Making sure that you’re on the right electricity plan is one of the easiest and low-cost things you can do to manage your energy bill. By understanding your electricity usage and comparing it to available plans, you can find the cheapest option that suits your set-up, needs, and lifestyle.
Making sure that you’re on the right electricity plan is one of the easiest and low-cost things you can do to manage your energy bill. By understanding your electricity usage and comparing it to available plans, you can find the cheapest option that suits your set-up, needs, and lifestyle.
If you look at your bill and it seems to be written in another language, it's not your fault. You shouldn't need an engineering degree to read your own bill, so we're making it simpler for you.
✅ Tip: The ideal time to review your bill is when you have 12 months worth of bills with your current set-up, so you can compare summer and winter usage.
To understand your usage, look at the detailed page on you power bill. See if you can find:
Time-of-use rates equals peak versus off-peak. In this plan, electricity costs less during low-demand hours (midday, midnight, weekends) and more during peak demand hours (breakfast time, weekday evenings). Time-of-use pricing is ideal for households and businesses that can shift high-energy activities—such as running air conditioners, hot water systems, pool pumps, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and charging an EV—to off-peak times to take advantage of lower rates. If you already have a smart meter, it’s possible you’re already on a time-of-use rate.
Flat rates—also known as an ‘anytime tariff’—charge a consistent rate for electricity usage, regardless of the time of day. These plans are typically best for households that use a lot of electricity on weekday afternoons and evenings, cannot shift energy use to off-peak times, and prefer predictable pricing as there are no time-of-use variations.
Controlled load is a good option for people who don’t have solar to run regular appliances like hot water systems.
Controlled load applies only to specific appliances that are connected to a separately metered circuit. Power to these circuits is externally regulated, meaning the appliance can only operate during designated off-peak periods, typically when demand for electricity is lower (overnight or midday). Controlled load helps you save money if you are happy to have certain appliances—such as storage hot water systems and pool pumps—controlled separately to secure you a lower electricity price.
How much electricity are your solar panels producing? To work out how much you are producing each day on average, you can look at your solar inverter app, your smart energy device app, your bills, or input your meter number into a calculator like this one. Make sure you include both summer and winter bills to see the impact of shorter days or shading.
Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) are not worth much these days, with the average feed-in tariff paying 3-8 cents per kilowatt hour. While some energy retailers might offer higher feed-in tariffs, these are often coupled with higher usage costs that could make your plan more expensive overall.
✅ Tip: Preference an electricity plan with a low usage charge over a high feed-in tariff.
As rates change, and you change your household set-up, it’s a good idea to do a regular bill health check-up:
✅ Tip: Even if you’re happy with your current provider, ask them: “What’s your best available offer?” You might be able to save money or get added benefits without switching.
In general, the more you use your own free solar, the cheaper your overall bills will be. To do this, try moving some of your high energy use activities to the middle of the day. For example, you might use a timer to set your hot water to heat between 10am and 2pm. Or, if you are at home, plan to charge your EV at this time.
✅ Tip: If you have solar panels, the best thing you can do is use as much of your own power as you can.
Installing a home battery is a great way of storing your solar power generated during daytime for use during evening peak hours when electricity is more expensive (ie. dinner time).
Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan organisation dedicated to representing the people, households and communities in the energy system. We empirically demonstrate and communicate the cost savings, emissions reductions, and energy system benefits of electrification.
Rewiring Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live, meet and work and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Rewiring Australia is a member of Climate Action Network Australia.
Contact us: electrify@rewiringaustralia.org
