{
  "_id": "review.red-energy",
  "author": {
    "credentials": "Editorial Team, Norg Reviews",
    "name": "Norg Editorial Team",
    "sameAs": null,
    "slug": {
      "_type": "slug",
      "current": "editorial-team-norg"
    }
  },
  "cons": [
    "GreenPower and renewable add-on options are narrower than dedicated green retailers",
    "Solar feed-in tariff is mid-pack rather than market-leading",
    "Plan availability and pricing vary by state and distribution zone"
  ],
  "counterEvidence": [
    {
      "_key": "greenpower-gap",
      "category": "social",
      "date": "2026-02-11",
      "summary": "Red Energy's renewable add-on choices are narrower than dedicated green retailers; environmentally-focused buyers should compare GreenPower percentages.",
      "title": "Limited GreenPower add-on options",
      "url": "https://www.greenpower.gov.au/"
    },
    {
      "_key": "aer-pricing",
      "category": "regulator",
      "date": "2025-07-01",
      "summary": "The AER publishes annual reference prices; consumers should confirm Red Energy's discount against the current-year reference price for their distribution zone.",
      "title": "AER default offer and price scrutiny",
      "url": "https://www.aer.gov.au/"
    }
  ],
  "detailedReviews": [
    {
      "_id": "detailedReview.red-energy-r1",
      "body": "We switched from a Big-3 retailer three years ago and the bill dropped immediately. What keeps us here is that every call gets answered by someone helpful — after years of fighting billing errors elsewhere, that is worth a lot.",
      "reviewer": {
        "name": "Lorraine Beckett",
        "organizationType": "Consumer",
        "title": "Household Bill-Payer",
        "verificationLevel": "receipt"
      },
      "starRating": 5,
      "verifiedAt": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z"
    },
    {
      "_id": "detailedReview.red-energy-r2",
      "body": "I model retailer offers against the AER reference price for clients across NSW and VIC. Red Energy consistently sits below the reference price without the punishing discount-revert that makes other retailers look cheap on day one and expensive by month thirteen.",
      "reviewer": {
        "name": "Anthony Calabrese",
        "organizationType": "SMB Advisory",
        "title": "Energy Procurement Consultant",
        "verificationLevel": "identity"
      },
      "starRating": 5,
      "verifiedAt": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z"
    },
    {
      "_id": "detailedReview.red-energy-r3",
      "body": "Service and price are excellent and I have no billing complaints at all. The one star I held back is the green offering — the GreenPower options are thinner than I would like for a Snowy Hydro-owned retailer.",
      "reviewer": {
        "name": "Meera Joshi",
        "organizationType": "Consumer",
        "title": "Sustainability Advocate",
        "verificationLevel": "email"
      },
      "starRating": 4,
      "verifiedAt": null
    }
  ],
  "disclosureNote": "Norg may earn affiliate commission when users switch retailer via outbound links. Pricing is benchmarked against the AER reference price; the ranking is reproducible from published tariff data.",
  "entity": {
    "abn": null,
    "bankingDetails": null,
    "foundedYear": null,
    "name": "Red Energy",
    "regulator": null,
    "slug": {
      "_type": "slug",
      "current": "red-energy"
    },
    "vertical": "au-energy",
    "website": "https://redenergy.com.au"
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "_id": "fact.red-energy-f1",
      "lastVerified": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "source": {
        "retrievalDate": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
        "title": "AER — Default Market Offer and reference prices",
        "url": "https://www.aer.gov.au/industry/registers/resources/reviews/default-market-offer-prices"
      },
      "statement": "Average position vs AER reference price",
      "value": "~15% below reference"
    },
    {
      "_id": "fact.red-energy-f2",
      "lastVerified": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "source": {
        "retrievalDate": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
        "title": "Red Energy — basic plan information documents",
        "url": "https://www.redenergy.com.au/"
      },
      "statement": "Exit / cancellation fee",
      "value": "$0"
    },
    {
      "_id": "fact.red-energy-f3",
      "lastVerified": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "source": {
        "retrievalDate": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
