Glacial Energy Blog

Reduce Electric Bill by unplugging Vampire Electronics

Many people don’t realize that their electronics may consumer power even when they are plugged in, but not in use. Some electronics use power because of their LED standby light, while others use up electricity simply being connected to an outlet. These electronics are commonly termed as “Vampire Electronics” as they suck up electricity without your knowledge.

Former assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner has said, “All devices have the potential to be vampire devices in the sense that its really the characteristic of sucking extra electricity while they’re in standby mode.”

These silent electronics can increase your electricity bill by $100 per year when those electronics are supposedly turned off, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Vampire electronics are usually cell phone chargers, televisions, DVD players, lamps, toasters, microwave ovens, etc. It is estimated that an average American household has around 30 to 50 vampire electronics. Many electronics may look completely turned off, but tend to use power to keep their electronic keypads on standby mode.  Even your home computer draws up to 65 watts per hour when it is on a standby mode.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 40% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when they’re in standby mode.

A few ways to reduce your electricity bill are:

1. Unplug the electronics when they are not in use.
2. Try using switch boards so one switch can turn off multiple outlets.
3. Try using energy efficient appliances to save money.
4. If you live in an area where electricity is deregulated, shop for an alternate electricity supplier like Glacial Energy.

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost-saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting: www.GlacialEnergy.com

History of energy deregulation in New York

Only a short time ago, energy consumers in New York were forced to accept one level of service and one price, but they now have the freedom to exercise their choice. After New York energy deregulation, consumers were given a choice to seek out the best electricity and gas services at affordable rates out of the many available in the market. Below is a brief history of how New York became deregulated.

History of energy deregulation

Traditionally, electricity in New York was supplied by local monopolies that possessed the power plants as well as the transmission lines for power distribution. In exchange of allowing these corporations to exercise monopoly on the consumers, the state heavily regulated these companies and set up rate of return of profit for the utilities, depending on the cost of service, and planned for upcoming power needs. After deregulation, these monopolies at the state level were broken, and the utilities’ power plants were either sold to a third party or transferred to an unregulated partner of the utility.

New York was a regulated market until 1996, when the New York Public Service Commission began separating the charges for electricity as well as its delivery in the state. By separating electricity and its transmission, consumers were given the power to choose. Thus, customers were able to select an electricity supplier and bring down their electric bills while retaining the same poles and wires.

Since the late 1990s, New Yorkers were also given the opportunity to shop for their natural gas provider. Just like electricity, the New York PSC began ‘unbundling’ the energy bill, by separating charges for the gas supply from the charges for delivering energy to the business set-up or home.

Present scenario

Electricity and natural gas are two basic necessities—often called the lifeblood of society—and are equally important for residential customers and business owners. New Yorkers enjoyed a greater freedom after energy deregulation, it was realized over the years that the state needed to set up newer energy plants, expedite the power generation capacity of existing plants, and explore sources of alternative energy to meet the rising demands. Unless these steps are taken, the benefits of energy deregulation may soon be made ineffective by increased surcharges and taxes, rising bills and depleting reserves.

To ensure long-term, reliable energy supplies for New York, a fair and reasonable path need to be thought of by the government and utility companies.

Resource: http://www.dps.ny.gov/

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost-saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting: www.GlacialEnergy.com

History of energy deregulation in Ohio

It wasn’t until the mid-1980s that the federal government decided to end monopolies and pave way for a competitive marketplace in the energy industry. A competitive market was believed to offer more discipline in determining business practices and pricing than regulation. Energy deregulation happened in a phased manner across different states and Ohio too was set to witness a change in the energy scenario.

Natural Gas Deregulation in Ohio

The natural gas market in Ohio was regulated until 1997. At that time, the Ohio Public Utilities Commission took up a pilot program in Columbia to begin “unbundling” natural gas service. This process included the separation of natural gas delivery charges from the cost of the actual gas itself, thus empowering customers to get their gas from one of the alternative suppliers known as Energy Service Companies.

Electricity deregulation in Ohio

In 1999, the Ohio General Assembly passed Senate Bill 3, which set up an outline to “deregulate” the price of energy by permitting the market to determine the cost based on supplier competition. The price of electricity under the old system was based on a formula that depended heavily on the power company’s cost to produce electricity, which in turn established a rate cap. Deregulation sought to remove this rate cap as a competitive market was allowed to establish prices, which would have a nominal relation to cost.

