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Will Natural Gas surpasses coal for electric generation?

When hell freezes over, well actually this year!

Over the last 10 years, the United States will have moved from generating over 60% of its electricity from coal and about 2% from natural gas to natural gas and coal suppling about 33% each.

What caused this shift, the drivers include:

  1. Costs
    1. Coal is increasing
      1. Converting coal to electricity is increase (due to emission controls)
    2. Natural gas is decreasing
      1. Converting natural gas to electricity is cheaper than coal
  2. Meeting environmental emissions; natural gas produces much less carbon emissions and none of the mercury or metals of coal
  3. Cost of mining coal; mountain top mining has been nearly eliminated requiring more expensive underground mining
  4. Abundance of natural gas; proven reserve in the US have grown by 400%

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What may be lost in this process is over reliance on a single fuel supply. When the next polar vortex hits it will expose the fact that not only is our electric generation tied to natural gas but so is the majority of our heating.

And what really hasn’t increased in these past 15 years; pipelines into our major population centers. The majority of our urban areas still are served by natural gas pipelines that will be fully committed, without capacity for supplying more. So the law of supply and demand will be balanced; and costs will rise and rise dramatically.

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:

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/natural-gas-to-surpass-coal-for-electricity-20154

 

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Electric rates are a heavy tax on Wisconsin industries

Kernkraftwerk_Grafenrheinfeld_-_2013

What’s the number one issue for most business owners, politicians and homeowners; it’s the economy…right!

So the cost of basic services (water, sewer, electricity, etc.) is sometimes considered a tax. If so, it’s a tax that industry and homeowners can reduce given the choice.

In Illinois, the Illinois Customer Choice program has saved its business and residents $75 BILLION; http://realgyenergyservices.com/competition-work-tune-37-billion/

The savings are calculated by comparing what the monopoly’s default service costs compared to what consumers paid to energy suppliers offering supply service. By any objective analysis; a great success.

Wisconsin does not have a customer choice program. Which means that the utility retains a monopoly on supplying electricity. The result; Wisconsin pays about 25% more than surrounding states.

Wisconsin’s electric rates are projected to increase 4.2% over the next 3 years.

Competition for supply lowers costs and provides cleaner power. This has been proven by the states where customer choice has been offered.

Wisconsin may get customer choice if the regulators and politicians listen to their constituents.

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:

http://www.jsonline.com/business/utility-big-customerat-odds-over-rates-power-plants-b99690140z1-372690251.html

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“full” regulation of brokers…

stop-sign

So, the all stop in New York for Customer Choice (http://realgyenergyservices.com/deregulation-of-a-small-part-of-a-highly-regulated-industry-just-collapsed/) is having ripples. One of the issues emerging is the role and cost of brokers. This may become a rallying cry as it allows marketers (who are already licensed, bonded and have “skin in the game”) to scapegoat brokers as the “bad actor”.

Realgy supports competitive agents. Realgy does not work with or support agents, brokers, consultants or aggregators that do not serve their client’s interest and do so in a honest and open manner. Sometimes, this means we do not serve a customer that is represented by such a broker/agent. Sometimes it requires us to cease doing business with a consultant or broker who puts their own interests ahead of the customer.

Realgy has seen where brokers can and do mislead customers. Realgy has seen where marketers can and do mislead customers.

Each state has oversight over marketers and has enforcement against fraud, abuse or misleading a customer. Realgy supports each state aligning the Customer Choice market to function as an open market and allow fair competition to set service and pricing.

Realgy will continue to provide competitive energy offers, through agents, brokers, consultants and directly to customers, to reduce costs and save as compared to the utility default service.

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:

http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20160316a.html

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DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report

This weeks’ EIA natural gas storage report.  Working gas in storage was 2,479 Bcf as of Friday, March 4, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 57 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 911 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 727 Bcf above the five-year average of 1,752 Bcf. At 2,479 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.

Estimated Storage withdrawal between 55 Bcf and 59 Bcf

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Actual 57 Bcf

Storage rocketing to end-of-season high Analysts are predicting yet another bearish withdrawal from gas in underground storage, which all but ensures stocks will peak at an alltime high when entering injection season later this month. A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration will estimate a gas storage withdrawal of between 55 Bcf and 59 Bcf for the reporting week that ended March 4 A withdrawal within expectations would be substantially less than the 174-Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2015 and less than the 118-Bcf five-year average withdrawal, according to EIA data.

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Realgy, LLC

We ARE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.

03 09 16

West Hartford, Connecticut, our corporate office home town, has recognized Realgy as it’s BEST of 2016 award for Professional Services.

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:

Realgy, LLC has been selected for the 2016 Best of West Hartford Awards for Professional Services. http://westhartford.carefuge.org/sttyndfc_REALGY-LLC

Best Regards,

West Hartford Business Recognition

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Hemenway Turns on Solar Power

Hemenway Poster

154 years young! Hemenway United Methodist Church turned on the first solar photovoltaic plant (PV Plant) in Evanston at a church. Another milestone reached in the rich history of the church.

