everything is thoroughly coated. Spread the granola over 2 large baking sheets that have been covered with baking paper and bake in the oven, stirring regularly for 20-30 minutes or until browned to your liking. Allow to cool completely on the tray (at least 3-4 hours) before storing in an airtight container for up to three weeks if it lasts that long. Delicious served with almond milk and some yoghurt or even sprinkled over stewed apples as a dessert or healthy snack!
Note: my oven runs hot so your baking time may be longer. Just keep baking until it reaches the level of brown you prefer.
Discover Energy is an energy retailer that puts green at the forefront of our business. We’re dedicated to providing smarter, greener, cheaper energy for our customers. Check out our current plans or get a personalised quote based on your latest bill by calling us at: 1300 946 898 or messaging us on the Discover Energy Facebook page.
GreenPower has launched a fresh new logo and a new website, ushering a new era for accredited renewable energy for households and business. As an energy retailer committed to cleaner energy, we offer GreenPower products to help our customers make the greener choice for their energy needs.
What is GreenPower?
GreenPower is government certified, renewable energy that households and businesses can purchase. GreenPower comes from energy sourced from the sun, wind, water and waste which is considered as zero greenhouse gas emissions energy. When you opt-in to GreenPower, Discover Energy purchases GreenPower energy on your behalf. At Discover Energy, you can choose to opt-in to purchase GreenPower at 10%, 20% or 100% of your total energy consumption.
GreenPower is the easiest way to offset the environmental impact of your energy use, while ensuring that more accredited renewable energy generators are being integrated to the overall grid. It’s also an affordable green option too. On average, 100% GreenPower costs consumers around $8 a week* – the price of two cups of coffee!
Why join GreenPower?
Discover Energy electricity and gas customers
If you’re a traditional electricity customer with Discover Energy, the electricity you receive from the grid comes from a range of sources, including emission heavy options such as coal. By opting into GreenPower, any consumption you make will be partly or completely offset by an equivalent purchase of accredited renewable energy. It’s an easy but powerful way to make a difference and help guarantee a renewable energy future for all Australians.
How can I join?
New customer? Click here to view our GreenPower plans. Opt in to GreenPower when you sign up!
Existing customer? Login to My Account to add GreenPower to your plan
Discover Energy VPP customers
If you’re a solar and battery customer, chances are you are close to using 100% renewable energy. That’s fantastic! But sometimes on a cloudy day or when your consumption is high, you’ll sometimes need to access electricity from the traditional energy grid. By opting in to GreenPower with your VPP membership, you can ensure that your energy use really represents 100% renewable energy.
New customer? Opt in to GreenPower when you sign up!
Existing VPP customer? Login to My Account to add GreenPower to your plan
*According to the official GreenPower website, the outlay for 100% GreenPower for an average Australian household, which consumes around 15-18 kWh each day, is roughly 80c to $1.50 per day. Actual costs depend on price set by your energy retailer and your actual consumption.
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
该返款援助是可以叠加使用的,就算您已经申请了低收入家庭返款(Low Income Household Rebate)和医疗能源费返款(Medical Energy Rebate),你还是可以获得生命维持设备返款(Life Support Rebate),而且该返款援助是更具每项医疗器械所给与补助,所以当您需要多个医疗器械时,补助金额是可以叠加的。
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
该返款援助是可以叠加使用的,就算您已经申请了低收入家庭返款(Low Income Household Rebate)和生命维持设备返款 (The Life Support Rebate )还是可以再申请医疗能源费返款(Medical Energy Rebate)。可以选择$285每年或者$0.7808(GSTexcl) 每天的电费返款援助。这个返款援助金额会直接体现在您DiscoverEnergy第一能源的电费账单中。
退伍军人事务部颁发的金卡标记为因为战争牺牲的军人家属;完全永久丧失工作能力或极端残疾的人士(Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card marked for recipients of War Widow or War Widower, Totally and PermanentlyIncapacitated rate or Extreme Disablement Adjustment rate pensions)
At Discover Energy, we have a not-so-little secret: most our customers who are part of the DE VPP Networkdon’t receive power bills. That’s because rather than paying us for electricity, we pay them. Instead of an electricity bill, our VPP customers receive smart income statements – a special report that lets them know how much energy they’ve consumed, but also more importantly, how much solar energy they’ve sold back into the grid.
With our highest-in-the-market solar feed in tariffs (25 cents/kwh, guaranteed for 12 months) and state-of-the-art solar energy trading platform, our VPP customers consistently earn back their electricity costs, and a lot more. As a result, VPP customers have the option to cash in their credits and actually receive an income!
Being paid for electricity rather than paying for it is the future energy, and with Discover Energy VPP, the future is already here.
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
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