On Jan. 1, 2001, Ohio consumers were finally provided with direct retail access to competitive electricity suppliers. Within the first month, nearly 100,000 customers in First Energy territories, including Ohio Edison, Cleveland Illuminating, and Toledo Edison switched suppliers. As energy markets began offering competitive rates, the number of consumers who have switched to service providers offering better rates has grown exponentially.

Present scenario

Despite electricity deregulation in Ohio, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio still regulates the delivery of electricity and supervises the reliability and safety of electric service. You won’t have any problem finding a competitive electricity supplier with a rate lower than what you are currently paying. And it’s easy to make the switch, too.

In Ohio, switching gas providers is also an easy task. Once your account has been established with the utility natural gas company operating in your region, you can switch to an alternative supplier offering a better rate freely. Thus, it can be said that energy deregulation in Ohio has empowered the consumer.

Resource: http://www.puco.ohio.gov/puco/

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

History of energy deregulation in New Hampshire

If you live in New Hampshire, you are already likely reaping the benefits of energy deregulation. With several Retail Electric Suppliers in New Hampshire providing less pricey and greener electricity alternatives, both residents and businesses now have a greater choice in selecting their supplier of electricity.

How the electricity deregulation came into effect

In New Hampshire, four electric distribution companies used to serve specific franchise territories. The territories were:

Public Service Company of New Hampshire

• Unitil Energy Systems, Inc.
• Granite State Electric Company
• New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc.

The New Hampshire Legislature enacted a statute in 1996 that directed the Public Utilities Commission to develop a restructuring plan for the entire state to implement electric retail choice for all consumers by Jan. 1, 1998. In Feb. 1997, the Commission issued a restructuring plan, although subsequent litigation slowed down its implementation. Since these litigations forced the Commission to consider just the compliance plans or settlement agreements that were filed voluntarily. Electric utilities in the state were restructured at different times and to some extent, in different ways.

Phases of deregulation

In Aug. 1998, the first electric utility to restructure was GSEC, which was followed by PSNH in May 2001. In Dec. 2002, the UES companies merged, and subsequently introduced retail choice on May 1, 2003. In the restructured franchise areas, though competitive suppliers were allowed to provide service, a majority of residential customers preferred to opt for default energy service.

Nearly 70 percent of New Hampshire’s retail customers were served by PSNH, which was a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities. Demographically and geographically diverse areas were served by this company, which ranged from southern urban areas to northern rural areas of the State. However, in Dec. 2002, the share of PSNH in the Seabrook Nuclear Power Facility was sold to comply with the PSNH Restructuring Settlement but retained ownership of hydropower and fossil facilities. PSNH acquired Connecticut Valley Electric Company in Jan. 2004. Thus, customers of CVEC became customers of PSNH and started paying the same rates as other PSNH customers. Subsequent to the completion of this acquisition, Central Vermont Public Service Company and CVEC withdrew their claims in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal court, consequently resolving all lingering litigation related to the restructuring.

Nearly 6 percent of New Hampshire’s retail customers are served by GSEC, whose franchise province includes southern and western areas of the state. Following an ownership transfer in 2012, GSEC (which was previously National Grid’s subsidiary) became a subsidiary of Liberty Utilities.

When two of its former subsidiaries, namely Exeter and Hampton Electric Company, and Concord Electric Company, were combined by Unitil Corporation, UES was formed. It served almost 11 percent of retail customers in New Hampshire who lived in the Capital and Seacoast areas.

New Hampshire residents living in the central part of the State, which constitute almost 11 percent of the total retail customers, are served by NHEC. Thus, the electricity deregulation came into existence all over the State.

Resource: http://www.puc.nh.gov/Electric/electric.htm

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

Saving Water Can Save Money, Electricity Usage

Accounting for nearly 18% of your electric bill, heating water is the second largest energy expense in your home. Whether looking for a short-term band-aid or a long-term solution, you can get started with these simple tips.

Short-Term Tips

• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
• Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F to get comfortable hot water for most uses.
• Insulate your hot-water storage tank but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. When in doubt, get professional help.
• Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
• Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Most new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
• Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.

