“Smart” Electric Meters on the Rise, Will They Curb Energy Use?

According to a new study from ABI Research, "Smart" electricity meters, which enable two-way communication between the meter and the utility, and may enable greater consumer control over consumption, are being deployed at an increasing pace, especially in North America and Europe. The number of smart electric meters deployed worldwide will rise from a 2009 level of 76 million to reach more than 210 million in 2014.

In the US, $3.4 billion in federal economic stimulus funding was directed to smart grid development in November 2009. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) also directly encourages smart grid technology adoption by the states, and funds NIST’s efforts to develop a standards-based technology framework to facilitate smart grid adoption.

However, ABI says the path to smart metering is not always smooth, siting PG&E; in California, one of the early utilities to deploy smart meters. The company has faced claims by consumers that they have been overcharged. Still, there are many environmentalists who believe that smart meters will help consumers curb their energy use and save money, simply by being more educated about the amount of energy they use. And there are those that say people may use more energy if they see that electricity is cheaper than they expected.

For more, check out the NPR Morning Edition podcast Debate: Do Smart Meters Curb Energy Use? and ABI Research's study.

America’s First Wave-Power Farm Could Power 400 Homes

Construction of the first wave-power farm in America has recently begun off the coast of Oregon. New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies is in the process of installing ten wave-power harnessing buoys that they say will be able to power 400 homes.

Wave power is still a very young technology, and is therefore much more expensive at this point than more established renewable energy options such as wind and solar. Costs can be up to six times greater than wind, and this one project is expected to cost around sixty million dollars. However, as time goes on and wave-power projects become more common and costs fall, there is potential for the technology to produce an almost unlimited stream of clean energy. Just think, while weather changes often, waves are much more consistent.

So, how exactly does a wave-power farm work? A series of large buoys are placed in an area of ocean with lots of wave activity. Each buoy has a float that rises and falls along with the water surface, driving a plunger up and down. That plunger’s vertical energy is then converted into rotary motion and produces electricity by spinning a generator. The resulting electricity is then sent on shore through an underwater cable.

Wave-power has always fascinated me and it’s great to see it finally becoming a reality. I love how diverse the green energy industry is, with power coming from wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and now waves. What will be next?

Image Via OPT

How to Pick an Electricity Plan

While everyone needs to power their home, electricity plans are far from one-size-fits-all. There are many options out there on the market, and just a little research can ensure that you end up with the right one. To find that plan that best meets your needs, here’s what you’ll need to know:

• Price per kilowatt-hour – What you’ll actually be paying for the electricity delivered to your home. For reference, a one room apartment will typically use around 500 Kw/h per month, while a two bedroom house will use about 1,000 Kw/h.

• Plan type – There are two basic types of electricity plans out there: fixed and month-to-month. Fixed plans have a steady price for a specified timeframe, offering great security. Month-to-month plans have no specified timeframe and can vary in price each month, which allows you to take advantage of changing electricity rates. Month-to-month plans come in two flavors: variable and indexed. Variable plans change with energy costs based purely on the discretion of the provider, while indexed plans change based on a published formula that uses an energy index (such as the natural gas index).

• Renewable energy options – Many electricity providers now offer plans with a percentage of their energy generated from clean sources such as wind, water and solar. If being environmentally friendly is important to you, keep an eye out for these green energy plans.

• Cancelation fees – What you will pay for terminating your contract before the term you signed up for. This applies only to fixed rate plans.

• Promotions – Any specials a provider is offering, such as a rebate or gift card.

Here’s an example of a plan here on WhiteFence. This particular plan has costs 12.9 cents per Kw/h, is month-to-month, features 100 percent renewable energy, has no cancellation fee (these don't apply to month-to-month plans) and comes with a $50 gift card.

Ready to start comparing your options? Enter your address at WhiteFence to get all of the information listed above for plans available at your location, pick the best plan and order your new service all on one website!

TXU Energy Cash Back Loyalty Reward Programs Up to 27 Million

TXU Energy recently announced that over the last three years the company has given its customers more than $27 million through its cash back loyalty rewards program that pays cash back to customers on eligible TXU Energy plans.

TXU Energy says that it is the only electricity provider that has cash back loyalty rewards based on customers' annual electricity purchases. Customers on plans with cash back will be paid more than $15 million, in 2010 alone, based on their 2009 usage. Customers receive three percent cash back on their annual electricity purchases in the form of a Visa® prepaid card.

In addition to the cash back, the eligible plans include 10 percent renewable energy. TXU says it allows customers to choose lock in price protection for up to two years to avoid the risk of a variable rate plan.

See if TXU Energy plans are available in your area.

Save Wasted Energy with a Smart Power Strip

We’ve written about vampire energy before and recommended you upgrade to a smart power strip to fight the problem and increase your energy efficiency. TrickleStar has just released a new line of these green power strips, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to walk you through how they work.

Devices that you always want on, like your cable modem or phone, plug into special “always on” outlets. You pick one device that you want to function as the switch for the system, maybe your computer or TV, and plug that into the “control” outlet. All other devices get plugged into the remaining outlets. When you turn off the control device, the other devices are turned off and will no longer draw any current; it’s that just easy.

You might think that very little energy and money could be saved this way, but TrickleStar estimate that by using one TrickleStrip you can save up to $38 in electricity charges. Given that the TrickleStrips only cost a few dollars more than that, you’ll pay for the device in less than two years and then save on energy costs for years to come. In fact, they estimate that you could save over 300 dollars over the life of just one of the strips. That’s not a bad return for just swapping out a power strip.

