Brutal Cold grips central United States
Temperatures have dropped more than 40° below the average.
Power costs have soared from $4 / MWh to over $600 / MWh.
Most of the news we are seeing is coming from Texas for several reasons:
- Well, it is really cold; well below freezing for nearly 5 days.
- Texas is a power island. They have no connections outside of Texas so, other states cannot supply power for them.
- Texas’ energy infrastructure is not built for freezing temperatures. This results in water main breaks, gas pipes freezing, and power equipment not operating properly.
Outside of Texas the Polar Vortex will have economic impact but, electricity and gas are generally staying on.
If your power or heat is interrupted, CALL your local utility.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/16/us/winter-storm-texas-power-outage-map.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage
How Extreme Cold Turned Into a U.S. Energy Crisis
Over the past several days, extraordinary cold weather in the US from a polar vortex caused record temperatures across the country. Electricity and heating fuel costs skyrocketed while energy demand hit record levels. Millions of customers dealt with blackouts for the first time in a decade. Gas lines seized, wind turbines froze, and oil wells shut in. Across the grid in Texas, all energy sources had problems with some reasons still unknown. Texas’s emergency state will allow for more resources to become available and ensure residences, medical facilities, and related consumers are the priority to receive fuel first. The energy market in Texas is one of the most competitive in the US and power providers have to be prepared for extreme events such as this one. If not, they are set up for failure. Texas and Washington policy makers may need to review their system and make some changes to ensure a similar crisis is prevented or handled better.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/how-extreme-cold-turned-into-a-u-s-energy-crisis-quicktake
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,196 Bcf as of Friday, January 8, 2021, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 134 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 126 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 218 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,978 Bcf. At 3,196 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
Tips to Lower Your Utilities This Winter
Here’s your bi-annual reminder to make some improvements around your home or business to save money on utility bills. Winter brings about colder weather for most of us North Americans and with that comes an increase in energy usage. There are more ways to conserve than just turning down the thermostat. You can seal any air leaks around windows and doors. Try to also keep them closed as much as possible to prevent losing the warm air created inside. Use the sun to your benefit by keeping curtains open to let the warm sunlight in but, keep them closed at night to reduce heat loss. Insulating your water heater and using your fireplace and oven will also be to your advantage. Among other tips, you can check out your utility’s website to find incentives and home assessments to see where you might be able to increase energy efficiency and savings .
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://ourcommunitynow.com/home-and-garden/start-a-winter-garden-to-keep-the-blues-away
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,330 Bcf as of Friday, January 1, 2021, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 130 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 138 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 201 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,129 Bcf. At 3,330 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
Holiday Goals
Previously commended for safe practices, our sales agents have been excelling despite Covid-19 restrictions. The end of 2020 saw an increase in sales with our representatives exceeding their goals. Through an incentive program titled “Christmas Cookie”, targets were met by multiple team members. If the team member hit the target, they received a “cookie” in the form of a check. If they exceeded the target, they received an even bigger “cookie”. We had 2 recipients of the “Big Cookie” and 3 received the “Small Cookie” prizes. In true holiday spirit and to their surprise, all members received a small “cookie” for working a full schedule after the contest reached completion. A similar incentive was created for the week of New Year’s and we had the same outcome of agents reaching their targets. We are off to a good start in 2021 and wish everyone the same. Happy New Year!
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Peoples Gas is spending billions to replace miles of aging pipe below Chicago by 2040. But will natural gas be obsolete before it’s complete?
In 2011, Peoples Gas began to replace 2,000 miles of pipelines below Chicago. Originally estimated to take 20 years and cost $2.6 billion, it is now projected to continue until 2040 and cost $7.7 billion. Interruptions have occurred due to “budget overruns, delays and charges of mismanagement”.
Many believe the project should be reviewed. By the time of completion, both gas and electric are anticipated to be very different from the systems we have now. Replacements are necessary to lower leaks and halt possible explosions as some pipes date back to the 1800s. However, costs have been passed along to customers. While Peoples has tried to keep those amounts down and minimize disruption in each neighborhood, consumers worry about paying their bills.
The Citizens Utility Board believes the focus should be on more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient alternatives such as electric-powered heat pumps. They want Peoples and the ICC to target and repair problem areas while pursuing their renewable energy goals.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-peoples-gas-pipeline-replacement-renewable-energy-20201222-i6er5w2abjeazg34ywajhfvg7q-story.html
Virtual Power Plant
We have all been on Zoom calls instead of meeting in person. Our computers, cameras, and nearly everything takes electricity.
Virtual power plants do NOT generate electricity but, they do aggregate the generation of various sources and allow the power to be traded or sold.
A virtual power plant does 2 things. It gathers up demand from real solar panels, wind turbines, or other installed generation sources. It then allows that demand to be sold, tracked, and paid.
Its use is being explored. Consider the home or business that has solar PV generation that can shut down some equipment (think of turning off your AC). Then the solar power you would’ve used to run your AC system can be sold into the market.
A virtual power plant is a marketplace where those with generation can sell some of their production. And you won’t need a Zoom meeting to get it done.
This is an interesting way to allow free-market powers to address power market demand and supply.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/virtual-power-plant-market
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,848 Bcf as of Friday, December 4, 2020, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 91 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 309 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 260 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,588 Bcf. At 3,848 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
An $11 trillion global hydrogen energy boom is coming.
Long ago, oil and coal were discovered as useful when burned. This started us down the path of building a carbon and fossil-fueled economic world. Carbon is released when fossil fuels combust. Carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are known greenhouse gases.
Hydrogen is not naturally occurring like coal and oil. No dinosaurs died and decomposed into hydrogen. Remember that water is oxygen with two hydrogen atoms (H20). So, hydrogen exists in large quantities and can be readily separated from water and natural gas.
Like any fuel, storage issues must be addressed along with economic considerations. Just as technology investments caused wind and solar to become the power generation choice over coal and gas-fired generation. Technology has advanced to the point that a hydrogen energy cycle (extraction, storage, combustion, and conversion to electricity) is economic. The hydrogen option is becoming especially advantageous to countries that don’t have fossil fuels to extract. Fortunately, they have water and access to natural gas as alternatives to create hydrogen.
As electricity usage grows (powering cars, trucks, etc.) and climate change is addressed, alternatives to the carbon power cycle are needed. Technology has already made wind and solar the power generating choice for many. Hydrogen seems poised to add to the solution.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/01/how-salt-caverns-may-trigger-11-trillion-hydrogen-energy-boom-.html