 Long-Term Tips

• Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance. Learn more about ENERGY STAR  appliances by visiting http://www.energystar.gov.
• Consider natural gas on-demand or tankless water heaters, which heat water directly without using a storage tank. Researchers have found energy savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard natural gas storage tank water heater.
• Consider installing a drain-water waste heat recovery system. Drain-water, or greywater, heat recovery systems capture the energy from waste hot water—such as showers and dishwashers—to preheat cold water entering the water heater or going to other water fixtures.
• Heat pump water heaters can be very cost effective in some areas. They typically use 50% less electricity to heat water than conventional electric water heaters. This technology can pose some installation challenges, so you should consult with an installer before you purchase one.

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

6 Easy Energy Saving Tips

Saving energy seems like it would be a difficult task, but with these easy tips you can make a huge impact on your energy usage, and your electric bill.

1. Turn off lights when not needed. Get into the habit of turning off lights when you leave a room. Leaving just one 100-watt light bulb turned on all day, every day, would cost over $87 in a year.

 2. Close curtains and blinds. Windows are usually the least insulated part of a house. Blinds and curtains add an extra layer of insulation, which can really add up to big savings over the course of a year.

 3. Program your programmable thermostat. Many people tend to just use the “hold” feature, which turns a programmable thermostat into a wasteful, standard thermostat. If you have a programmable thermostat, learn how to use it properly. If you don’t have one, buy an Energy Star-rated programmable thermostat.

 4. Use a microwave oven to heat foods. Microwave ovens use significantly less energy to heat food than conventional stovetops and ovens. Microwaves also do not put off extra heat, resulting in less strain on your air conditioner during those hot summer months.

 5. Unplug vampire devices when not in use. Vampire devices, like televisions, DVD players, stereos, and computers, still use energy even when turned off. For the equipment’s protection, they should always be plugged into a surge protector. You can then save energy by simply getting into the habit of turning off those surge protectors before bed.

 6. Use your dishwasher. We often forget that a large part of our home’s energy usage can be attributed to heating water. Dishwashers are much more efficient than washing dishes by hand. Just make sure the dishwasher is completely full before turning it on.

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

Quickest Way to Improve Energy Efficiency

What do you believe is the quickest and easiest ways to improve energy efficiency in your facility?   Many proponents of alternative energy would have you believe that solar panels and wind turbines are one of the best ways to go Green and improve energy efficiency.  I do not want to knock solar panels and wind turbines, but those are not the best solutions for everyone.  While solar panels and wind turbines will allow you to generate your own electricity, taking a business completely off the grid can be cost prohibitive, and many use these solutions to simply reduce their electric bills rather than eliminate them.

Here is a hint: improving how efficiently a business uses energy is a bright idea.  Lighting is one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve energy efficiency at a business.  It can seem like someone flipped a switch and the electric meter just slowed down for some lighting conversions.  Specifically, I am talking about LED lighting.  While LED lighting can be expensive up front, the potential energy savings can be dramatic when compared to standard incandescent, fluorescent, sodium halide, or halogen bulbs currently in use at many businesses. LED’s can save up to 95%, that is quite a bit of savings – so here is a quick math lesson.  A typical fixture in a business, depending on the business, uses 60W to 100W bulbs to achieve the best brightness.  That means the LEDs that replace these bulbs have to use only 6W to 10W for that magic 90% reduction in energy usage for lighting.  While not all fixtures will necessarily generate that kind of reduction, most LEDs will have at least 80% savings in energy usage.  The savings also depends on the business and type of operation.  I would like to share some examples that have the potential to reduce your energy use nearly 90% on lighting.

Gas stations have a lot of bright lights under their canopies to illuminate the fuel pads, especially if the gas station is operating 24 hours per day.  Typically, high pressure sodium, incandescent, or metal halide fixtures that are used to shine some light on the gas pumps use up to 400W.  Some LED fixtures can produce the same amount of lighting using only 52W to the fixture.  That is an 86% reduction in energy usage.  Gas stations usually have at least one light fixture per pump, if not more, so the savings can be huge if an LED fixture, such as this one, is used to replace the existing high pressure sodium, incandescent, or metal halide fixtures.

