Are you getting the most value from your solar panels and battery system? What if we told you there’s a way to accelerate that payback period?
Most people don’t realise there’s another way to buy electricity. It’s called the wholesale energy market. It’s where energy retailers buy power before they sell it to you.
Normally, you don’t see this market or its prices because retailers add their markups and lock you into fixed rates. But Amber offers direct access to wholesale prices. Explaining how is why we’re here today.
Whether you have solar and a battery or not, you’ll learn how you can take even more control of your energy use and reduce your bills without becoming an energy expert. And this is what we do at PSC Energy: help customers get the most value from their solar energy system.
In this article, you’ll learn about the following:
- What Is the Wholesale Energy Market?
- How does Amber Work with the Wholesale Energy Market for Solar Panels or Solar Battery?
- Is Amber Hard to Manage?
- Amber vs. Traditional Energy Providers
- FAQ: Amber
By the end of this article, you’ll know what the wholesale energy market is, how it works, and how it can help you save.
What Is the Wholesale Energy Market?
The wholesale energy market is where electricity is bought and sold before it reaches your home.
- Power generators, like coal plants, gas facilities, and renewable energy farms, sell electricity into this market.
- Retailers then buy that electricity and sell it to customers like you.
This market runs on supply and demand. Prices change every five minutes depending on how much electricity is available and how much people are using.
When there’s lots of cheap renewable energy being exported to the grid, like solar, prices often drop. When demand is high and supply is low, prices rise.
Traditionally, big energy companies buy electricity from this market at low prices and then sell it to you at a higher, fixed rate. That fixed price includes a markup, which is how they make their profit. But this means you pay the same price for electricity even when the wholesale price is much lower.
Newer providers, like Amber, now offer access to the wholesale market itself. This means you can pay the real market price for power. When prices drop, so does your cost. When prices go up, your cost goes up too but there are smart tools and simple ways to avoid high-price periods.
Here’s a simple way to understand it:
- Wholesale market: Where electricity is sold in real time, and prices change every five minutes.
- Retailer markup: The extra cost traditional energy companies add before selling to you.
- Direct access: Some providers now let you tap into the wholesale market without paying the traditional markup.
You don’t need to work in energy or finance to understand this. If you’ve ever bought something on sale and felt good about the timing, wholesale energy works the same way.
You buy electricity when it’s cheap. You export to the grid when it’s expensive. And with the right tools, this happens mostly in the background.
The traditional energy model is built to favour big retailers. Their markup on energy per kWh is where they make their money.
The wholesale market is worth over $11 billion each year, and there’s a lot of money moving around. But in the traditional setup, most of that value goes to retailers, not you. That’s why Amber is trying to do things differently.
If you’re interested in solar batteries, you might want to check out the following article titled, Are Solar Batteries Worth It in NSW? PSC’s Ultimate Guide for 2025.
How does Amber Work with the Wholesale Energy Market for Solar Panels or Solar Battery?
If you have solar panels or a battery at home, the wholesale energy market can help you unlock even more value.
Instead of just using your solar power or storing it, you can also sell your extra energy back to the grid when prices are high.
This turns your home into a small energy business.
Here’s how it works:
- Charge your battery when prices are low: When the grid is full of cheap solar energy, wholesale prices often drop. You can top up your battery during these times at a very low cost.
- Sell your stored energy when prices are high: In the evening, when demand rises and prices peak, you can export energy back to the grid and earn more.
- Keep what you earn: Some providers pass on the full wholesale feed-in tariff to you without taking a cut.
- Use smart automation: Amber offers battery automation; it can charge and discharge your battery at the right times without you lifting a finger.
Battery owners can benefit from:
- Earning more per kilowatt hour exported.
- Saving money by charging during cheap periods.
- Letting smart tools manage timing and maximise value.
Smart automation platforms like Amber’s SmartShift can make this easy. These systems learn your energy habits and automatically decide when to charge or discharge your battery. They also make sure you keep enough battery power for your own use first.
You also get control features:
- Manual overrides: You can pause the system if you’re about to use a lot of power and want to keep the battery full.
- Preserve charge mode: You can delay discharge if you need to save energy for later.
- Custom timing options: You can set preferences in 30, 60, 90, or 120-minute blocks.
This is not just about saving a few dollars. Over time, smart battery users can earn hundreds by exporting energy when prices spike. That’s money that would normally go to big retailers.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the price of solar batteries, you might want to check out the following article titled, How Much Are Solar Batteries? A Full Breakdown of Prices, Rebates, and Value in 2025.
Is Amber Hard to Manage?
At first, wholesale pricing might sound complex. Prices change every five minutes. Weather affects the grid. Peak times matter. But the truth is, you don’t have to keep track of all of this yourself. The right tools can do most of the work for you.
Amber shows live market prices, usage trends, and forecasted changes all in simple, colour-coded displays. You don’t need to understand the energy market. You just need to know when it’s cheap and when it’s expensive.
Here’s what these tools can help you do:
- Track live energy prices: See what electricity costs right now and plan around it if you want to.
- Use price forecasts: Check upcoming price trends to decide when to run appliances or charge your battery.
- Get price alerts: Turn on push notifications, texts, or emails so you know when prices spike or drop.
- Monitor your usage: See how much energy you’re using each day, how much you’re exporting, and what it’s costing you.
- View your bills anytime: Download past bills and track 30-day summaries.
Smart battery features can also handle everything for you. Automation tools:
- Learn your usage patterns.
