These articles provide more information for the people managing the Collectives and their members.

Collective Managers

Answers to most frequently asked questions. 

FAQs

Information about your bill and rate plan

Billing &amp; Rates

Here's more info about how The People's Grid works

How It Works

Everything you need to know about joining, your account and your energy.

Customer Queries

Information about our lovely community groups, also known as Collectives.

Collectives

We will be making quarterly disbursements to all Collectives. We will also be generating a simple report so you can see the breakdown of the fees. We will be in touch via email to gather payment details and with further information about the payment process in due course.

How do I receive the membership fees as part of my fundraising efforts?

If your Collective is raising money as part of your activities, a donations tally is presented on your profile page. This is calculated by working out your total number of customers x the membership fee x 12 months to work out an annualised estimate.

If you have a one-off donation, sponsorship or other contribution you would like to include in this tally, simply email us at hello@thepeoplesgrid,com and we can arrange to update your tally.

How do I update the donations tally on my Collective profile page?

We have a comprehensive support section on our website located at https://thepeoplesgrid.com/support. If one of your members can't find the answer to their question there, they can contact our support team via telephone during business hours on 1300 20 44 62 or via email support@circularenergy.net.au.

Where can my members get help regarding their account, rate plan or billing?

For now, it's only possible to join The People's Grid by becoming a member of one of the Collectives (local community groups) on our site. If you're not affiliated with one of our Collectives, you'll either need to wait a little longer or request to join one that suits you. Of course, if you're really keen, reach out to your local sports club, school, community group, or charity. Essentially, anybody within your circle that you believe is doing great stuff for your community. Spread the word about The People's Grid and encourage them to register themselves!

How do I join The People's Grid?

You can find details about your plan in several places. You would've received an email with your rate plan details when you first joined us. You can also check out the Billing  page to access a link to your rate plan. Or, visit our basic plan information page to see details for every network and state.

Where is the information about my rate plan?

For the first time in Australia, The People's Grid offers users a choice: To fund Big Energy and support executives' pay and overseas shareholders? Or to join an energy supplier that supports local, renewable generators and communities? 

We believe in a movement that champions locally-sourced energy. This ranges from renewable sources such as your neighbour's rooftop solar to local producers like your local wind farm. When local community activities, clubs, groups, and organisations are part of that equation – whether they're installing more solar and batteries, encouraging the switch to more sustainble greener sources, or raising some extra money for their local social activities – the end result is a community that becomes a powerhouse of change. 

What are the benefits of local, community energy?

The People’s Grid has kicked off in South Australia, with Victoria following closely. We will soon expand to Queensland and NSW with plans to go national –and beyond!– so stay tuned for regular updates. 

What areas do you cover?

Communities can launch their own community energy plan without the hassle of starting an electricity retailer from scratch. Not only is this time consuming and costly, it also involves a lot of risk and compliance – overhwelming to say the least! 

We partner with licensed electricity retailer, Circular Energy, to solve this issue. At its core, The People's Grid allows members to essentially build their own grid. Each member of our grid joins a Collective (or community group) that creates their offer using the rooftop solar, batteries, solar and wind farms, or biomass generators already in their community. This is what we mean when we say that members can build their own grid. Then, we use smart meter data and our proprietary matching algorithm to ensure consistent energy and to match supply and demand every half hour.


How does it all work?

​​The energy market is experiencing a huge shift away from dominant fossil fuel generators to one where an increasing number of homes and businesses are becoming independent, mini-power producers. The problem is that large energy companies dominate the market and control both the supply and distribution of energy. Households and businesses want change but, as it stands, the market constrains them. 

The People’s Grid was designed to allow households and businesses to share energy within their community. Given the energy market is becoming decenstralised, there is real opportunity to reimagine how and where we get our energy. We believe it should be people-powered, green, and renewable. 

We also believe communities should benefit from this big shift which is why we've structred in the concept of Collectives. This way, both climate impact and local social impact work hand-in-hand.

What is the idea behind The People's Grid?

Many collectives on The People's Grid are actively working on projects that make a social or climate impact within their community. To help fund their project, the Collective will often add a small dollar amount to their energy offering (e.g. $1 per week for residential customers). This money is directly donated to the Collective to help them hit their goal. This means your good energy decision also directly benefits your local community.

A quick note: not all Collectives will offer an extra membership fee. Some might not have their own social impact project as such. They may exist just to spread awareness and encourage as many people as possible to switch to local, renewable energy. 


How does my Collective earn money from members?

You will receive a solar feed-in just as you would with any other retailer. The great thing about signing up through a Collective is that the electricity exported from your solar panels is matched to community members. This means you'll be able to see how much electricity you supply to other members of yours Collective! 

You can read all the details about our solar feed-in agreement here.

Do you offer solar feed-in tariffs?

