.png)
Read now
Zembl is an independent energy procurement specialist and total business energy partner. For large businesses in NSW, Zembl helps save time and money on energy: a professionally managed procurement process to secure competitive rates, and ongoing support to identify ways to use less and ultimately pay less for energy over the contract term.
For businesses using more than 100,000 kWh of electricity per year, Zembl manages the full commercial electricity procurement process: collecting interval meter data via a Letter of Authority, running a formal competitive tender across a panel of leading retailers, and modelling every offer against the actual load profile of each site so the comparison reflects real cost, not indicative pricing.
Zembl works with a panel of leading Australian energy retailers. For a current list of panel retailers, visit zembl.com.au/suppliers.
What Zembl does
Zembl provides commercial energy procurement and ongoing energy management services for large businesses and multi-site operators across all three NSW distribution networks. This covers the full scope of procurement, from data collection through to contract execution and ongoing account management.
Manages the full commercial electricity procurement process, from interval data collection and tender preparation through to offer modelling and contract execution.
Runs a formal competitive tender with a panel of leading retailers, so retailers compete on price and terms based on the actual load profile of each site.
Negotiates commercial energy contracts directly with retailers on the customer's behalf, with no obligation to accept any offer.
Provides ongoing energy intelligence throughout the contract, including invoice validation and network tariff monitoring.
Supports multi-site operators to manage energy costs and data across complex portfolios, including aligning contract terms and consolidating reporting across sites.
Identifies energy efficiency and sustainability opportunities that reduce consumption and support ESG and sustainability reporting requirements.
How it works
Zembl's commercial procurement process is structured and fully managed. The seven steps below apply to all large business procurement in NSW, regardless of which distribution network the site is on.
A signed Letter of Authority (LOA) authorises Zembl to access interval data and account information on the customer's behalf. Interval data covering 12 months is preferred where available, and a recent bill for each site is all that is needed to start the process.
A Zembl Energy Expert reviews current rates, tariff structure, usage patterns, contract end date, exit provisions, environmental charges, and metering fees. This establishes a clear picture of what the business is currently paying and which components are contestable.
Zembl prepares a tender pack using the site's actual load profile and invites competitive offers from the retailer panel. All retailers price on the same data and assumptions, which is what makes offers genuinely comparable across the contestable components.
Zembl provides a written summary of tender outcomes, including energy rates, environmental costs, contract terms, and any conditions. Zembl advises on the option best suited to the customer's needs and risk profile. There is no obligation to accept any offer.
The customer selects their preferred option or chooses not to proceed. There is no obligation at any stage of the process.
Zembl notifies the chosen retailer, manages contract execution and documentation, and coordinates the handover process so the transition is completed without disruption to supply.
Zembl provides ongoing reporting, invoice validation, and account management throughout the life of the contract. Each customer is assigned a dedicated account manager for the duration of the contract. At contract expiry, the account manager manages re-tender so the business is never left on an expired arrangement.
How long does the process take?
Start the process six to 12 months before your current contract expires, or longer if you have multiple sites to align. That window allows time for interval data collection, tender pack preparation, retailer Q&A, offer modelling, and internal sign-off without time pressure. Once offers are received, retailer pricing typically has a validity window of three to five business days.
Zembl's complete guide to managing energy for large businesses — from procurement and contract negotiation through to in-contract support, energy efficiency, and the Zembl portal.
Why Zembl
Zembl has helped more than 30,000 Australian businesses² manage energy costs since 2009. Over 17 years, Zembl has built strong, long-term relationships with every retailer on its panel, which means retailers are responsive, pricing is competitive, and the tender process runs efficiently.