TrickleStrips for PC and TV use are on sale now at the TrickleStar store.

Image via TrickleStar

Verizon Operations Center Earns LEED Green Building Certification

Verizon recently announced that its operations center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has earned the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® Silver certification for the center's environmentally friendly-design and energy efficiency.

To make the 1.4 million-square-foot facility more energy efficient, Verizon uses temperature sensors and energy-management systems to monitor heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The company also controls the facility's lighting schedules; tracks maintenance and service requirements; uses air handlers with variable frequency drives for energy-efficient heating and cooling; and has installed energy-efficient light-emitting diode and fluorescent T-5 lights.

"Verizon's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. "As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, the Verizon operations center is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement."

Verizon says that is remains committed to finding practical and innovative ways to increase energy efficiency and bolster conservation efforts. The company currently operates the largest fuel cell site of its kind in the nation. Using seven fuel cells, the company's Energy Star Award-winning facility in Garden City, New York, can generate enough electricity per hour to meet the energy needs of 400 single-family homes.

To qualify for the Energy Star rating, the center had to place among the top 25 percent of the most energy-efficient facilities in the U.S. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star rating use an average of 40 percent less energy than typical buildings and release 35 percent less CO2.

If you would like to follow Verizon's lead and make your home or office more energy efficient, check out the energy conservation tag of the blog for great resources on how to be greener in the New Year.

PG&E; to Purchase and Operate Major California Wind Energy Project

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E;) recently announced that it plans to purchase and operate a major wind generating plant to be built in Southern California to serve the utility's electric customers.

With a power capacity of up to 246 megawatts, the proposed project would be the first wind project owned by PG&E.; If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, the project could begin producing wind power by December 2011.

With a projected annual output of up to 670 gigawatt-hours per year, equal to the energy consumed by about 100,000 average homes, the project would contribute significantly to PG&E;'s efforts to meet California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.

Find PG&E; service available in your area

Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Home Improvements

It's tax time again! When you are filling out your returns (before April 15, 2010!), don't forget to claim any tax credits relation to energy efficiency home improvements you did in 2009.

For improvements made in 2009 and 2010, you can get an income tax credit of up to $1,500 for installing efficient new windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in your home. However, efficiency criteria will vary dependent on when these items are installed.

Not sure what counts and what doesn't? The Alliance to Save Energy offers a handy Guide to Energy-Efficiency Home and Vehicle Tax Credits.

American Wind Energy Association Says 2009 a Good Year for Wind Energy

The American Wind Energy Association thinks that 2009 was a pretty good year for wind energy in the United States. The association recently identified the wind industry’s top accomplishments and developments of the year, including:

• Saving Water: The electricity from the entire fleet of turbines installed through 2009 will conserve over 20 billion gallons of water annually, which would otherwise be withdrawn for steam or cooling in conventional power plants.
• Avoiding Carbon: Those same turbines will avoid emitting over 57 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, based on the conventional mix of fuels used for electricity generation. That is equivalent to taking over 9.5 million cars off the road!
• Improving Environmental Health: They will also help avoid annually 200,000 additional metric tons of acid-rain causing sulfur dioxide which would otherwise have to be abated to achieve the national Acid Rain Program goals and 80,000 additional metric tons of smog-causing nitrous oxide which would otherwise have been emitted.

To see all the AWEA's thoughts on wind energy in 2009, check out American Wind Energy Association Notes Wind Industry Highlights of 2009. If you'd like to purchase greener energy in 2010, be sure to visit Green Energy Choice to find the best offers available in your area.

Fight the Cold When You Shop Natural Gas at WhiteFence

It’s been a cold winter so far and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be getting warmer any time soon. In fact, they’re forecasting snow again today here in the Lone Star State. With all this cold weather, many Americans have been hit with high natural gas bills right in the middle of some already icy economic times.

Natural gas rates are currently at historical lows, so if you feel like you’re paying too much for your heating needs it might be time to do some shopping. With WhiteFence you can easily discover and compare your options for natural gas service to find the right plan for your household. You might find that you’ll be able to slash your heating costs for the rest of the winter.

To get started, simply visit our natural gas page and enter your address. WhiteFence will then search for a list of natural gas providers and plans available to you. In just seconds, you’ll be able to compare your options in an easy-to-understand format and identify what plan best meets your needs.

Here is some of the information you will find about each plan:

• Price Per Unit – What price you will pay for each unit of natural gas. Depending on your utility and market this could be therms, Ccf or Mcf.
• Plan Type – What rate type the plan uses, fixed or variable.
• Contract Term – How long the plan’s contract will last. With some plans you can lock in a rate for a specified amount of time, but others are on a month-to-month basis.
• Early Termination Fee – How much you will have to pay if you decide to exit a contract early.
• Monthly Charge – Any recurring charges in addition to your actual usage charges.
• Specials – Promotions the company might be offering for a specific plan, such as a bill credit.

While comparing, keep an eye out for our Best Price Guarantee, which is an agreement we have with many service providers to ensure you’re getting the lowest published prices in your neighborhood. WhiteFence can give you the confidence that you’re getting the best deal while also saving you all of the time involved with researching every provider on your own.

Once you’ve made your selection and are ready to order your new natural gas service, you can place your order directly through WhiteFence. We can then work with you to make sure the provider gets everything up and running correctly.

With plenty of cold weather left in the forecast this season, you still have the chance to save big. Click over to our natural gas page and get started now.