Why You Didn't Get a High Price Alert this Year

One of the most common questions and complaints we received on our customer survey was about not receiving a high price alert. For example:

I have not received any notices of high prices so I'm not sure how I am suppose to know when prices are high besides knowing that the afternoons are expensive.

The short answer about why you did not receive a high price alert is that there wasn't any. We set our high price alert at 13 cents and there was not an hour that reached this price in 2010. We didn't have any in 2009, either. However, in 2008 there were 122 hours over 13 cents spread across 28 days. In our materials, we made a conscious effort to put more emphasis on the fact that the highest price of each individual summer day will occur somewhere between 2pm and 5pm. We felt this was the best way to help people save because most days will not have a High Price Alert, but it still important to shift your usage away from those weekday afternoon hours. However, since we have not had a High Price Alert over the past two summers we are considering the following changes:

1. Lowering the High Price Alert trigger
2. Giving customers the option to set their own price
3. Sending out Test Alerts to reassure customers that their contact information is correct and that if there is an alert they will receive it.

We are seriously looking into lowering the trigger. In the past, we have been afraid that if they happened too often, people would begin to tune them out. Or, they would think that prices must be so high that they couldn't possibly be saving with the program. Since it has been two consecutive summers of low prices, we think that there is a better solution to what we have now without running into these potential issues.

Right now our current system is not too flexible for having different customers being notified with different price points. It just wasn't designed that way. However, since we have received a considerable desire from customers for this option, we are researching this possibility. We will have more on this as we get a better idea of how we could make it work.

We will be sending a Test Alert this year around the 1st of June. This was a serious oversight on our part last summer and we apologizing for creating some confusion when there didn't have to be. It will help us and our customers be assured that if an alert would go out that they have received it correctly.

This, of course, is all a work in progress. We are looking to continually improve the customer experience. Keep an eye on on the blog for me ways we're gonna make 2011 the best year for Power Smart Pricing. Thanks again, for all your input.

Congratulations to our Survey Winners!!

We have randomly selected the two winners of our survey response drawing to win the $100 prize. Hopefully your holidays will be a little brighter this coming season. Congratulations:

Kelly Taylor of Forsyth, IL - participant since May 2008. She has saved 19% off her bills for a total of $570.

Michael Kingery of Henry, IL - participant since November 2008. He has saved 35% off his bills for a total of $580.

Congratulations on saving another $100!

To all responders, we apologize for the late arrival of your 2010 Customer Survey. All surveys postmarked by November 15th were considered in the drawing of two $100 prizes. Thank you for your ongoing participation in the Power Smart Pricing program.

Some Customer Survey Responses

One of the questions on our customer survey asked "How could Power Smart Pricing be improved to make it work better for you?" We received about 1500 responses to this question, and the PSP blog felt that it was important to anonymously highlight some of the types of comments we received.

The Good
"It sure seems to work really well for me and i have suggested many others look into the service also as I feel that by saving 27% last year with PSP I did pretty darn well!! Thanks for offering me the opportunity to use PSP. Hopefully many others will also join the bandwagon. My son just signed up for the program after my rave reviews. I told him to use it as suggested and it will save him some of his hard earned money to be used somewhere else."

"It is just such an incredible program. Such an environmentally-responsible option that gives the customer control and makes us think about our energy use. We could not be happier with this program and how it is administered and how much money we have saved."

"I really don't use the computer to check my pricing. I don't have my computer on most of the time. If I'm not using it, I turn it off. Doesn't that save energy? I post the little grid that you mail to remind me of the high price times. I like things that are simple and not very high tech."

Great Suggestions
"Let me set the trigger for price alerts and change it via the web."

"A consumer blog where we can hear others ideas for saving on electricity." (working on it...)

"Have a plug in device that would show the hourly rate at a glance. It would alert you when the hourly rate is higher than the non- power smart rate."

