Compare Gas Prices and Plans

What is natural gas?

Natural gas is a common energy source that helps power many Australian homes through a connection to the gas distribution network. Natural gas is known as a ‘fossil fuel’, consisting primarily of methane, which is an odourless and highly combustible gas.

What’s powered by natural gas?

Natural gas can be used for residential, commercial and industrial purposes, as well as electricity generation for the power grid. In households natural gas is commonly used to power appliances such as heaters, stovetops, hot water systems, barbecues, fireplaces, pool heaters and tumble dryers.

What are the advantages of natural gas?

There are some benefits of having natural gas in your home, including:

• Reliable source of energy that’s connected to millions of Australian homes
• Can be a cost-effective solution for gas cooking, hot water and heating
• Fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to other fossil fuels like coal

What are the disadvantages of natural gas?

Although natural gas is considered a cleaner energy source as opposed to other fossil fuels like coal and oil, it does have some disadvantages, including:

• Non-renewable energy source (i.e. gas can be depleted)
• Extremely flammable and toxic and can lead to dangerous situations such as gas leaks or explosions
• Emits carbon dioxide, monoxide and other hazardous compounds into the air when burned
• New gas connections can be expensive depending on where the gas main is located, where the gas metre will be installed and how much pipework is needed to be fitted into your walls

Where does natural gas come from?

Natural gas is sourced from onshore and offshore gas fields in Australia, particularly oil or coal steam wells. The gas is extracted by drilling to a depth that can access these deposits. Most of Australia’s natural gas is sourced from inland Queensland, Bass Strait, northern South Australia, offshore Western Australia and the Timor Sea above the Northern Territory.

Is natural gas renewable?

Although natural gas is not a source of renewable energy, it does release fewer greenhouse gas emissions than electricity generated from other fossil fuels like coal. Natural gas is Australia’s second highest fossil fuel source used for electricity generation after coal, according to the Department of Energy.

What if I don’t have a natural gas connection?

If you don’t already have a natural gas connection, you can apply to have it connected to your home through the relevant natural gas distributor in your area. Alternatively you can opt for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which comes in pressurised cylinders and is usually delivered to your door.

Just keep in mind that if you’re looking to connect gas to your home, installation costs can be expensive depending on a few circumstances, like how close your property is located to a gas main or how much pipework is required to carry out the job.

If you’re chasing LPG, it’s important to weigh up the cost of transportation and delivery, especially if you live rural. Furthermore, you will need to think about replacing and refilling your LPG cylinders once they’re empty.

The number of gas suppliers available to you may change depending on your location. To help narrow down your choices, we’ve listed the gas suppliers that operate across VIC, NSW, WA, QLD, SA, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. 

Gas Suppliers in Victoria

• 1st Energy
• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• CovaU
• Dodo
• EnergyAustralia
• GloBird Energy
• Kogan Energy
• Lumo Energy
• Momentum Energy
• Origin Energy
• Powershop
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy
• Sumo
• Tango Energy

Gas Suppliers in NSW

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• CovaU
• Dodo
• EnergyAustralia
• GloBird Energy
• Kogan Energy
• Origin Energy
• Powershop
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy
• Sumo

Gas Suppliers in WA

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• Kleenheat
• Origin Energy
• Perth Energy
• Simply Energy

Gas Suppliers in QLD

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• CovaU
• GloBird Energy
• Origin Energy
• Red Energy

Gas Suppliers in SA

• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• CovaU
• EnergyAustralia
• GloBird Energy
• Lumo Energy
• Origin Energy
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy

Gas Suppliers in Tasmania

• Aurora Energy
• Tas Gas

Gas Suppliers in ACT

• ActewAGL
• CovaU
• EnergyAustralia
• Origin Energy
• Red Energy

While there are many gas suppliers to choose from in some areas, keep in mind that some may only sell you gas when you also purchase electricity.

Gas usage charges

Gas usage charges are measured in c/MJ. These rates are usually charged as a ‘block rate’ which means the rates reduce as more gas is used. This is measured in usage blocks – hence the name. Usage charges are recorded via a gas meter and will be detailed on your bill. Depending on where you live, your usage charges may vary according to your gas supplier’s usage rates. Gas usage charges only represent one portion of your gas bill. 

Gas supply charges

Gas supply charges represent the fixed portion of your bill and reflect the cost of being connected to the mains gas network. Supply charges are generally measured in cents per day (e.g. 70 cents per day) or as a total sum amount for your billing period (i.e. 90 days).

It’s worth noting that you will be billed for supply charges regardless of how much gas you actually use.

What is a megajoule (MJ)?

A megajoule (MJ) refers to a unit of energy equivalent to one million joules, which is how your gas is measured and recorded. Your gas bill will detail your usage information in MJs and most gas appliances will generally list their energy consumption in terms of megajoule-hours (MJ/h).

Gas discounts explained

Like electricity plans, gas plans often include conditional discounts to help customers reduce their overall costs. The most common types of gas discounts are:

• Pay on time discounts
• Direct debit discounts
• Double up discounts

It’s important to note that the biggest discounts don’t always mean the biggest savings. This is because retailers charge different base rates, meaning you could simply be getting a big discount off a very large bill, for example.

You don’t have to wait until the end of your plan to switch gas suppliers, however you’ll need to keep in mind that if you prematurely end your contract, there may be costs involved. Make sure you do your research and find out if you are going to be charged an exit fee before setting the wheels in motion to switch.

Once you’ve completed your research and landed on a retailer you want to switch to, you can:

• Contact your current gas supplier and request a final meter reading and bill
• Call the gas supplier you’d like to switch to and they will organise your new account

If you agree to a contract with another gas supplier, it could take several months before the transfer fully goes ahead. This will depend on when your next meter reading is scheduled. Once the transfer is complete, you will receive a final bill from your previous gas supplier and your new one will take over your account.

When comparing electricity and gas prices it is important to look at a wide range of offers from different providers before making a purchase decision. You should look beyond the monthly, quarterly, or annual price estimate for each plan and pay close attention to the usage and supply rates charged for each offer, to see what you’ll really be charged for your energy usage. This information, as well as any additional fees, charges and discounts, can be found by looking at the energy price fact sheet of each offer.

While buying electricity and gas from the same provider can be convenient, it’s important to not let this convenience prevent you from any potential savings. Natural gas, in some cases, will only be offered to customers who also have electricity with the same provider, which means households may be left committing to higher power prices just to get a certain gas deal. This is where comparing these offers separately first may come in handy when deciding whether to get electricity and gas from the same provider. If the discounts offered don’t outweigh the potential costs of combining your electricity and gas then you might find more savings by keeping these plans separate.

Getting both your electricity and natural gas from the same provider could prove beneficial, both for convenience and potential savings, especially if additional discounts are offered for doing so. If you’re in the market to bundle your electricity and gas, you can compare various deals from a range of dual fuel providers, including:

• ActewAGL
• AGL
• Alinta Energy
• Dodo
• EnergyAustralia
• GloBird Energy
• Kogan Energy 
• Lumo Energy 
• Momentum Energy
• Origin Energy
• Red Energy
• Simply Energy

Please note, not all providers operate in all areas.