The PV Plant is owned by Realgy which leases the church’s roof. Hemenway receives the energy from the PV Plant supplemented by any excess demand from Realgy. The arrangement reduces the Church’s utility bill as compared to COMED by about $1,250 / year. The PV Plant consists of about 50 panels which are not visible from the street. The PV Plant will produce about 18,250 kWh each year for the next 25 years. This replaces about 50 pickup trucks worth of coal generated electricity.

The PV Plant was installed by Eco Solar and developed by Terry Black.

Pastor Richard Mosley was a gracious host and is excited to plow the savings from the PV Plant back into the community.

Realgy is proud to continue our service of providing clean, renewable power 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 and Index, Fixed pricing.

Additional Information:
http://www.evanstonroundtable.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=11668&SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&S=1

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Michigan solar industry set to increase 14% this year, long term not as clear.

michigan-solar-census

Michigan solar is gaining, currently Michigan ranks 18th in the Country in terms of solar jobs. However, Michigan is in the top 10 states for good to great wind resources (steady strong winds). So, it would seem possible to have more jobs.

Most of the current solar growth has come from small projects developed and installed by smaller businesses.

With the change in Federal tax policy approved for 5 years; utilities and large entities can propose must larger projects. Michigan utilities have begun proposing investing in larger solar projects and want policy changes to favor them. 

The policy changes mean eliminating net metering and allowing larger projects favorable treatment.

Michigan will be reviewing their energy policy and should strive to following successful states that favor local midsize and small projects over utility size projects. This means keeping net metering and expanding customer choice programs.

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:

http://midwestenergynews.com/2016/02/23/advocates-say-policy-changes-could-stunt-michigans-solar-job-growth/
http://realgyenergyservices.com/go-michigan/
http://realgyenergyservices.com/michigan-energy-overhaul-wont-happen-in-2015/

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Will Ameren Gas Customers get Customer Choice like the rest of Illinois?

ICC

Ameren Gas customers have NOT benefited from the $37 Billion dollars that Illinois customers have saved since Illinois Customer Choice began. http://realgyenergyservices.com/competition-work-tune-37-billion/

However the Illinois Commerce Commission could decide that soon enough.

Every other utility in Illinois has implemented Illinois Customer Choice EXCEPT for Ameren Gas customers. Why is that? In a word, cost.

Ameren Gas said it would cost too much. Given the savings that could result, isn’t it worth it!

So the ICC has ceased taking comments and will decide what to do next.

Three possible scenarios are thought possible:

  1. The proverbial; nothing.
  2. Order Ameren Gas to implement Illinois Customer Choice and allow its customers to have a choice from the utility default service
  3. Order a committee to study it further

Realgy support Illinois Customer Choice in that every gas customer should have a choice other than default service and share in the $37 billion in savings (and growing).

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:

http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20160225c.html

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DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report

Working gas in storage was 2,584 Bcf as of Friday, February 19, 2016, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 117 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 615 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 577 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,007 Bcf. At 2,584 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.

EIA estimate 146 Bcf withdrawal

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Actual 117 Bcf

A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration will estimate a natural gas storage withdrawal of between 144 Bcf and 148 Bcf for the reporting week that ended February 19. The EIA plans to release its weekly storage report at 10:30 am EST (1530 GMT) Thursday. A withdrawal within expectations would be less than the 205 Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2015 and in line with the 144 Bcf five-year average withdrawal, according to EIA data. The wider range of analysts’ expectations for this week called for a withdrawal of 131 Bcf to 162 Bcf

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Deregulation of a small part of a highly regulated industry … just collapsed

ny-psc

The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) action:

The New York PSC has ordered that ESCOs servicing mass market electric and natural gas customers on month-to-month variable rate products must return these customers to default service or “enroll” the customers onto a compliant product under the PSC’s “full stop” of the retail market.

Mass market customers are defined in the order as including residential and small non-residential customers. Small non-residential customers are defined as either a non-demand metered electric customer or a non-residential gas customer with annual gas consumption that does not exceed 750 dekatherms per year or the equivalent.

ESCOs shall only enroll new mass market customers or renew existing mass market customers in gas or electric service if at least one of the following two conditions is met: (1) enrollment where the contract guarantees that the customer will pay no more than were the customer a full-service customer of the utility; or (2) enrollment based on a contract for an electricity product derived from at least 30% renewable sources.”

Energy marketer’s response:

The Commission’s actions today were partly in response to the marketing practices of a few ESCOs. Consumer protection is a key objective for all market participants, including RESA members. The Commission has promulgated myriad rules governing market conduct that can be effectively used to address abusive marketing practices. Rather than exercise its existing authority to penalize rule violations, the Commission instead is seeking to shut down retail competition for all ESCOs, including the majority of suppliers who diligently follow the rules. This action is akin to shutting down the highway in order to stop a few drivers from speeding.

The effect:
The New York PSC has essentially defined what results a business’s product must deliver. Energy marketers must deliver electric/natural gas that beats the utility on price or provide renewable power (something the PSC wants).

So what’s changed?
1. This is not a market place that will allow for customer choice balanced with consumer protection.
2. The PSC has defined the parameters that must be met, therefore defined what can be offered to customers.
3. This may protect consumers from paying above the utility rates (which Realgy fully supports), however, it is a very heavy regulatory action.

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:

http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20160224a.html

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