PSP Updates Twitter Page

Power Smart Pricing has made some changes to their twitter page. Starting yesterday, each evening at 6pm we will tweet the highest and lowest price for the following day. Think of it just like a weather report giving you a generally sense of what to expect. It is also set up to tweet the price is going to rise above 13 cents as another way to receive your high price notification.

Here's a sample:

Thu, Jul 09: Low @ 1¢ from 2am - 3am, High @ 3.8¢ from 3pm - 4pm

Looks good. Easy to use.

Follow us at http://twitter.com/powersmart

Microsoft Joins the Home Energy Management Frey

Microsoft has recently unveiled its home energy management online tool called Microsoft Hohm. The tool allows the user to enter data about their home and their energy usage to determine personalized and effective energy savings tips. More information from unique users will enhance results as the site will be able to more effectively match usage patterns and one's home profile with energy savings.

Once you login with a Windows Live ID (an existing account will work) the layout is very easy to manage. Your home profile is very detailed and the site will update how far along you are in the process as you gather your information. If your utility is a partner of Microsoft Hohm, your monthly bills can be automatically uploaded into your site (neither Ameren nor ComEd have joined this partnersip). For everyone else there is a simple place that you can enter your billing information each month. All you need to provide is your billing start and end date and the amount of kwh (for electricity) and therms (for gas) that you have used during that period.

The more information you can provide, and the more people that provide it, the better the service will be for everyone. Considering Microsoft's outstanding legacy and history of getting people to use their products, this is a piece of software worth watching. If more utilities were to partner (as Microsoft is hoping and actively seeking), then the number of users would rise at a fast pace. Currently there are about four utilites that have signed on, mostly in the West Coast.

If you are the type of person that keeps your bills on hand, but never looks at them, then this site might be a good help. As you enter your data, you will be able to examine more detailed charts and graphs that will follow your usage. Given your home profile and your billing data, Microsoft Hohm will estimate what portion of your bills are going to what appliances and behaviors. It will provide the most cost effective solutions, and it will definitely help you save money.

The one negative is that it takes some effort from the consumer. You have to be engaged in energy saving to get the most out of the tool. To continue on the metaphor, they give you the hammer and the nail, but you still have to build the porch. The site is worth checking out. It's on par with some of the management tools out there. Despite not having the capacity to handle variable pricing like Power Smart Pricing, it can still be a service these customers.

Overall, good stuff.

Check out Microsoft Hohm.

U of I at Champaign-Urbana Cutting Energy Use by 10%

Illinois' flagship campus is ahead of schedule to cut energy usage by 10% this year. The university expects the reduction in usage to save a very significant $5 million in energy costs. Wow...

“We’re heading toward a 10 percent reduction this year, and I don’t think we could have done that without the campus units getting on board,” said Terry Ruprecht, director of energy conservation at Facilities and Services. “Folks out there are doing whatever small things they can do. It really is one of those nifty things where a whole bunch of people are putting their shoulders to the wheel and making it work.”

The University has by no means settled on their accomplishments thus far. Future projects look to continue the trend of using smart investment to lower energy costs. The programs will be able to recoup the retrofit costs with energy savings and through local and federal incentive programs.

For further detail and information check out this Illinois Energy News article.

Sears Tower Plans $350 Million Upgrade

The tallest building in the United States is getting a $350 million renovation that will ultimately cut its electricity consumption by 80%. The ambitious plans include wind turbines and solar panels for an extra bit of appeal in the public eye. The rest of the savings will be achieved through upgraded efficiency in most everything a building needs to operate.

An improved glass exterior will help maximize the use of natural light while limiting passive solar heating within the office space during hot summer months. The new windows will be accompanied with an improved indoor lighting system to lower the necessary watts to illuminate the office space while insuring that lights are only used when necessary.

The internal systems will also be overhauled. Energy efficient heating and cooling will lower the building's burden on the grid. Alongside these traditional improvements will be a new elevator systems design. This sounds like a small task until you consider that 102 elevators cover the 4.5 million square foot, 110-story building.

This is quite the task for the architects and builders to achieve, but it will be a sterling example of what smart renovation can achieve. A portion of the cost will be covered by its own energy improvements, not to mention a boost in tourism and the upgrade in desirable office space.

For more information:

The Chicago Tribune
The New York Times
Treehugger

Ameren's Energy Saving Toolkit

Take advantage of Ameren's online tools to help you save on electricity. The Energy Savings Toolkit will provide you with detailed information about your home energy usage. They will even give you an idea of how much you personally could save if you decided to take advantage of energy savings tips.

The ActOnEnergy website is constantly updated with the newest opportunities for Ameren Illinois customers to save on their electricity through conservation, and in some cases you can get rewarded with a credit on your bill.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming e-thermostat program that will allow you to control your household thermostat through the internet. This will give you the most control over your energy usage during a high priced time.

For more from Ameren's energy efficiency programs go to www.ActOnEnergy.com.