Click here to easily log in to your account. Be sure to use the same email and password you included when you joined The People's Grid. Forgotten your password? No problem, it happens to the best of us. Just click here to reset it.

If you're still having problems accessing your online account, email us at hello@thepeoplesgrid.com and we'll get to the bottom of it for you. 

I am having problems logging into my account

Your dashboard is your personal information hub. Simply log in to view your recent energy use, rate plan, billing details, and information about your collective. You'll also see your account details and detailed billing information.

Where can I view my account and bills?

Find all the details about potential concessions and rebates here.

How can I learn about potential concessions and rebates?

Each Collective will nominate a member to be their manager. This could be the head of sponsorship for a sports club, the treasurer or president of a community group, or simply the person who happens to be the best available organiser! Collective Managers are essentially ambassadors for both The People’s Grid and their community. We support them at every step with tools, training and resources to help them roll out their marketing activities and encourage new member sign ups. 

Collective Managers do not need to know the ins and outs of the electricity industry. Nor do they need to handle billing or account enquiries. We have a dedicated customer support team for that. Click here to find all those details. 

What is a Collective Manager?

Each Collective will usually have its own specific project that aims to make an impact in the community. The goals could range from improving facilities at a sports club, to investing in a community solar and battery installation, or even creating a community garden.

A small membership fee – around $1/week – is usually included in the Collective's energy rate plan. This membership fee is directly donated to the Collective's specific project and regular progress updates are sent to its members. 

Some real examples of social impact projects include:


The Goodwood Football and Netball Club –  launched their collective on The People's Grid to raise money for solar and battery infrastructure and help them achieve net zero. 


The Western Districts “Bulldogs” Baseball Club  – created their Collective so that the Club can finally get new lights for night games and support their amazing new batting cage and Clubhouse.


Sandy Point Community Energy Group – Leveraged its large number of households with existing rooftop solar (with more in the works!) to fund a tourist boardwalk along their epic local coastline.



How do Collectives raise money for community projects?

If you run a grassroots community group and are interested in joining us, simply submit your application here or feel free to email us at hello@thepeoplesgrid.com.

How can my community group become a Collective on The People’s Grid?

There are several places to find out details about your plan. We emailed you rate plan details when you first joined The People’s Grid. You will also see a link to your rate plan on your Billing page. There is also a page outlining all the basic plan information for every network and state.

Where can I find my rate plan?

The People’s Grid is proudly partnered with Circular Energy: a fully licensed energy retailer. This means all members of The People’s Grid can feel confident that their energy supply will be safe, reliable and delivered in accordance with Australia’s strict energy regulations.

The partnership between The People's Grid and Circular Energy

How does the partnership between The People's Grid and Circular Energy work?

If you are experiencing difficulties paying your bill, know that we're help to help and you have a few options. 

If you hold an eligible concession card, we may be able to claim concessions from the state or Federal governments on your behalf. You can find out more here.

We also have an extensive customer hardship policy which provides a range of options for you.

If you’d prefer to speak to one of our friendly team members, call us on: 1300 20 44 62.

Options to help you pay your bill include possible concessions, rebates and more

I need support paying my bill

We email your bill to you every month. If it's not in your inbox – we know, it happens – you can simply access it from your dashboard. Once logged in, you'll be able to view your entire  billing history. as well as your latest bill towards the top of your dashboard. 

Where can I find my bill?

We've developed a complete customer charter with our energy retailer partner, Circular Energy. The charter outlines your rights, entitlements and obligations. Click to read or download the full customer charter. 

Where can I read about my rights, entitlements and obligations?


1. Pay with BPAY
BPAY is an easy, secure way to pay bills through online banking. You'll find all the relevant details such as Biller Code and Customer Reference Number on your invoice.  

2. Pay with credit card via phone
We're available for phone payments from 9.30am-5pm on Monday to Friday AEST. Simply call 1300 204 462, have your credit card and invoice handy and we’ll get the payment processed in next to no time. 

3. Set up a direct debit
The set and forget option. If you’d like to organise a monthly direct debit, just call on 1300 204 462 between 9.30am-5pm on Monday to Friday AEST and we'll walk you through the process. 

We offer several bill pay options including BPAY, with credit card over the phone or through direct debit of course.

How do I pay my bill?

Yes, you do. You will switch energy providers if you transfer to The People's Grid through a Collective. Rest assured, you're in safe hands. The People’s Grid is partnered with licensed retailer, Circular Energy, and local, renewable energy producers. So you can have peace of mind that you're with an accredited, steady energy supplier.  

Do I need to switch from my current electricity provider?

The energy exported from producers will be matched with customers' consumption based on a hierarchy of preferences. If there's too much available energy available and not enough demand, the energy producers will be paid out the wholesale price at the time of export.

What if there's excess power from our renewable energy producers?