At the same time, Zembl remains completely independent. There is no financial incentive to favour one retailer over another, and every recommendation is made in the customer's interest, based on their actual load profile and requirements.
| Credential | Detail |
|---|---|
| Customer reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars from more than 3,300 online reviews across Trustpilot, Google, and Product Review¹ |
| Businesses helped | More than 30,000 Australian businesses helped since 2009² |
| Experience | 17 years in the Australian energy market |
| Certification | Certified B Corporation, verified by B Lab |
| Retailer panel | A panel of leading Australian energy retailers. Full panel at zembl.com.au/suppliers |
| Positive feedback | 97% positive feedback rate from verified customer reviews³ |
| Code of conduct | Signatory to the National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants and Retailers, and the Energy Comparator Code of Conduct |
Key takeaways
NSW electricity is delivered through three distribution networks. Ausgrid (Sydney, Central Coast and Hunter Valley), Endeavour Energy (Greater Western Sydney, Blue Mountains, Illawarra and South Coast), and Essential Energy (regional and rural NSW). Your distributor is determined by your site location and sets the network charges on your bill.
Businesses using more than 100,000 kWh per year in NSW are eligible for commercial electricity contracts, where pricing is modelled against your actual consumption profile and prevailing wholesale market conditions rather than set at a standing offer rate.
Network charges, including demand charges, are non-contestable: set by your distributor and passed through unchanged regardless of which retailer you choose. Energy rates and environmental costs are where retailers genuinely differ.
For most large commercial sites in NSW, demand is measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA) and calculated from the peak consumption interval (normally 30 minutes) in the billing period. Demand charges are a non-contestable pass-through from the network distributor.
Gas is also available to large businesses in NSW through commercial procurement. Jemena Gas Networks serves metropolitan Sydney and surrounds, with Australian Gas Networks covering some regional areas. Gas contestability thresholds vary by network zone.
For a full explanation of how commercial electricity pricing works and what brokers do, see our commercial energy broker guide.
Eligibility
Businesses using more than 100,000 kWh of electricity per year in NSW are eligible for commercial electricity contracts. Above that threshold, businesses can negotiate contract terms, rate structures, and environmental arrangements directly with retailers through a competitive tender, rather than being limited to standard set market plans.
For reference, 100,000 kWh per year is broadly equivalent to spending around $3,000 or more per month on electricity. Businesses below that level are typically on standard retail plans, which can be compared and switched without a fixed-term commitment and without a structured tender process.
| Standard small business plan | Commercial electricity contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Businesses using under 100,000 kWh/year or spending less than ~$3,000/month | Businesses using over 100,000 kWh/year or spending more than ~$3,000/month |
| How pricing is set | Published standing offer or market offer rate | Priced based on actual consumption profile and prevailing wholesale market conditions |
| Contract term | No lock-in or short term; can switch at any time | Fixed term, typically one to five years |
| Data required | Recent electricity bill | 12 months of interval data and at least one recent bill |
| Comparison process | Quick rate comparison; switch on the spot if a better offer is found | Structured tender across a retailer panel; offers modelled against actual usage |
| Best for | Straightforward usage, flexibility to switch, no long-term commitment | Predictable costs over a fixed term, complex load profiles, multiple sites |
| Watch-outs | Limited negotiating leverage; published rates are not tailored to your usage profile | Rate is locked in for the contract term; understand which components can move before signing |
NSW electricity network
In NSW, electricity is delivered through three licensed distribution networks. Each is operated by a separate distributor covering a distinct geographic area. The distributor serving your site owns and maintains the poles and wires that carry electricity to your premises. Distributors do not sell electricity directly; that is the retailer's role. But they do set the network charges that appear on your bill, and those charges are non-contestable.
Ausgrid operates the electricity distribution network across Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley, spanning approximately 22,275 square kilometres and supplying more than two million customers and businesses. For commercial customers in the Sydney CBD, North Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter region and the Central Coast, Ausgrid is the network operator responsible for the network charges on your bill.
Endeavour Energy's network covers approximately 24,800 square kilometres across Greater Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Illawarra and the South Coast. It connects around 2.8 million people, including businesses in major commercial and industrial areas such as Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith and Wollongong, as well as the developing Western Parkland City and Western Sydney Airport Aerotropolis.