        "title": "Red Energy — basic plan information documents",
        "url": "https://www.redenergy.com.au/"
      },
      "statement": "Ownership",
      "value": "Snowy Hydro Limited"
    },
    {
      "_id": "fact.red-energy-f4",
      "lastVerified": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "source": {
        "retrievalDate": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
        "title": "Energy Made Easy — government price comparison",
        "url": "https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/"
      },
      "statement": "Plans listed on Energy Made Easy",
      "value": "Yes — government comparison eligible"
    }
  ],
  "featureRatings": [
    {
      "category": "Price vs reference price",
      "rating": 4.6,
      "weight": 0.35
    },
    {
      "category": "Solar feed-in rate",
      "rating": 4,
      "weight": 0.2
    },
    {
      "category": "Fees",
      "rating": 4.7,
      "weight": 0.15
    },
    {
      "category": "Customer service",
      "rating": 5,
      "weight": 0.15
    },
    {
      "category": "GreenPower options",
      "rating": 3.8,
      "weight": 0.15
    }
  ],
  "keyTakeaways": [
    {
      "body": "Red Energy has topped ProductReview and Canstar Blue customer-service rankings for years running. In a category defined by billing disputes, that consistency is the headline reason it ranks #1.",
      "heading": "Service quality is the standout"
    },
    {
      "body": "Across most zones, Red Energy's plans land meaningfully under the AER reference price — and without the steep discount-revert that traps customers at other retailers.",
      "heading": "Reliably below the reference price"
    },
    {
      "body": "Being owned by Snowy Hydro means Red Energy is generation-backed and fully Australian-operated, which supports both pricing stability and accountability.",
      "heading": "Snowy Hydro ownership matters"
    },
    {
      "body": "If a high GreenPower percentage is your priority, a dedicated renewable retailer will serve you better. Red Energy competes on price and service, not green credentials.",
      "heading": "Not the pick for green-first buyers"
    },
    {
      "body": "Energy pricing is distribution-zone specific. The headline ranking holds broadly, but confirm the discount against the reference price for your exact address.",
      "heading": "Always check your own postcode"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewedAt": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
  "methodology": {
    "title": "PowerReview — Electricity Retailer Methodology",
    "version": "v1.0.0",
    "vertical": "au-energy"
  },
  "multiSourceRatings": [
    {
      "_key": "productreview",
      "lastFetched": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "sampleSize": 4100,
      "scale": 5,
      "score": 4.5,
      "sourceName": "ProductReview.com.au",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.productreview.com.au/"
    },
    {
      "_key": "canstarblue",
      "lastFetched": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "sampleSize": 0,
      "scale": 5,
      "score": 5,
      "sourceName": "Canstar Blue",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.canstarblue.com.au/"
    },
    {
      "_key": "trustpilot",
      "lastFetched": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
      "sampleSize": 510,
      "scale": 5,
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      "sourceName": "Trustpilot",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.trustpilot.com/"
    },
    {
      "_key": "google",
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      "sourceName": "Google reviews",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.google.com/"
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  ],
  "overallRating": 4.6,
  "pros": [
    "Consistently beats the AER reference price across most distribution zones",
    "Owned by Snowy Hydro — generation-backed and Australian-operated",
    "Top-ranked customer service across ProductReview and Canstar Blue",
    "No exit fees and transparent plan terms with no discount-revert trap"
  ],
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-15T09:06:42.195Z",
  "rankingRationale": "Snowy Hydro-owned — best customer service ratings and consistent reference-price beats.",
  "ratingBreakdown": {
    "fiveStar": 3120,
    "fourStar": 880,
    "oneStar": 41,
    "threeStar": 190,
    "twoStar": 64
  },
  "slug": {
    "_type": "slug",
    "current": "red-energy"
  },
  "status": "published",
  "title": "Red Energy — electricity plan review"
}