Things For us to Work On
"Being able to check usage on-line and recieve a useage graph by mail each month, instead of having to choose one or the other."

"Daily email updates with hourly pricing."

"Easy access to pricing trends at the thermostat."

Why We're Passionate About This Program
"i realy don't know right now, i am just thrilled that my bill is smaller. in todays economy it is becoming impossible to live alone if you are making 12dollars to 14 dollars and hr.. your utilities and housing takes up over half of your income. with that we are always needing ways to save.. i have a limited income and cannot afford a lot of expensive gadgets, however , i am willing to try and do what i can . thank you for powers smart pricing,, please alert me by mail on any suggestions you might have regarding how i can save more."

So as you can see, we received comments of all different kinds. People want more information, they want less  information or they want to have a better way to customize how much information they are receiving. These suggestions and comments are the best way for us make sure Power Smart Pricing continues to improve for everybody.

One of things we have to work on, is to better communicate some of the tools we offer to our participants. A lot of the comments we have are customers asking for things that we already provide. So as a first step in the process, the PSP blog will be writing up a series highlighting tools that are available that people may not be taking advantage of.

Having passionate and active customers is the most valuable resource this program has. Thanks so much for all your input!

[Video] 'Tis the Season for LEDs

Now that everyone is digging up and dusting off their holiday lights, you might find that those old lights just aren't cutting it anymore. So if you're gonna be rushing out to the store to make sure you have the most festive house on the block, it might be wise to look at LED lights this year. Compared to the old incandescent holiday lights, LEDs are brighter, they last longer and (shh.. don't tell anyone) they'll cost you a whole let less on your electric bill. Whether you want to be big and festive or save an extra few dollars, LED's are your best bet. Check out the video below from the NBC affiliate from the Tri-State area. In the video, when Tafi Walker from Ameren Illinois gets on, I am pretty sure she is saying that each individual light bulb could save you up $3 over the month. That's a lot of extra lottery ticket stocking stuffers...

October is Energy Awareness Month

Considering the Power Smart Pricing website has the current price of electricity on its homepage, you would think that we would know all about Energy Awareness Month. Apparently through presidential proclamation in 1991, October has since been known as Energy Awareness Month. This tradition continues today:

 NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2010 as National Energy Awareness Month.  I call upon the citizens of the United States to recognize this month by making clean energy choices that will help build a stronger Nation, a more robust economy, and a healthier environment for our children.

Well, there you have it. It is, in fact, Energy Awareness Month. Maybe we need an Energy Awareness Month Awareness Month. To be honest, October doesn't seem to be the best month for something like this. At least out here in the midwest this is the time of year that the outdoor temperatures are pretty close to most people's ideal indoor preference. Therefore, people's bills are low and energy usage is not to high on the priority scale. For example, the highest price for today is 3.8 cents, or roughly 2 cents below the Ameren Illinois' flat rate.

The message however is great. Saving energy saves money. The more that our friends and neighbors can learn about the best way to do this better all our communities will be. So speak up and share the savings. The Power Smart Pricing Blog proclaims this month to be Power Smart Pricing Awareness Month!

Click here to learn more about what you can do for Energy Awareness Month.

Review of Microsoft Hohm & Blue Line Energy Monitor

This review is interesting because it's not from a website that's geared toward energy saving and conservation. There is a lot of good insight in here about what your experience could be like if you decided to invest in the access to all this new energy information.

This kind of feedback allows for easy experimentation. Does opening the windows and running four fans at full blast use less power than running the AC? And if so, how much lower is it?

The article is written from the perspective of someone who likes gadgets, but is generally clueless about how much electricity all those appliances are using. Best of all, he figured out whether it was all worth it. It's one thing to invest in energy savings, but if it costs more to install everything than what you'll save on your bill, then it doesn't make too much sense.

Personally, I found the most value from the basic real-time display. Stick it in some well-trafficked spot and you're sure to see it numerous times per day, getting a decent sense of how your home's power load varies through the day and throughout the year.

