Energy consumer survey methodology
2026 Small Business Energy Consumer Survey methodology
The survey focuses on genuine small business energy consumers: the target population is defined as Australian businesses with 0–19 employees that hold a dedicated business electricity and/or gas account and have responsibility for energy decisions.
Fieldwork dates
13 April – 10 May 2026
Online survey
The sample was recruited through an accredited and ISO-certified online consumer opt-in panel provider (ORU) and recruited to reflect the true population of small business energy customers, rather than all small businesses.
Representative sample
n = 759 small business energy consumers across Australia
- n= 175 Non-employing businesses (0 employees)
- n= 312 Micro businesses (1–4 employees)
- n= 272 Larger small businesses (5–19 employees)
The maximum margin of error on the weighted sample of n=759 at the 95% confidence interval is +/-3.56% providing a robust and reliable evidence base.
Weighting approach
Post-fieldwork weighting is applied to the total result of small business energy consumers and cross tabulations.
Rim weighting applied by location and business size aligned to ABS benchmarks and rebased to represent the incidence of energy consumers across Australia.
| Total sample (n) | 759 |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Male | 56% |
| Female | 44% |
| Age | |
| 18-29 years | 7% |
| 30-39 years | 17% |
| 40-49 years | 21% |
| 50-59 years | 22% |
| 60+ years | 33% |
| Working situation | |
| Self-employed or a sole trader | 47% |
| Business owner | 30% |
| Director or partner in a business | 9% |
| Senior management role in a business | 13% |
| Small business segment | |
| Non-employing sole traders | 34% |
| Micro businesses (1-4 employees) | 42% |
| Larger small businesses (5-19 employees) | 24% |
| Business's approx. annual revenue (before tax) | |
| Less than $50,000 | 9% |
| $50,000 - $99,999 | 14% |
| $100,000 - $249,999 | 16% |
| $250,000 - $499,999 | 14% |
| $500,000 - $749,999 | 7% |
| $750,000 - $999,999 | 6% |
| $1,000,000 - $1,999,999 | 10% |
| $2,000,000 – $4,999,999 | 8% |
| $5,000,000 - $7,999,999 | 3% |
| $8,000,000 - $9,999,999 | 1% |
| $10,000,000 or more | 1% |
| Unsure / prefer not to say | 11% |
Previous survey methodologies
Fieldwork dates
8th – 29th April 2026
Online survey
Participants sourced from a professional ISO-accredited online market research panel.
Representative sample
n = 4,507 household energy decision makers across Australia
The large total sample size of 4,507 is associated with an overall margin of error of +/- 1.5% at a 95% confidence interval. As detailed in the following slide it provides a robust sample size for each Australian state and territory, as well as for other key consumer segments.
The target of the survey was Australian adults who are responsible for paying energy bills and/or choosing energy products and services for their household.
Data was weighted according to 2021 Census population statistics on age, gender, area, and highest level of education. It was adjusted to take into account that energy decision makers have a slightly different age and gender profile than that of the broader population.
| Total sample (n) | 4,507 |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Male | 2,217 |
| Female | 2,278 |
| Another gender | 12 |
| Age | |
| 18-24 | 280 |
| 25-34 | 827 |
| 35-49 | 1,249 |
| 50-64 | 1,121 |
| 65+ | 1,030 |
| Area | |
| Metro | 2,745 |
| Regional | 1,762 |
| NSW | 1,001 |
| VIC | 1,001 |
| QLD | 801 |
| SA | 600 |
| WA | 601 |
| TAS | 201 |
| ACT | 201 |
| NT | 101 |
| Financial status | |
| Doing well/okay | 3,046 |
| Having difficulty | 1,461 |
| Housing type | |
| Freestanding house | 3,062 |
| Other | 1,445 |
| Home ownership | |
| Renting | 1,366 |
| Own/Mortgage | 3,036 |
| Other | 105 |
| Rooftop solar | |
| Yes | 1,571 |
| No | 2,936 |
| CALD | |
| Prefer to speak a language other than English at home/with close friends | 583 |
Fieldwork dates
3rd – 21st October 2025
Online survey
Participants sourced from a professional ISO-accredited online market research panel.
Representative sample
n = 4,535 residential energy decision makers across Australia
The large total sample size of 4,535 is associated with an overall margin of error of +/- 1.5% at a 95% confidence interval. As detailed in the following slide it provides a robust sample size for each Australian state and territory, as well as for other key consumer segments.
The target of the survey was Australian adults who are responsible for paying energy bills and/or choosing energy products and services for their household.