Not everyone owns their own gas station, however LEDs can serve in a variety of applications.  Does your business have can lights recessed into the ceiling?  Incandescent bulbs for these fixtures typically are 60W to 120W and can be found in many businesses.  The same amount of light output can be generated with just a 6W LED fixture.  For the higher end of the lighting output, that is a whopping 95% energy savings compared to an incandescent bulb.

Another popular lighting fixture for businesses is a recessed fluorescent tube fixture, anywhere from 2 feet by 2 feed to 4 feet by 4 feet to match the ceiling tiles.  Well, there are LED fixtures for those too.  I understand fluorescent fixtures are more efficient than incandescent fixtures, however LED lighting still saves about 75% over fluorescent setups.  This particular LED fixture can bring your maximum energy usage down to 14W from a 40W fluorescent fixture.  That can still add up to significant savings.

Best of all, to further enhance the energy savings, all the LED fixtures I have presented can be paired with motion sensors and other lighting controls to change the lighting levels.  For each of these fixtures, the amount of light at 40% brightness can be generated at 9% energy usage.  That means the 52W gas station fixture at just under half brightness will only use 4.68W of energy.  I have seen these fixtures in action, 40% brightness is still pretty bright.  That means that 4.68W is substituting for a 400W fixture, and we can even say it is a 160W fixture at 40% brightness, and that is a 97% energy reduction from 160W to 4.68W.  The 6W can light at 40% brightness uses just over half a watt, and the panel lighting uses about 1.25W at the same lighting levels.  It is these numbers that truly demonstrate the savings of LED lighting.

About the Author- One Stop Green, LLC  facilitates environmentally friendly improvements to residential and commercial properties through distribution of green, energy efficient products and services. Their goal is to provide practical, long-term, and economical solutions for existing and non-existing facilities while remaining dedicated to the principles of sustainability. One Stop Green’s mission is to help consumers take control of their energy options so they can reduce their carbon footprint and do their part for the environment while protecting themselves against rising energy costs and taking advantage of valuable Federal tax credits and deductions.

Energy Saving Tips: Home Appliances

Individuals in the market for new appliances are often guided to purchase Energy Star rated units, but if you are not in the market for new appliances, or you don’t have the money to run out and buy something new, review these simple energy saving tips. By using your home appliances efficiently, you can lower your electricity usage without adding more work for yourself or others.

Oven and Stove
• Consider using a microwave instead of a conventional oven whenever possible.
• Cook several dishes simultaneously in the oven.
• While cooking, avoid “peeking” by opening the oven door. Each “peek” can lower the oven temperature.
• Use the smallest burner necessary to do the job. Match your pan size to the burner size. For example, a 6″ pan on an 8″ burner can waste over 40% of the heat produced by the burner.

Refrigerators & Freezers
• Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are not running too cold. The temperature in your refrigerator should be at 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Open refrigerator/freezer doors only when necessary.
• Make sure the seals on your refrigerator, freezer and oven doors fit tightly. Easily perform this test by leaving a lit flashlight inside a closed appliance and if you see light around the gasket, replace the gasket.
• Keep refrigerator coils (on the back or the bottom of the appliance) clean.

Clothes Washers & Dryers
• Use lower temperature settings on your washing machine, preferably the cold water cycle, and only use cold for rinses. The temperature of the rinse water does not affect cleaning.
• Load the washing machine to capacity. Washing one large load will take less energy than washing two loads on a low or medium setting. When you don’t have a full load, match the water level to the size of the load.
• Dry full loads when possible, but be careful not to overfill the dryer, because air needs to circulate around the clothes.
• Don’t over-dry clothes that you are going to iron. Take clothes out of the dryer while they are still slightly damp to reduce the need for ironing—another big energy user.
• If you have room, you can also hang your clothes out to dry.
• Clean the dryer filter after each use. A clogged filter will restrict airflow and reduce dryer performance.

Dishwashers
• Operate your dishwasher at full capacity. And if the manufacturer’s instructions permit, open the door of the dishwasher at the end of the last rinse cycle, rather than using the drying cycle.

