New research from Discover Energy has shown that most Australians are looking to tech to solve their energy problems, seeking more sustainable energy options, and remain in a ‘set-and-forget’ mentality when it comes to their energy providers.
Consumers looking to tech to solve energy problems
Over the next 10 years, three-quarters (75 per cent) of Australians expect smart tech in their homes to help them reduce their energy usage.
Most Australians (87 per cent) indicated that real-time information on energy usage would be useful to manage their energy use.
90 per cent of Australians want more information from their provider on their energy use and behaviours to understand where their electricity bill comes from, and want suggestions from energy providers on how to improve them.
Discover Energy CEO Anson Zhang said, “Improved tech in the energy space will give customers the information they need to make better decisions about their energy usage and figure out where their electricity is being drained around the home.
“For example, customers can track their electricity usage in real-time with Discover Energy’s app. Customers need that up-to-the-minute information in their hands to figure out their electricity usage and make changes where necessary.
“Smarter tech is the key for energy companies to serve Australian customers with the best possible options, bringing down their bills and helping them take control of their energy choices.”
Australians demand more sustainable options from their providers
Australians are highly concerned about sustainable energy, with roughly one in three Australians (33 per cent) saying they want to see their energy provider using 100 per cent renewable energy.
Cost is still a crucial factor, with 78 per cent of Australians stating they felt their individual energy choices impact our environment but 68 per cent also saying cost prohibits them from choosing a renewable energy provider or source.
Looking to the future, many Australians want to change the state of play, with 78 per cent saying they aspire to have solar panels on their home or that they already have them.
“Australians want, and deserve, smarter, cheaper and greener power,” Anson Zhang said.
“Discover Energy is building towards a future powered by renewable energy, and that’s the future that Australians have clearly indicated they want and expect.
“Sustainability is a core, crucial concern for many Australians. Energy providers need to step up and create the infrastructure and options that Australians are asking for, and build a future powered by renewable energy.”
Nearly half of Australians have never changed their energy provider, while one in three don’t know how they’re charged for electricity, leading to a ‘set-and-forget’ mentality
In a survey of 1000 Australians, nearly half the respondents (47 per cent) said they have never changed their energy provider. Another 25 per cent had been with their current energy provider for over 10 years.
Most respondents felt they paid too much for their energy (76 per cent) which has intensified throughout the COVID-19 crisis, with all respondents saying they’d paid more on their energy bills in the past six months compared with the same period last year.
Roughly one in three (31 per cent) say they don’t know how they are charged for energy, that is, whether they are on single-rate usage or the peak/off-peak system.
The energy market is seen as extremely difficult to understand by Australian customers, with 93 per cent saying they don’t have a ‘very good’ understanding of how providers charge for electricity.
“Australians lead busy lives and the Australian energy market is extremely complicated, so it’s easy to understand how many people adopt a ‘set-and-forget’ mentality when it comes to their energy choices,” Anson Zhang concluded.