Renewables provide more than half UK electricity for first time
The cost of renewable electricity production has come down faster than anyone has anticipated. In particular, the production from off shore turbines.
The days of high output are uncertain, which puts a strain on management of the electricity supply. This is exacerbated by the lack of storage (~1% comes from storage).
Without storage and with the uncertainty of what days will provide electricity, we still need coal plants and other traditional sources of electricity. Storage is the next technology piece that is needed to put us on a path of renewable energy usage at all times.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40198567
U.S. Renewable Energy Jobs Employ 800,000+ People and Rising: in Charts
Employment will always be a discussion worldwide. With the rise of renewable energy, the US has seen incredible growth within the solar and wind job sector. The numbers don’t lie.
As solar and wind power prices have fallen (some utilities say prices have dropped 75% in 5 years), jobs have grown quickly. Over the past three years, jobs doubled in the U.S. wind industry. In solar, jobs are up by 117,000 in the same amount of time.
However, the US is still trailing behind China, the EU, and even Brazil when it comes to total jobs in the renewable energy market. The consistent progression of clean energy over the past few years will hopefully continue to increase jobs as well as participation. At this rate, we will all be affected in some way by renewable energy.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
Attention ComEd shoppers….Next month’s electricity price hike is just the start
ComEd is passing through the costs of higher wholesale energy costs. The first increase of 8% will start as early as June 2017; raising their rate to 6.89 cents per kilowatt-hour.
However, that is only the beginning.
October 2017 is forecast for another 5% increase, raising the total amount to 13%.
Although wholesale costs affect all suppliers, Realgy has demonstrated a consistent pattern of having lower rates than ComEd. In fact, over the last 24 months Realgy has only been above ComEd for 2 months.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
Changing minds on a changing climate
Climate denial or climate change believer… you don’t have to change your mind to support the environment.
Climate denial is a belief that current (and future) weather patterns have NOT been greatly influenced from human behavior.
Climate change is evidence based belief that current and projected weather patterns have been and will be greatly influenced with human behavior.
Wherever you are in your understanding of climate change, there appears to be several areas that offer an opportunity to discuss climate change. Here are the topics open to discussion:
- Science and irrefutable evidence based facts
- Stewardship and acknowledged benefits of clean energy
- Current weather patterns are significantly different than the current past
- Who’s facts do you agree with and do you want to associate with credible sources?
So whatever camp you fall into, please share the science that supports your position. Is your position sustainable, does it explain current weather patterns and do you have sources that are trust worthy?
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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 GuaranteedSavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Additional Information:
https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2017/04/changing-minds-on-a-changing-climate/
Local sustainability leader finds forecast sunny for solar
Sustainable solar energy.
Realgy has invested in 6 solar projects by purchasing and installing the solar power panels and interconnection at our customer’s facility. The solar installation and maintenance is paid for by Realgy. The energy produced replaces energy being transmitted through the utility, thereby decreasing the distribution costs for our customer. The energy costs the same as our delivered supply, which is historically less than the utility. Realgy is planning on 2 additional projects for 2017.
Many homeowners are finding out the same advantage applies to them. The article cites an installation producing 9,300 kWh with a savings $982 / year. That is $0.0947/kWh. Which will continue for the next 20 years!
ComEd and Ameren have extensive solar programs and a great place to start is at the Illinois solar energy association at: http://www.illinoissolar.org/
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
Which created more jobs in the US in 2016? Natural gas, wind, coal, nuclear or solar?
According to the Department of Energy report published in January, in 2016, 1.9 million Americans were employed in power generation or mining of fuel.
More than 373,000 Americans worked in solar.
However, those solar jobs, like all power generation, is not distributed uniformly across the United States.
That is why Federal and State energy policy matters. States that support wind (Midwest and Great Plains) grew, states that supported solar (West and Northeast) saw employment grow and states that supported coal (Wyoming and West Virginia) saw more unemployment.
So what power generation do you support?
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
Home tour gives a taste of solar power
Ever wanted to know what living with a solar power plant on your roof is like?
Several people participating in the Illinois Solar Tour 2016 found out.