- Charge when energy is cheap.
- Discharge when prices peak.
- Keep enough battery for your home needs.
You can also control your battery manually:
- Preserve charge if you plan to use more energy later.
- Charge or discharge on demand.
- Use self-consumption mode to use your own energy first.
All of this can be done in an app. You don’t need to be tech-savvy. The app is built to make everything visual, simple, and easy to use. You’re always in control, but you rarely need to make changes unless you want to.
If you’re interested in looking at some solar battery choices, you might want to check out the following article titled, Which Solar Battery Should I Buy?
Amber vs. Traditional Energy Providers
Amber works differently from traditional energy retailers. While most retailers profit from the gap between wholesale and retail prices, Amber gives you access to the real wholesale rate. This means the company does not make more money when prices are high or when you use more electricity.
Here’s how the two models compare:
Traditional Energy Providers:
- Charge you a fixed rate that includes a markup.
- Keep profits when wholesale prices drop.
- May offer low feed-in tariffs for your exported solar.
- Do not pass through price signals, so you can’t time your usage for savings.
Amber’s Model:
- Gives you access to live wholesale prices that update every five minutes.
- Passes through full wholesale feed-in tariffs with no cuts taken.
- Helps you save by using more energy when it’s cheap and less when it’s not.
- Offers smart tools like battery automation and price alerts to make this simple.
Amber’s automation features go even further. SmartShift can:
- Optimise your battery without manual input.
- Charge your battery from the grid when prices are low.
- Discharge to the grid when prices are high.
- Avoid charging or exporting when prices go negative.
You can also:
- Set a battery reserve level to ensure you always have backup power.
- Turn solar curtailment on or off to prevent being charged during negative price events.
- Switch between strategies like “Battery Booster” or “Earnings Optimiser” depending on your goals.
Amber is designed to put the value back in your hands. You don’t pay for fixed markups. You get direct access to the energy market and the tools to benefit from it.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about expanding your energy system, you might want to check out the following article titled, Expanding Your Solar Panel System with Batteries and Add-Ons.
What to Do Next with Amber
If you want more control over your energy costs, the wholesale market is a strong option. It gives you direct access to the same prices that energy companies use to buy power. With the right tools, you can take advantage of low-cost energy, use less when prices spike, and even earn money if you have a battery or solar system.
You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to watch the market all day. You just need a provider that gives you real access to wholesale prices and tools that make smart decisions easy.
Here’s how to get started:
- Visit amber.com.au to see how wholesale pricing could affect your bill.
- Use the quote tool to estimate your potential savings.
- Download the app to explore how pricing works and set up alerts.
- Talk to your solar or battery installer to check if your system works with automation features.
- Join a model that helps you take power back from middlemen and use energy on your terms.
At PSC Energy, we want everyone to have access to the wholesale energy market. Amber is a company that’s doing exactly that. The wholesale energy market is not just for big companies anymore. With the right access and support, it’s built for people like you.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about Amber, you might want to check out the following article titled, Amber Energy Australia Explained: A Smart Way to Save (and Earn) with Solar Panels and Battery.
FAQ: Amber
What is the wholesale energy market in Australia?
The wholesale energy market is where electricity is bought and sold between energy generators and retailers. Prices change every five minutes based on supply and demand. When you have access to this market, you can pay the real-time price for electricity instead of a fixed rate set by a retailer.
How does the wholesale energy market help you save money?
You can save money by using electricity when wholesale prices are low. Prices often drop during the day when solar and wind power are strong or when demand is low. With access to wholesale pricing, your electricity cost reflects these lower prices in real time.
Can I use wholesale energy if I don’t have solar or a battery?
Yes, you can still benefit from wholesale energy without solar or a battery. By using power during cheaper times of day and cutting back during peak price periods, you can reduce your electricity bill. Smart tools and alerts make it easy to shift your usage without major changes to your routine.
What are the benefits of wholesale energy if I have solar and a battery?
With solar and a battery, you can maximise your savings and earn money. You can charge your battery when prices are low and sell stored energy back to the grid when prices are high. Amber, passes on 100% of the wholesale feed-in tariff, so you keep every cent you earn.
Is it hard to manage wholesale energy pricing?
No, it’s not hard. Most wholesale energy providers offer tools like apps that show live prices, forecast future trends, and send alerts when prices spike. Automation tools can even control your battery for you, charging and discharging at the best times.
How do wholesale energy prices change?
Prices change every five minutes based on how much electricity is available and how much people are using. They are usually lower during the day when solar power is strong and higher in the evening when demand increases.
What happens during a price spike in the wholesale market?
During a price spike, electricity costs can rise sharply for a short time. You can avoid high costs by using less energy during these periods. Many providers send alerts to let you know when spikes happen so you can adjust your usage.
Do I need to monitor energy prices all day to save money?
No, you don’t. Energy apps and automation features can handle most of the work for you. You can set alerts for high prices, use forecasts to plan ahead, and let smart battery controls manage when to buy or sell energy.
Does Amber take a cut from my solar feed-in earnings?
No, Amber does not take a cut. If you export solar energy to the grid, you receive the full wholesale price with no margin taken. This means you keep 100% of what your energy is worth. Amber charges a small, monthly connection fee around $20.
How do I get started with wholesale energy?
You can visit amber.com.au to learn more, get a quote, and see how wholesale pricing would affect your electricity bill. If you already have solar or a battery, you can also speak with your installer to check compatibility with automation tools.
