For low-income households, being able to afford utility service is a constant struggle. The average American household spends 2-3% of its income on its energy bills, but for a low-income family, the energy burden can be more like 15-20% (or higher). Customers may have to decide whether to put money toward utility bills, to avoid…
As Americans continue to face rising affordability challenges and struggle to pay their utility bills, consumer advocates are understandably concerned about keeping bills as low as possible. Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost resource and provides customers with the opportunity to reduce how much they spend on electricity. It is a critical resource in the fight…
While across the country America’s schools have been shuttered this spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sun continues to shine. More than 1,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity from nearly 5,500 K-12 school buildings continues to generate clean energy and cost savings. With decreased electricity consumption from closures, sizable amounts of solar credits…
It seems that almost overnight, huge numbers of American electricity consumers have become electricity producers, mostly via their rooftop solar systems. Today, these Americans aren’t just pulling electrons from the grid, they are adding to the supply of electricity, this indispensable component of modern life. Many are probably producing more electricity than they can use…
Could two electricity bills really be better than one? Just maybe, if the second is a “shadow bill,” provided to educate customers about alternatives to the rates they are charged. Specifically, for electricity customers interested in saving money and for utilities interested in promoting certain electricity rate designs, including time-of-use (TOU) rates, shadow billing could…
The electric industry is in transition and some jurisdictions are reconsidering the role of the utility and private enterprises offering products and services to customers. New companies are offering services and products, including energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed generation, among others that provide more information, which allows customers to make sound, personalized choices about…