As for Power Smart Pricing customers, it is even more important to know how much electricity you are using in real-time. This extra piece of information would make saving even easier. It would essentially complete the whole cost picture. And think, this all in comparison to the vast majority of customers who see a snapshot once a month.

Read the full Ars Technica review here.

More on Ameren's Free E-Smart Thermostat

The Power Smart Pricing Blog has covered the Free E-Smart Thermostat before. Ameren has since uploaded a video to its ActOnEnergy website to explain the installation process as well as the benefits.

A Guide to Free Electricity

Everyone loves the idea of free electricity. Well, here's a quick guide to build your own small wind generator. All you need is a do-it-yourself attitude and a some sophisticated tools in the garage. Just a quick note: it won't be the easiest of undertakings...

If you're not up for the challenge, the video below will at least provide a neat lesson in how wind turbines work.

Microsoft Hohm’s First Gadget

Here at the Power Smart Pricing Blog as well as through the office phone lines, we get a lot of questions about energy monitoring devices. In the past, CNT Energy offered its participants the Price Light. Despite some of their technological shortcomings (like signal strength), the Price Light was able to help people save money simply by changing color. Now some big names in technology with deep pockets have begun developing new devices, software and partnerships ushering in the next era in home energy monitoring.

The most recent unveiling belongs to Microsoft with their gadget partner Blue Line Innovations. The gadget bundle includes a sensor, in home monitor and WiFi Gateway. It allows you to view your home's energy usage in near real-time on the monitor and the data is compatible with the Microsoft Hohm website.

Early reviews from around the Internet have said that installation is easy. Earth2Tech blogger Kevin Tofel says that "Installing the sensor took me about 15 minutes and was quite simple using the included instructions." At Engadget, a popular gadget and technology blog, they wrote that "Installation is easy -- well, relatively easy at least, compared to the circuit breaker dissection required when we tested out the TED 5000 last year. Unlike then we never felt that our life was at risk, nor did we consider spending the money to call an electrician."

So now that you know its easy... you know about Microsoft Hohm, the real questions on everyone's mind are "How much is it?" and "Does it work with Day-Ahead pricing?"

The entire bundles costs $250 and if you already have wireless Internet set up your home it will be compatible out-of-the-box. This is pretty fair price, and an argument can be made that this device will save you some money and pay you back for the initial cost. Also, if you haven't toured Microsoft Hohm's website, its goal is to give you personalized energy efficiency and conservation tips based on home's profile and energy usage. Overall, a great package deal. You can even buy it right now!

The one bit a caution with the product is that I am not convinced it will work with hourly pricing. It is compatible with a Time-of-Use rates that change a couple times a day, but there is no indication that it can handle something more complicated. The information like real-time energy usage will still be very useful, but it may not be able to  We would love to get a report back from anyone who tries it. 

More info from BlueLine Innovation can be found here.

Also be sure to check out Microsoft Hohm.

From Earth2Tech - REVIEW: Microsoft Hohm’s First Gadget

From Engadget - Microsoft partners with Blue Line Innovation for Hohm-compatible monitoring device, we go hands-on

New PSP Pricing Gadgets

We have been approached a couple times over the past few weeks from developers of new electricity pricing gadgets compatible with Power Smart Pricing. Hopefully one of the options will match what your eye is looking for and make it easy for you to get the information you want.

