As we continue to move towards a more modern grid–and a more educated electricity user!–utilities across the country are beginning to introduce electricity rates that better align the price we pay for electricity with the cost of producing it by varying the price of electricity based on the time it’s consumed. Critical peak pricing (CPP) is one such time varying rate plan that charges more for electricity during certain periods of peak demand, but also allows you to lower electricity spending–and even receive bill credits–by reducing usage during these times.
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How your behind-the-meter solar system can lower electricity bills for your whole neighborhood
It’s well known that the behind-the-meter (BTM) solar on your rooftop can reduce the demand for grid-scale electricity: every megawatt-hour (MWh) produced from BTM solar is one fewer MWh that needs to come from the grid (often from a dirty coal or natural gas power plant). Lesser known, however, is the “price effect” of BTM solar. When BTM solar lowers the amount of electricity that expensive power plants need to produce, it also reduces the price that all utilities pay for that electricity. This means that BTM solar can both avoid the creation of dirty electricity, and lower the price that everyone in a region ultimately pays for electricity. As a result, when you install BTM solar, it benefits you and your neighbors.
Continue readingThe Solar Futures Study: how we can get to 45 percent solar electricity by 2050
On September 8, 2021, President Biden made a big announcement for the solar industry: solar has the potential to power 40 percent of U.S. electricity by 2035, and 45 percent by 2050 – an increase of over 1,000 percent from where it stands today. Produced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Technologies Office (SETO) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Solar Futures Study served as the basis for Biden’s announcement, explaining the role that solar will need to play in decarbonizing the electric grid and how we can achieve these targets in a cost-effective way. In this article, we’ll answer some of the major questions you might have about this study and what this solar transition could look like.
Continue readingBreaking down the LG Solar and Sense partnership
In May 2021, LG Solar and Sense announced their new partnership with the goal of empowering homeowners to make smarter energy decisions. LG has long been a household name due to their high-quality electronics and their subsidiary, LG Solar, has been no different. LG Solar is a leading manufacturer of solar panels with two residential series: the NeON 2 and the NeON R.
Sense entered the energy space in 2016 with the launch of their Home Energy Monitor. Their energy monitoring system provides you with insights about your energy usage, allowing you to make informed decisions about what devices you’re powering and when you’re powering them. We sat down with LG Solar to learn a bit more about their new partnership, and its potential benefits.
Continue readingSaving energy with EnergySage, part 3: Understanding your electricity rates
This post is the third in our series about how to save on your energy bills even when you’re spending more time at home, as the entire EnergySage team is, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (here are the first and second.) Continue to check our blog for more ideas for how you can take control of your energy bills in the coming weeks.
Continue readingPhantom loads: what you need to know
There are two primary ways to reduce your electricity bills: 1) by generating your own electricity with solar energy and 2) by reducing the amount of electricity you use every month. These two methods of reducing bills go hand-in-hand: if you use less electricity every month, then a smaller (and less expensive) solar energy system will be able to meet your needs.
Continue readingHow do demand charges work?
In the past few years, utilities across the country — from Indiana to Massachusetts to Arizona — proposed mandatory or voluntary demand charges for residential customers. With the right resources and knowledge, it is definitely possible to reduce your monthly bill on a demand charge rate. But in many situations, including often for people with solar on their roof, demand charges can lead to more expensive bills overall.
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