AGL Energy Review 2024

Originally established in 1837 as the Australian Gas Light Company, AGL is one of Australia’s oldest and largest integrated essential service providers. AGL holds a significant presence in the energy market, supplying electricity to nearly 2.1 million households. That’s over 22% of Australia's residential customers. The company has its headquarters in Sydney, supported by call centres in Adelaide and Melbourne.

AGL accounts for approximately 20% of the total power generation capacity within Australia's National Electricity Market. AGL operates: 

• coal, 

• gas, 

• battery, 

• hydro, 

• solar, 

• and wind energy sources.

Large coal-fired power stations and gas-fired plants form a major part of AGL’s infrastructure and almost 85% of its energy is coal-generated. However, they do offer AGL energy solar plans.

Which state is AGL available in?

AGL at the time of writing offers electricity in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. Gas is offered in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

Which state is AGL available in?

AGL serves gas and electricity to customers (both business and residential) across: 

• Southeast Queensland

• New South Wales

• Victoria

• South Australia

AGL works with the Ausgrid and Energex networks to ensure a safe and reliable energy supply to its customers.

AGL Market Share

According to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), AGL commands around 22.70% of the retail electricity market share, ranking second after Origin Energy. In the gas sector, AGL leads with 35.5% market share, surpassing Origin Energy. They are a Tier 1 power generator and energy retailer.

Using AGL as your energy provider

AGL provides customers with various gas, electricity, and solar electricity plans, offering incentives like online sign-up bonuses and seniors’ concessions. 

Moreover, AGL provides a range of flexible billing options, ensuring convenience and ease of payment for its customers. These options include:

• E-billing: Receive bills directly via email.

• AGL App: This comes with one-touch payment capabilities.

• My Account: Log in to your AGL account and settle bills using your preferred payment method.

• Pay Online: Use your credit card or PayPal for seamless online payments.

• Direct Debit: Set up automatic bill payments from your nominated bank account.

• BPAY: Utilise BPAY with either your credit card or bank account for hassle-free payments.

• PayPal: Make payments directly through your PayPal account.

• Flybuys: Further enhance your savings by utilising Flybuys rewards.

AGL energy plans

In a deregulated market, energy suppliers offer an array of contract features and incentives, and AGL is no exception. AGL’s range of energy plans cover:

• Fixed-rate plans

• Time-of-use energy plans

• Joining credits

• Solar savers feed-in tariffs

• No exit fees

• Guaranteed savings off the reference price (i.e., the DMO or VDO).

Environmental Ratings

AGL's environmental record, reliance on coal until 2045, and limited presence in certain regions are notable drawbacks. Furthermore, its energy plans are often priced equal to the reference price, making them less competitive than other retailers. They’re also named in Greenpeace’s Green Electricity Guide Report as Australia’s biggest climate polluter. AGL’s environmental standard is low at 1.2/10.

Though AGL’s investments in new renewable energy received Greenpeace’s highest score (80%), with so much of their energy sourced from fossil fuels, as well as their declaration to continue operating coal-fired power plants until 2045, their environmental record is considered poor.

GreenPower Options and Bill Smoothing

AGL offers GreenPower options at $1 per week for 20% GreenPower and 4.4c/kWh for 100% GreenPower. The bill smoothing feature helps customers manage their energy costs by spreading bill payments evenly throughout the year.

Important Note: Bill smoothing is unavailable for accounts with overdue balances over $500, or those in AGL's hardship program.

Rewards Program and Bundling Discounts

The AGL rewards program offers residential energy customers discounts and savings on various partner businesses across Australia, including shopping, dining, travel, and entertainment.

Additionally, customers with an AGL energy plan can enjoy bundling discounts, such as $25 off AGL mobile plans every month for six months and $35 off NBN internet plans every month for 12 months. These are examples, as their discounts change throughout the year, and by state.

Conclusion

While AGL provides a wide range of energy solutions and benefits, its environmental impact and pricing may deter environmentally conscious consumers seeking a more sustainable energy retailer. However, for those prioritising convenience and loyalty rewards, AGL remains a viable energy provider option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AGL Australian owned?

AGL is partially Australian owned. As AGL is an ASX listed company, ownership is mixed among shareholders.

Is AGL government owned?

No, it is publicly owned.

How do I contact AGL?

Call 131 245, or you can use live chat on their website.

Does AGL do credit checks? 

Yes. All energy companies will do credit checks to ensure that you won’t default on your bills.

Does  AGL give any discounts? 

AGL will often have discounts available. To find out the latest offers, compare with us to see how much you could save.

What time does AGL consider off-peak?

10pm to 7am, Monday - Friday (NSW, ACT, QLD), 11pm - 7am (VIC), 1am - 6am (SA).

Does AGL have an app?

Yes. Through AGL's app, you can pay your bill, check your usage and see how many days you have left on your current billing period.

Sources

https://greenelectricityguide.org.au/report

https://www.agl.com.au/residential/energy/compare-plans?cidi=B100180

https://www.ibisworld.com/au/company/agl-energy-limited/11843/

https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/energy-giant-agl-s-outlook-brightens-despite-high-customer-churn-20240208-p5f3br.html

www.aemo.com.au

www.accc.gov.au

www.aer.gov.au