Say hi to the new breed of energy providers

In case you haven’t noticed already, the Australian retail energy market is heating up. There was a time when we had no control over which energy provider serviced our homes, but thanks to energy deregulation in a number of states (NSW, SA, VIC and South East Queensland), we can now choose our energy provider as well as a range of things from the way our power is generated, how we pay our bills to tracking our home’s energy usage. Talk about options!

If you have been wondering whether it’s time to switch, we’ve pulled together this brief snapshot of some of the newer energy providers in the market to see whether they’re a good fit for you.

Powershop

What it offers: Electricity
Where it’s available: VIC, NSW & QLD
Why it’s hot: Innovative products & commitment to renewables

Perfectly suited to the digital savvy customer, Powershop is a 100% online power company that enables you to control your energy usage from your phone or laptop. It doesn’t tie you down to a fixed plan or have plans for that matter, you simply sign up and enjoy cheap electricity rates. Plus if are super organised, budget or even environmentally conscious you can head to the online store and take advantage of Powershop Powerpacks and pre-purchase energy to save even more. Sustainable energy is also top of Powershop’s agenda - it was ranked number one in the country by the Green Electricity Guide from Greenpeace Australia in 2014 and it is backed by Meridian Energy, Australiasia’s largest 100% renewable generator. And for the app-mad geek in us all, the Powershop app lets you track your electricity usage and bill on the go.

Momentum Energy

What it offers: Electricity and Gas (Vic only)
Where it’s available: VIC, NSW & SA
Why it’s hot: 100% renewable plans and solar solution for $0 upfront

If you’re looking to switch to a provider of clean power, Momentum Energy is one of Australia’s largest generators of renewable energy. Momentum has a range of residential energy plans including 100% renewable and direct debit discounts. And if you’re ready to make the solar switch you can take advantage of its solar solution with $0 upfront cost! Apart from being an environment-friendly decision, Momentum estimates you can save up to 20% on your electricity rates in the first year alone.

Click Energy

What it offers: Electricity and Gas (VIC only)
Where it’s available: VIC, NSW, QLD, ACT & SA
Why it’s hot: 100% online and no lock in contracts

We all want lower electricity and gas bills and that’s why Click Energy urges you to switch. As one of the new breed of online-only energy providers, Click has lower overheads and so they pass these savings onto you. Being online doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good customer service, there are plenty of ways to get in touch over the phone, email, or even social media via Twitter or Facebook. Click has a range of energy plans that you can mix and match to suit you and with no lock in contracts, what have you got to lose?

Globird

What it offers: Electricity
Where it’s available: VIC
Why it’s hot: Best price guarantee

Meet the newest kid on the block in the Victorian Electricity market. Globird is determined to put an end to bill shock and the ‘lazy tax’ by guaranteeing to meet or beat any verifiable published price for residential electricity. Plus it has no lock in contracts, special deals for online applications and a locally based Globird customer service team so you’ll not only get cheap electricity and plan flexibility to suit you but great customer service as well.

Sumo Energy

What it offers: Electricity
Where it’s available: VIC
Why it’s hot: Simple monthly billing means no bill shock

Why does electricity pricing have to be complicated? It doesn’t, if you’re a Sumo Power customer. Sumo offers simple products, low prices and prides itself on top-notch customer support. Yes, really. It has a range of flexible pricing plans to suit most households including pay on time or prepay discount options. And because no one likes bill shock, Sumo Power has put an end to the eye-bulging quarterly bill. It offers monthly billing to help make budgeting that much easier.

How much could you save by switching? 

To compare these providers and others available in your area, simply head over to Mozo’s energy comparison tool.