How about:
“A minimum electric bill; only the basic monthly charge”
“$170 in savings in one month compared to last year “
“100 percent pleased”
Realgy operates 5 solar power plants in Illinois.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
Lansing, MI utility plans to replace coal plant
The Board of Water & Light’s Board of Commissioners are deciding how to proceed with the city-owned utility’s first long-term strategic plan since 2008. The proposal could include a second new natural gas-fired electric plant, this one to replace the outdated Eckert Plant that is scheduled to close by 2020.
The board, in setting such policy, is unleashing market forces to respond. When this coal plant was built, it competed with nothing. That’s right; built in 1950, coal was the only choice. Today, wind, solar, natural gas and nuclear are all competitive. In addition, taking into account environmental factors is now evident in energy planning.
Congratulations to Lansing’s Board of Commissioners; who are setting policy reflective of the current technology and environmental knowledge.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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.
Additional Information:
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2016/08/17/bwl-strategic-plan/88864244/
Hemenway United Methodist Church completes installation of its solar power project.
Hemenway United Methodist Church is now powered by 15.4 kW of solar energy.
Realgy, LLC today announced the completion of a 15.4 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system for Hemenway UMC, an active parish serving the Evanston community and beyond for 143 years.
The solar PV system was installed on the roof of the main church building located in Evanston, Illinois. Pastor Mosley stated: “We share our building with several non-profits who provide vital services to the community. The solar panels provide energy to reduce our energy costs so that we can redirect resources to life saving endeavors. It’s really exciting to see the roof area with the panels installed, as it builds on our commitment to sustainability.”
The solar PV system was installed by Eco Solar Solutions of Chicago, Illinois. This is a smaller project than ECO Solar normally installs but it will make a big impact for the church. “Hemenway’s church building is a flat roof and southern exposure which was a great building to install the solar PV system,” said Paul Szczesny, President of Eco Solar Solutions. “Adding solar to the church so that it will now be able to generate most of its ongoing energy needs for the next 25 years is very exciting and a great investment.”
Realgy, LLC is an alternative energy service supplier in Illinois and is the owner of 5 solar PV systems, including our newest at Hemenway UMC. Realgy supplies Hemenway their electricity and selected them for this installation. Realgy paid for the installation so as to generate renewable energy locally as part of its sustainable commitment in Illinois.
The Hemenway PV Solar system will produce over 18, 250 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy annually and more than one million kWh over the next 25 years. That is enough energy to power about 2 average Illinois homes every year. The environmental benefits associated with the PV system is the reduction of 50 pickup trucks of coal or 12,775 lbs. of carbon dioxide each year for the next 25 years of operation!
“We are excited to announce the completion of the Hemenway solar PV project,” said Michael Vrtis, President of Realgy, LLC. “Realgy made this investment as a continuation of our commitment to Illinois, and especially Evanston.” It is Realgy’s second project in Evanston. Vrtis continues; “The Hemenway PV project builds on our commitment of reducing the cost and proving the environmental benefits of renewable energy to our customers in Illinois.”
Realgy entered into a long term agreement with Hemenway UMC under which Hemenway pays nothing for the Solar PV plant’s installation and maintenance. Hemenway simply remains a customer of Realgy and pays only the market based cost of power it uses (averaging 5% below COMED). In addition, the church will receive a discount of about 10% as a result of having the solar energy displace energy that would otherwise be delivered (and charged) by COMED.
Contacts:
Hemenway United Methodist Church
Reverend R. Mosley
933 Chicago Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60202
847-328-2600
ECO SOLAR Solutions
Paul Szczesny
President, Co-Founder
773.733.4110
www.eco-solar-solutions.com
Realgy Energy Services, LLC
Michael Vrtis
President
675 Oakwood Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-233-2270
www.realgyenergyservices.com
Utilities spent over $500,000 on lobbying politicians…guess who they were lobbying against?
Michigan utilities are monopolies; they have no competitors. So, why spend $1,600,000 (one million six hundred thousand dollars):
1. $500,000 in donations to political office holders
2. $800,000 in TV ads
3. 39 registered lobbying firms
4. 30 lobbyist agents
Who is this lobbying action against…. in a word, US. Anyone who uses energy in Michigan.
The utilities are attempting to prevent cleaner energy, expanding customer choice programs and allowing competition.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. 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 and Index, Fixed pricing.
Additional information: www.realgyenergyservices.com
Supporting Article:
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/11/utility_influence_in_michigan.html