Running a home business or teleworking in QLD? Whether you’re a sole trader, manage a team, or you’re WFH, there are steps you can take to minimise power bills. With remote work steadily increasing, many QLDers are working with clients from across the state, Australia, and the globe. And all without leaving their house. It’s a kind of flexibility that many people dream about on their commute to their workplace.
But it also comes with unique challenges; because you’re home more, you’re using more energy to keep cool in summer and warm in winter. Being home 24-7 means you’re bound to use more power. Fortunately, you can save hundreds of dollars a year on your power bills by following some power-saving best practices. Let’s explore how to make that happen.
Meet Econnex
Firstly, we’d like to introduce ourselves. We’re Econnex, a free energy price comparison site devoted to getting Australians the best deal on their gas & electricity. With Aussies being notoriously overcharged for energy, we’re proud to have saved our users an enormous amount of money. Our team of tech-savvy bargain-hunters saw a gap in what was available, and we’ve filled it with a better approach.
We collect gas and electricity quotes in QLD and across Australia from dozens of gas and electricity retailers; next, we put it all in one place so that you don’t have to scour the Internet looking for deals. Finally, if you see something you like, we’ll process the switch for you. Energy companies pay us a commission, so the service is free for you. That way, you can get back to kicking business goals faster.
Without further ado, here are our top tips for getting empowered about your power costs.
Let the sunshine in solar power
It’s no secret that solar power is a great choice for your pocket and the planet. We’re leading Australia in rooftop solar uptake, with 36% of QLD homes already adopting solar. Compare that to 21% across Australia, and 5% in the US, and it’s something to be very proud of. No wonder they call us the Sunshine State!
The average QLDer pays about $6,400 for their solar PV system; the figure varies depending on the size of your system, but will usually range between $4,500 and $10,000. Most households can access the national solar subsidy (also known as the solar rebate), helping to offset their installation costs. The solar rebate is very gradually decreasing each year and will end in 2030. In terms of financing, you could consider purchasing a solar system outright or enter into a solar power purchase agreement. (More on the latter from the QLD government here.)
Solar PV is perfect for home businesses or remote workers, particularly those who work the usual 9 am-5 pm shift. Solar panels generate electricity when the sun is shining, and you’re using most of your power during daylight hours on weekdays. This also happens to be when grid electricity is most expensive; demand on the grid is highest during peak times. But solar power isn’t just for daytime businesses. As long as you’re using some power during the day, solar can still mean savings.
By going, solar, you’re also helping Queensland towards its important goal of reaching 50% renewable energy generation capacity by 2030. With grid electricity being notoriously expensive, it makes sense to explore solar power; there’s such a strong financial & environmental case for making the change.
So, what kind of savings can you expect? CHOICE finds that a 5kW system exporting half back to the grid in Brisbane has a 4-year payback period. For 75% of exporters, it’s 5 years. That means that on average, a Brisbanite pays off its initial investment on a solar installation in only 4-5 years. If you’re at home working during daylight hours, you’ll probably export back half. Now that’s a reliable business investment! Afterward, your solar panels are pure profit (other than maintenance and repair; however, a 10-year warranty is industry standard).
Canstar Blue research finds that the average QLD home with solar panels pays a teensy $1040 per year for power. That’s $327 cheaper than the average annual electricity bill in QLD. Imagine being able to reinvest that extra money into your business or lifestyle every year! The research also found that 95% of surveyed Queenslanders felt that installing solar had been a good financial decision. Why not join them?
Keep in mind, most QLD solar customers are still connected to the grid; unless you’re living somewhere very remote and using solar battery storage, this makes sense. After all, your solar panels don’t generate power at night. So check out our Electricity Quotes QLD page for info on electricity plans that can work well for solar customers.
Solar for rentals in QLD
Thinking of going solar, but renting your premises? Depending on how you allocate costs, it’s sometimes possible to share solar system benefits fairly between landlords and tenants. QLD Govt has a great calculator helping landlords and tenants work out whether installing a solar system works for them. Bill savings for tenants can be quite high when they’re home during the day to use that solar power. So since that’s you, it could be worthwhile for both you and your landlord alike.
Shopping around for electricity quotes in QLD
Retail power rates were deregulated in South East Qld (Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast) in 2016. Retailers in the region now have the power to set their prices, and customers have the flexibility to choose a provider that suits their needs in a competitive market. (For regional customers, electricity costs are subsidised to keep things fair.) But in those few years, a lot of SE QLD folks haven’t looked into getting cheaper QLD electricity quotes; they’re often just on the default market offer.