No, there's no minimum number of customers. Although, The People's Grid and its collectives are designed to thrive with many members. The more people that join your Collective, the more funds can be earned and the more we decentralise Australian energy. When scouting for members, be sure to look beyond your members, family, friends and neighbours. Most likely, there are many folks and businesses around you that would  love to support you. And, with social media and website marketing tools, reaching them is a cinch. 

Is there a minimum amount of members to join?

Any community group that creates an energy offer on The People's Grid is called a Collective. The community group could be a sports club, a local energy source, a neighbourhood or a school. Perhaps you own a solar farm and want to sell back to your community. Or you may want to band some friends and family together and create your own Collective!

Community is at the heart of The People’s Grid. We strive to create strong, local communities that align on social impact objectives. We also want to make shared, local, renewable energy accessible and normalised for all. 

Once registered and approved, Collectives create a profile page which they can use as a tool to promote to and communicate with their members. 

Like AirBnB, eBay and Amazon, your Collective is a bit like a storefront. So take the time and pride to make your Collective's page as high-quality as you can. It's the details that make the difference! We suggest lots of high-res pictures, descriptions of your group, as well as details of what you stand for and what you'd like to achieve. It all helps to show your members just how much you care and how much value they will add by joining your local movement. 

What is a Collective?

For now, The People’s Grid is only available in South Australia and Victoria. But we have our sights set on the whole of Australia! Our retail partner, Circular Energy, has almost-national coverage, so we'll be coming to a state, town, community and homes very soon. Stay tuned. 

Where is The People's Grid available?

Oxamii is the clean energy pioneer backing The People's Grid. They've been making waves within clean community energy since 2016 and have support from investment partners such as Artesian Capital.

The People’s Grid proudly partners with Circular Energy to provide a stable energy supply. Circular Energy is a fully licensed energy retailer. So our customers can have peace of mind knowing that their energy needs are safe,  reliable and compliant with Australia’s strict energy regulations.

Who is creating The People's Grid?

That depends on whether you're moving somewhere local with the same network provider. If you're connected to The People's Grid and looking to move. Just call us on 1300 20 44 62 and we can help you out. 

What happens if I move while on The People's Grid?

Until now, no business model has supported small scale energy producers. So, the only option was to sell into the wholesale market and submit to a more-variable pricing structure. The People's Grid changes this. It's now a one-stop-shop for these energy producers. Though it, they can choose to power customers through a Collective, or create their own Collective and reach customers directly.  

How can energy producers work with The People's Grid?

Yes, you sure will! You'll see the solar feed-in tariff broken down on your plan. It's currently around 7c/kWh. In the future, you'll also be able to sell your excess energy to your community or even donate it to charity. Nice! More details about the solar feed-in agreement are here.

Will I see a feed-in tariff if I have solar panels?

We bill on a monthly basis. For new customers, you will receive one final bill from your previous retailer before we send your first one from The People's Grid.

How often do you bill?

We have an intelligent matching algorithm that calculates how much energy a producer has sold to a customer, and, at what rate. We handle all the billing. Then, each month we pay producer for the amount of energy generated and sold to the customer. 

How do you calculate the energy and monies for each energy producer?

Your electricity bill includes all the details of the costs that are paid to the producers. These include network costs, government charges, environmental charges, your community contribution, and retailer margins. 

How is my energy bill broken down?

Yes. If you already have a smart meter installed, then switching to The People's Grid will be a breeze. If you'd like to join The People's Grid, but don't have a smart meter,  we'll organise to set one up for you at no extra cost. We can quickly check which meter you have insalled and have you up-and-running on The People's Grid within a couple of weeks. There's a small process behind it, but we think it's worth the wait! 

Smart meters are one of the cornerstones of The People's Grid. They provide true insight into your electricity consumption which means we can show you exactly when you're using your energy. This also allows us to match your energy usage to the best available renewable energy producers powering The People's Grid. These insights even help us match your energy to the people in your Collective who may have excess solar from their rooftop!

Do I need a smart meter?

Yes! 

The People's Grid is for the people. That means working towards a sustainable future where renewables are the norm. All energy producers hosted on The People’s Grid provide renewable energy sources. 

Is The People's Grid powered from renewable sources?

We understand that some of you may like to start a Collective with friends and family - or perhaps put out the call to a local walking group or neighbourhood circle. We're here to help you set this up! Together, we can arrange it so that only your chosen contacts will see the details of your collective. This way, it won't be publically viewable on the website. If this sounds like an option for you, just get in touch via hello@thepeoplesgrid.com.

Can I start a Collective with just my friends and family?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question that needs answering?

Can't find the answer? Get in touch!

Collectives

Billing & Accounts

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question that needs answering?

How do I join The People's Grid?

Where can I find my rate plan?

How does the partnership between The People's Grid and Circular Energy work?

Where is The People's Grid available?

Will I see a feed-in tariff if I have solar panels?

Can't find the answer? Get in touch!

The People's Grid™Collectives

Billing & Accounts

Collectives