Data was weighted according to 2021 Census population statistics on age, gender, area, and highest level of education. It was adjusted to take into account that energy decision makers have a slightly different age and gender profile than that of the broader population.
| Total sample (n) | 4,535 |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Male | 2,214 |
| Female | 2,305 |
| Another gender | 16 |
| Age | |
| 18-24 | 290 |
| 25-34 | 838 |
| 35-49 | 1,232 |
| 50-64 | 1,120 |
| 65+ | 1,055 |
| Area | |
| Metro | 2,769 |
| Regional | 1,766 |
| NSW | 1,002 |
| VIC | 1,006 |
| QLD | 805 |
| SA | 604 |
| WA | 605 |
| TAS | 201 |
| ACT | 206 |
| NT | 106 |
| Financial status | |
| Doing well / okay | 3,111 |
| Having difficulty | 1,424 |
| Housing type | |
| Freestanding house | 3,138 |
| Other | 1,397 |
| Home ownership | |
| Renting | 1,428 |
| Own/Mortgage | 3,025 |
| Other | 82 |
| Rooftop solar | |
| Yes | 1,555 |
| No | 2,980 |
| CALD | |
| Prefer to speak a language other than English at home / with close friends | 596 |
Fieldwork dates
7th – 29th April 2025
Online survey
Participants sourced from a professional ISO-accredited online market research panel.
Representative sample
n = 4,106 residential energy decision makers across Australia
The large total sample size of 4,106 is associated with an overall margin of error of +/- 1.5% at a 95% confidence interval. As detailed in the following slide it provides a robust sample size for each Australian state and territory, as well as for other key consumer segments.
The target of the survey was Australian adults who are responsible for paying energy bills and/or choosing energy products and services for their household.
Data was weighted according to 2021 Census population statistics on age, gender, area, highest level of education and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. It was adjusted to take into account that energy decision makers have a slightly different age and gender profile than that of the broader population.
The sample included a boost of 100 extra participants who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander for a total of n=213 for this consumer segment.
| Total sample (n) | 4,106 |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Male | 1,989 |
| Female | 2,104 |
| Another gender | 13 |
| Age | |
| 18-24 | 259 |
| 25-34 | 804 |
| 35-49 | 1,154 |
| 50-64 | 1,005 |
| 65+ | 884 |
| Area | |
| Metro | 2,464 |
| Regional | 1,642 |
| NSW | 838 |
| VIC | 809 |
| QLD | 726 |
| SA | 609 |
| WA | 613 |
| TAS | 203 |
| ACT | 205 |
| NT | 103 |
| Financial status | |
| Doing well / okay | 2,737 |
| Having difficulty | 1,369 |
| Housing type | |
| Freestanding house | 2,880 |
| Other | 1,226 |
| Home ownership | |
| Renting | 1,309 |
| Own/Mortgage | 2,706 |
| Other | 91 |
| Rooftop solar | |
| Yes | 1,408 |
| No | 2,698 |
| ATSI and CALD | |
| Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | 213 |
| Prefer to speak a language other than English at home / with close friends | 526 |
Online survey
Participants sourced from a professional ISO-accredited online market research panel.
Representative sample
n = 4,152 energy decision makers across Australia
The large total sample size of 4,152 is associated with an overall margin of error of +/- 1.5% at a 95% confidence interval. It provides a robust sample size for each Australian state and territory, as well as for other key consumer segments.
The target of the survey was Australian adults who are responsible for pay energy bills and/or choosing energy products and services for their household.
Data was weighted according to 2021 Census population statistics on age, gender, area and highest level of education. It was adjusted to take into account that energy decision makers have a slightly different age and gender profile than that of the broader population.
The sample included a boost of 100 extra participants who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander for a total of n=225 for this consumer segment.
| Total sample (n) | 4,152 |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Male | 1,998 |
| Female | 2,136 |
| Another gender | 18 |
| Age | |
| 18-24 | 456 |
| 25-34 | 854 |
| 35-49 | 1,159 |
| 50-64 | 957 |
| 65+ | 726 |
| Area | |
| Metro | 2,399 |
| Regional | 1,753 |
| NSW | 834 |
| ACT | 207 |
| VIC | 824 |
| QLD | 730 |
| SA | 620 |
| WA | 625 |
| TAS | 207 |
| NT | 105 |
| Financial status | |
| Doing well / okay | 2,726 |
| Having difficulty | 1,426 |
| Housing type | |
| Freestanding house | 2,844 |
| Other (e.g. apartment, terrace, retirement home, mobile home) | 1,308 |
| Home ownership | |
| Renting | 1,388 |
| Own/Mortgage | 2,697 |
| Other | 67 |
| Rooftop solar | |
| Yes | 1,394 |
| No | 2,758 |
| First Nations and CALD | |
| Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | 225 |
| Speak a language other than English at home | 637 |
Looking for our Energy Consumer Sentiment and Behaviour Surveys? You can find prior reports and data up until June 2024 here.