Water Heaters
• Set your water heater thermostat at the lowest temperature that provides you with sufficient hot water. If you use a lot of hot water, you may need to set the temperature higher to provide enough hot water for your needs.
• Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket, especially if it’s in an unheated area of your home.

If you are in the market for new appliances, read more about Energy Star products by visiting www.energystar.gov/.

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

Electric Future: Solar Energy

In the country that invented the solar panel, solar energy still only produces less than 1 percent of U.S. electricity. But as the price of solar power continues to fall and as states, such as California, mandate that a third of all power come from renewables by 2020, solar energy could become a major player in electricity production.

Solar Energy is the energy that is produced by the sun in the form of heat and light. It is one of the most renewable and readily available sources of energy. Solar energy has been used by people since ancient times by using simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they would cause wood to catch fire.

The collection of thermal radiation from the sun is relatively easy, and involves the use of a fluid passing through a heat sink exposed to sunlight. The circulated fluid can be used as a heat source, or if concentrated, be used to turn a wheel or turbine to generate electricity; however, the materials needed to produce solar cells can be rather expensive.

 Environmental Impact

Although solar energy is considered to be one of the cleanest and renewable sources of energy among the available sources but is has some environmental impacts too. Solar energy uses photovoltaic cells to produce solar power. However, manufacturing the photovoltaic cells to produces that energy requires silicon and produces some waste products. Inappropriate handling of these materials may lead to hazardous exposure to humans and the environment. Furthermore, installing solar power plants may require large piece of land, which may impact existing ecosystems.

 Future of Solar Energy

In recent years manufacturing costs of photovoltaic cells has dropped by 3-5% per year while government subsidies have increased. While to some such facts about solar energy seem trivial, this makes solar energy an ever-more affordable energy source. In the next few years it is expected that millions of households in the world will be using solar energy.

Whether they’re on a house or an industrial solar field in the desert, solar panels have always been one shape: flat. MIT Engineering Professor Jeffrey Grossman, inspired by the ways trees spread their leaves to capture sunlight, developed a 3D solar panel. Unlike with flat solar panels, these new 3D panels can actually pick up almost as much electricity on a cloudy day as it can when it’s sunny out. Read more about Professor Grossman’s work HERE.

About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com

Saving Energy, and Money, in the Workplace

We can all help to conserve energy and save money at our workplaces by implementing some quick and easy changes in our work habits and becoming more conscious about our working environments.

Some helpful hints include:

Electronics and Appliances

• Maintain all electrical equipment in optimum condition by scheduling regular servicing to ensure it is kept running efficiently.
• Turn off photocopier at night or purchase a new copier with low standby feature. Purchase printers and fax machines with power management feature and use it.
• Always turn off all electrical appliances and pull the plugs from the wall sockets at the end of the workday, including cell phone chargers, fans, coffeemakers, desktop printers, radios, etc.
• Replace desktop computers with thin clients or laptop computers and docking stations.
• Replace cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors with LED or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors.

 Lighting

• Turn off lights in all rooms and areas that are not in use such as the common areas, break room and conference rooms. Use dimmers, motion sensors, or occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lighting when not in use to reduce energy use and costs.
• Use task lighting instead of brightly lighting an entire room.
• Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for desk lamps and overhead lighting. Using CFLs instead of comparable incandescent bulbs can save about 50% on your lighting costs and last up to 10 times longer.
• Windows and Blinds
  • During the summer months, pull the shades or close the window blinds during the midday to limit the amount of heat that enters the room in warmer weather and to limit the amount of heat that escapes during the winter months. Overhangs or exterior window covers are most effective to block sunlight on south-facing windows.
  • In the winter months, open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your workspace. At night, close the blinds to reduce heat loss.

   Heating and Cooling

  • Adjust and program the thermostat to shut off during the night and to turn on half an hour before the beginning of the workday. Set the thermostat no higher than 69 degrees during the winter months.
  • Encourage employees to dress according to the weather and time of the year, adjusting their layers of clothing before changing the thermostat settings.

  
  About Glacial Energy- Glacial Energy is one of the fastest growing national retail energy suppliers selling electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in deregulated markets across the country. Glacial Energy has the resources and market knowledge to provide customized quotes for your business or cost saving opportunities for your home. Learn more about Glacial Energy by visiting www.GlacialEnergy.com