Essential Energy serves regional and rural NSW, covering areas including Tamworth, Dubbo, Broken Hill, Orange, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Port Macquarie and the Far North Coast. Its network is the largest by geographic area in NSW. For businesses operating in regional locations, Essential Energy is the distributor responsible for network charges.
Network tariffs
A network tariff is a pricing structure assigned to your site by your network distributor. It determines how your network charges are calculated: whether you are charged on flat consumption, time of use, demand, or some combination of these. Network tariffs are not selected by the customer or the retailer. They are assigned by the distributor based on your site's load profile and metering type.
For businesses on commercial electricity contracts, the network tariff is visible and itemised on the bill. The tariff category determines how much you pay for network access, independent of which retailer you are contracted with. If your assigned tariff changes, your network charges change accordingly, even if your retail contract stays the same.
A Network Tariff Review is the process of reviewing whether a site's assigned network tariff remains appropriate for its current load profile. It is separate from the retail procurement process. If a business's usage patterns have changed significantly, through equipment upgrades, solar installation, or changes to operating hours, a broker can review whether the assigned tariff still reflects how the site actually uses electricity. A mismatch between tariff structure and usage behaviour can add material cost over a long-term contract.
Demand charges
A demand charge is a network charge based on the maximum electricity demand a site draws from the grid during a billing period. For most large commercial sites in NSW, demand is measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA). The charge exists because the network distributor must maintain enough infrastructure to meet each site's peak load at all times, regardless of how often that peak actually occurs. The cost of maintaining that capacity is recovered through the demand charge.
Demand charges are non-contestable: they are set by the network distributor and passed through to the customer unchanged regardless of which retailer is contracted. They cannot be reduced by switching retailers. Businesses that actively manage their peak demand, through equipment scheduling, load shifting, or operational changes, can reduce the demand component of their network charges over time. This is an area where an energy broker can add value beyond the tender itself.
For large commercial sites, demand is typically measured as the maximum kVA recorded during the billing period, based on the peak consumption interval (normally 30 minutes) in the metering data. That peak demand figure is multiplied by the applicable demand rate to produce the demand charge for the billing period. The specific rates and measurement structure depend on the network tariff assigned to the site by the distributor. Current rates are published in each distributor's annual network price list, approved by the AER: see Ausgrid's 2025–26 network price list for an example of how commercial tariff demand charges are structured.
Bill components
A commercial electricity bill in NSW is made up of contestable and non-contestable components. Understanding which components retailers actually compete on is the difference between a tender that creates genuine value and one that produces offers that look different on paper but are equivalent once the non-contestable costs are stripped out.
| Component | Type | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Energy/retail rate | Contestable | Wholesale cost of electricity plus the retailer's hedging costs and margin. Priced based on your load profile, so it varies between retailers. |
| Environmental costs | Contestable | The retailer's cost of meeting federal and state renewable energy scheme obligations. Varies between retailers depending on how each manages their exposure and hedging strategy. Differs by state. |
| Metering fees | Contestable | Set under a separate metering coordinator agreement, independent of the retail contract. The fee can vary depending on the metering coordinator appointed. Some retailers also charge a small additional metering administration fee. |
| Network charges | Pass-through | Set by your distributor (Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy or Essential Energy) and passed through at cost. Includes demand charges, consumption charges and fixed supply charges depending on your assigned network tariff. The same regardless of retailer. |
| Market operator fees | Pass-through | AEMO fees for operating the wholesale electricity market, passed through at cost. The same regardless of retailer. |
For a full explanation of how commercial electricity procurement and tendering works, see our commercial energy broker guide.
Zembl in NSW
Zembl runs the full commercial electricity procurement process for large businesses across all three NSW distribution networks: Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, and Essential Energy. The process covers interval data collection via a Letter of Authority, formal tendering across a panel of retailers, offer modelling against actual load data, and contract management through to signing. Ongoing services include invoice validation, network tariff monitoring, and proactive renewal management.
