AGL’s Energy Insights uses smart meter data and algorithms to breakdown electricity usage to estimate how much electricity is being used on heating, cooling, lighting, laundry, standby and more.

This results in greater visibility of electricity usage, offering customers control of their electricity costs.

Enabling customers to take control of their energy use is a positive step in the innovation of energy retail. The technology behind Energy Insights will provide customers with energy use by lower level appliance categories, highlighting where they can take action to reduce their bill.  After a trial with 3,000 customers, the service will become available in early 2018, initially to customers with a smart meter.

“I believe this tool will be especially powerful for customers who are on our hardship program Staying Connected, or who may be struggling to afford their cost of energy.”

More vulnerable customers often have barriers to accessing new appliances or solar which can contribute to a reduced cost of use, and on average they are using more energy than our other customers. By receiving a breakdown via Energy Insights in their bill, customers are empowered to take action that can reduce their costs. For participants in the trial, a common opportunity identified was to reduce energy use related to appliances on stand by, which generally makes up 10% of a customers bill.

To find out what else we are doing for our vulnerable customers see slide 10 here.

This tool will also compliment and support other programs aimed at supporting vulnerable customers, such as home energy audits and appliance replacement programs, identifying what appliances or energy categories to improve to have the largest impact on cost.

To find out more about Energy Insights you can read the media release here.