Coal and generated electricity have had a long-standing relationship, reaching back all the way to the first plant in New York in the 1880’s. It has been the single largest source of energy generation for the vast majority of that time, but for the last two decades has been ceding ground to alternative generating methods... Continue reading→

Demand Response: How Utilities Balance Energy Supply and Demand Demand response handles peak demand issues and enhances electric power system performance. Also called demand management, demand response tips the scale in favor of electricity users. Instead of keeping the balance by generating more power, demand response technologies reduce consumption on lights, dryers, electric water heaters,... Continue reading→

How Working From Home Affects Your Energy Use  Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, more Americans are working from home than ever before. As people spend more time working from home (WFH), they are dipping into more household energy sources throughout the day. These include home office electronics, kitchen appliances and cooling, heating and lighting power... Continue reading→

What is Utility Bill Auditing for Businesses? A utility bill audit is an inclusive review of a company’s utility invoices — water or sewage, waste, gas and electric — to evaluate rate plans and track billing errors. Other services such as internet, phone services and cable TV can also be considered utilities as they are... Continue reading→

Subscription based rate plans are a relatively new pricing structure that allows a customer to choose their plan and pay a flat monthly rate instead of paying for their energy each month based on usage. Subscription services are growing at a huge rate, with more than $2.6 billion in sales in 2016, and growth of... Continue reading→

Electric vehicles are a popular choice for new car buyers and will continue to grow in share of the auto industry. In California for example, there is a target to have all new purchased vehicles be electric by 2035. Edison Electric Institute predicts there will be over 7 million electric cars being used in the... Continue reading→

Electricity is something that everyone purchases, but many people don’t take the time to think about how their rates are set. The process for determining and changing utility rates depends completely on the type of company. Investor-owned utilities are private companies that operate on a for-profit basis. They are usually owned by shareholders and their... Continue reading→

Back in February, the state of Texas experienced an “Unprecedented cold weather event” that left millions without power while temperatures plummeted. Winter Storm Uri, predicted to impose a significant yet manageable strain on the power grid, instead led to the near-collapse of the state’s infrastructure and extravagant energy prices for days on end. For a... Continue reading→

With every shift in national administration comes important changes. How a new presidency will affect different industries and markets is not always predictable. President Joe Biden’s energy plan will inevitably impact the energy sector, including utilities. Of course, campaign promises do not always become reality, but it’s important to understand the administration’s objectives. With pressure... Continue reading→