Zembl also helps eligible large businesses in NSW procure natural gas. Gas is distributed in NSW primarily by Jemena Gas Networks, serving metropolitan Sydney and surrounds, and by Australian Gas Networks in some regional areas. Gas contestability thresholds vary by network zone. For eligible sites, Zembl can manage gas procurement alongside electricity through the same structured process.
Zembl is proud to be a signatory of the National Customer Code for Energy Brokers, Consultants and Retailers.
Zembl is proud to be a signatory of the National Customer Code for Energy Comparators & Energy Moving Services.
Common questions
Businesses using more than 100,000 kWh of electricity per year in NSW are eligible for commercial electricity contracts. Above that threshold, pricing is negotiated through a competitive tender rather than set at a standing offer rate. For context, 100,000 kWh per year is broadly equivalent to spending around $3,000 or more per month on electricity. Businesses below that level are on standard retail plans and can compare and switch without a formal tender process.
NSW has three licensed electricity distribution networks. Ausgrid covers Sydney, the Central Coast and Hunter Valley. Endeavour Energy covers Greater Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra and South Coast. Essential Energy covers regional and rural NSW. Your distributor is assigned based on your site's location and determines the network charges on your bill. Network charges are non-contestable pass-throughs and are the same regardless of which retailer you choose.
A demand charge is a network charge based on peak electricity demand during a billing period. For large commercial sites in NSW, demand is typically measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA), based on the highest consumption interval (normally 30 minutes) recorded. It is set by the network distributor and passed through unchanged regardless of retailer. Demand charges cannot be reduced by switching retailers, but businesses that actively manage their peak load can reduce them over time, independent of the retail contract.
The three distributors serve different geographic areas in NSW and each sets its own network tariff structure, approved annually by the AER. The distributor serving your site is determined by location and cannot be changed. For commercial customers, the distributor determines the network charges on the bill, including demand charges, consumption charges, and fixed supply charges under the assigned tariff. The retailer procurement process and broker role are the same across all three networks.
A network tariff is a pricing structure assigned to your site by your network distributor, whether that is Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy or Essential Energy. It defines how network charges are calculated and is based on your site's load profile and metering type. It cannot be selected or negotiated with retailers. If your usage patterns have changed significantly, a review of your assigned tariff by an energy broker may identify whether the current structure remains appropriate for your site.
Commercial electricity contracts in NSW are typically fixed-term, running between one and five years. The right term depends on how much pricing certainty the business needs and how much exposure to market movements it can accommodate. Longer terms provide more budget predictability; shorter terms allow more flexibility to re-tender if market conditions change. A broker can advise on term structure as part of the tender process based on current market conditions and the business's risk profile.
Start the process six to 12 months before your current contract expires, or longer if you have multiple sites to align. That window allows time for interval data collection, tender pack preparation, retailer Q&A, offer modelling, and internal sign-off without time pressure. Starting late could mean accepting a rollover at less competitive terms. Once offers are received, decisions need to move quickly as retailer pricing typically has a validity window of three to five business days.
Yes. For large businesses in NSW that are eligible for commercial gas contracts, Zembl can manage gas procurement alongside electricity. Gas is distributed in NSW primarily by Jemena Gas Networks (serving metropolitan Sydney and surrounds) and Australian Gas Networks (some regional areas). Contestability thresholds for gas vary by network zone and usage type. Speak to a Zembl Energy Expert to confirm eligibility for your sites.
¹ Based on reviews published on Trustpilot, Google, and Product Review as at June 2026. Combined, Zembl has received more than 3,300 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars across all three platforms. Ratings are subject to change over time as new reviews are received and published.
² Based on Zembl customer records as at May 2026. Customer numbers reflect businesses that have used Zembl's energy comparison and procurement services across Australia. Figures are rounded and subject to change over time.
³ Based on Zembl Product Review reviews as at June 2026. The 97% positive feedback rate is calculated from verified customer reviews published on ProductReview.com.au. Ratings are subject to change over time.
Simple explainers to help you understand how energy works.
.svg)
.png)
.png)