That’s a price cap by the government setting the maximum rate, and it’s like paying rack rate for a hotel room off-season. Electricity providers in QLD offer plans with up to 25% off. They may include discounts for receiving bills via email, paying on time, or by using direct debit. That can end up being a very generous discount! (But remember: not all plans with the biggest discount result in the lowest prices. So make sure to check your usage or supply charges to ensure you’re getting your best deal.)
You might feel like shopping around for electricity quotes is going to be annoying, time-consuming, and not worth the money. But you can save hundreds of dollars a year, so it’s worth doing. Best of all, Econnex has already done the hard yards for you! With just a few clicks, we’ll generate a list for you of electricity quotes in QLD accessible to your postcode. Because electricity contracts can vary considerably in their contract conditions and fine print, we’ve summarised the main points for you. And if you decide you want to switch providers, just sign up via Econnex and we’ll get the ball rolling. So if you’re looking for the best QLD electricity quotes, we’ve got you sorted.
So, love a good bargain (and who doesn’t)? Between shopping around for a great electricity quote and going solar, your power bill will be one less headache.
Think about how you use power
Remember those market conditions we mentioned? Well, you’re running a home business or working from home. So you’re probably not using your power in the same way that your neighbours do. They’re out working in an office most of the day, you’re at home with air-con on full blast. So you need to consider whether a flat-rate tariff or a time-of-use (TOU) plan is better for you. Unless you’re working largely outside of peak hours, you’re mostly using peak power; so it’s likely that a flat-rate will suit you better. Time-of-use plans are great for people who hardly use peak power, but the savings on off-peak can easily get eaten up and then some if you’re working on-peak.
That’s a recipe for bill shock. Ideally, you can get around this by going TOU and using solar during daylight hours, and off-peak grid during evenings. You have to be careful about when you and other family members use power to harness that benefit, though. (By the way, a great tip is to save doing your laundry and running your dishwasher for off-peak times.) But what if you use up all your solar power during the day? You could find yourself on expensive on-peak grid power prices without even realising. Certainly, without solar, flat-rate pricing may be the right choice for your needs.
Changing habits
There are some great tweaks to minimise your power costs of work and maximise your financial bottom line. Business QLD has a very helpful list here. Some of these are minor (i.e. turn off the computers when you’re not using them); some are about energy-saving improvements and investments in equipment. From lighting to HVAC, office equipment to refrigeration, there’s a lot of suggestions to save money (and the planet too!) More profit, for a great purpose.
Of course, your house isn’t just where you work; it’s also where you live. Check out EnergyMadeEasy’s tips for saving energy at home. From living areas to your laundry room, there are plenty of clever evidence-based ideas.
Watch your meter
Have you received a bill with ‘estimated reading’ or ‘E’ next to the usage charge? Sometimes, energy retailers make an estimate rather than reading your meter. This means your electricity retailer has simply guessed how much energy you used. They’ll do this in one of two ways. They may look at your bill from the same period last year to see how much you used then and base it on that. Or, they may look at the power used by a similar customer. This can lead to under-charging or over-charging. We’re written a very informative feature on this on our website. So mosey over to Are you worried about being overcharged on energy bills?
There’s also the option of upgrading to a smart meter. This gives you access to time-of-use plans, but that’s not all. Smart meters often come with tools that tell you how much power you’re using. This may be an in-home display unit, a web portal, or both. An in-home display unit can tell you how much electricity you’re using now, and the current charge per kWh. Web portals open up a world of smart technology, showing you how much electricity you’re using in a given period; potentially, they can do even more.
For example, Origin Energy has a clever mobile app to make energy easy by tracking your energy usage on an hourly basis, in fine detail, so you can stay on top of your costs. You can also see how much you’ve fed back to the grid, alongside any feed-in-tariff credits you earned. They’ve gamified the process using Origin Spike, an energy-saving rewards program that helps you reduce energy use during peak periods. As a bonus, kicking your off-peak goals also lets you earn points towards PayPal cash or gift card rewards. With more power over your electricity consumption, you’ve got more control over what you’re spending; no surprises, no bill shock.
Getting power over your power bills
For home businesses, keeping your costs in check means better profit margins. And for at-home workers, not having a trade-off between commuting costs and high power bills is a powerful proposition. (Excuse our pun.) Thanks to modern smart technology and handy price comparison, it’s easy to take back your power over power bills. From smart meters to competitive QLD electricity quotes, to harnessing the renewable power of the sun.
Keen to know more? Just mosey over to Econnex to find the best electricity quotes in QLD for you! And if you found this insight helpful, visit the Econnex blog! We love energy (and a bargain), so you’ll find helpful tips galore. Check out our posts on choosing between electricity and gas and the alternative energy market to get you started!
