Renewing Your Texas Electricity Plan. The Texas residential electricity market is fiercely competitive. In electricity customer choice states like Texas, the volume of marketing messages can be overwhelming. Electricity providers use television, radio, direct mail, online advertising, and other media to catch the attention of consumers. However, it sometimes seems that customers get far less […]
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Like most New Englanders, Connecticut energy consumers tend to use more energy per household than the national average. This is largely due to energy consumed during the heating season. Connecticut households typically use about 60% of their annual energy consumption on space heating, 24% on appliances and lighting, and 15% on water heating. Only 1% […]
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Massachusetts residents have a unique energy consumption profile. From Cape Cod in the east to the Pioneer Valley in the west, Bay State consumers use 22% more energy per household than the national average. Massachusetts homes are more likely to have double or triple pane windows but are less likely to have a programmable thermostat than […]
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Understanding residential fixed rate charges before shopping for a new plan. Texans shopping for residential electricity rates can select from a variety of competitive plans. With so many offers available, how do consumers compare electricity offers? The answer lies in the Electricity Facts Label. The Electricity Facts Label (EFL) is a standardized document that must […]
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For decades, mercury switch thermostats controlled residential space heating and cooling. Over the past 20 years, programmable thermostats became the standard. These manual interface thermostats allowed consumers the opportunity to optimize their heating and cooling systems by programming different temperature settings based on their work and sleep schedules. The problem with this technology is that […]
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Along with mortgage/rent payments and food, energy costs are one of the largest home budget items. With the energy market migrating toward natural gas and renewable energy generation, the question arises as to what is happening to electricity rates. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), residential electricity rates increased by an […]
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Consumers in deregulated electricity markets have the power to choose from a variety of competitive offers. Top-tier electricity providers have prepaid plans, month-to-month plans, renewable energy plans, and time-of-use plans. Great electricity rates are even coupled with offers for web-enabled thermostats, home energy services, and warranties. For many customers, however, the fundamental question is which […]
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Bright Ideas in Home Lighting. There are few electricity end uses more essential than lighting. Lighting was the primary driver behind electrification of our homes and businesses. For decades, however, there were few improvements to lighting technology. We had a functional, affordable technology that consistently delivered what we desired. The problem with traditional incandescent lighting […]
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Understanding the Green Button. Consumers often encounter various value-added services when shopping for great electric rates for their home. From smart thermostats to home automation networks, new technologies are giving retail electric customers more control over how they use energy. At the root of many of these energy monitoring and control technologies is data from […]
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Heating and cooling are the most energy-intensive systems for residential retail electric customers. Many energy consumers do not think much about these systems until they face maintenance issues or system replacement. When replacing a home heating system, there is a multitude of high efficiency models from which to choose. Consumers should become familiar with the […]
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