Power Stoplight

The Power Stoplight shows the current price of electricity as well as the upcoming hours. It also incorporates the very glanceable feature of a stop light that changes color based on the price. You can also find the application in the Apple iTunes store for the iPhone which adds the bonus of checking the prices on the go!! The Power Stoplight is also in development to be available on your Blackberry. To learn more, go to http://www.powerstoplight.com/

Power Smart Pricing Monitor
The Power Smart Pricing Monitor is made specifically for Power Smart Pricing. This application runs on the desktop of compatible Windows computers. It shows the current price of electricity with a background color that indicates if the price is low, moderate or high. It also displays a message about the hour with the highest price as well as when the price will come back down. This is a great tool to find the cheapest time to do some of your electricity demanding chores. To download this program to learn more go to http://sites.google.com/site/radioetcetera/home/power-smart-pricing-monitor

These two programs are a great example of the passion of the participants for Power Smart Pricing. It also shows what happens when creativity meets new opportunities. We are very proud of our customers and all we ask is keep saving and keep up the good work!

PSP 2009 Annual Report in now Available

The new annual report is now available at http://www.powersmartpricing.org/about/annual-reports/. It provides a lot of information about the program to date and how customers responded to the change in prices. Most importantly, it also has a breakdown of the amazing year of savings enjoyed in 2009.

In 2009, the aggregate savings for PSP participants was $1,388,996 which represented a 23.6% total savings compared to what the same bills would have been under the standard rate. Average annualized savings were $304.98 or 24.4%. These percentage savings are three times greater than what was seen in 2008, largely due to the low market prices for electricity.

This estimate of bill savings does not include the additional savings that comes from the conservation effect of the program. Including an annual decrease in consumption of 151 kWh per customer at roughly ten cents/kWh for energy and distribution, there is an additional $15.10 that the average PSP participant avoided paying in 2009. If that savings had been included, the average annualized savings would have risen from 24.4% to 25.6%. For 6,652 participants, that represents an additional annualized aggregate bill savings of $100,445.

This report is a result of the continuing work of a Summit Blue Consulting, now a part of Navigant Consulting, to evaluate the Power Smart Pricing program as a third party. CNT Energy prepared the 2009 Power Smart Pricing Operational Report which can be found in Appendix A. Readers who are not familiar with the Power Smart Pricing program may find it helpful to review Appendix A before reading this evaluation report.

Ameren Customers Get Rebates on ENERGYSTAR Products

If you're interested in upgrading some home appliances, Ameren's Act On Energy program can provide you rebates on energy efficient products. This is a great way to double your ways to save.

Room Air Conditioner Units - $35 RebateAn ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioner (A/C) unit will use at least 10 percent less energy than conventional models…more

Ceiling Fans with Built-in Lighting and Ceiling Fan Light Kits - $20 RebateENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans are always equipped with a reverse mode that allows the fan to spin in two directions…more

Dehumidifiers - $25 RebateENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers remove the same amount of moisture as conventional models but use 10 to 20 percent less energy…more

After you have made your purchase, attach the receipt and your Ameren electric bill to the appropriate rebate form below.

Online Rebate Forms
Follow the links below to view and print the rebate form(s) you need.
Room Air Conditioner Rebate Form
Dehumidifier Rebate Form
Ceiling Fan with Built-in Lighting or Ceiling Fan Light Kit Rebate Form

Inhabitat Earth Day special: seven gadgets that help you save energy -- Engadget

The Power Smart Pricing Price Light, better known as the Energy Orb, got some recent press on an influential technology and gadget blog. It may have had more to do with Earth Day, but it was still nice to come across this simple gadget that has accomplished a lot. When most manufacturers are packing as many features and gizmos into our lives as possible (see cell phones), the Price Light has been so effective by being so simple.

The Energy Orb changes color based on the price of electricity. When the price is low, it's blue. As the price goes up, it changes from green to yellow to red. This offers, for lack of a better word, glancibility. Meaning you can just glance at it, and in the blink of an eye you have some useful information. It can be both effectively ignored, and effectively responsive.

The Power Smart Pricing program used to offer a discounted version of the Energy Orb for participants that would help customers quickly get a sense of the price of electricity. While we always do our best to alert our customers about high prices, those participants that had a price light would reduce their usage an extra 10% during the same time period.

As you can see from the picture above, it doesn't have any switches, modes or fancy touch screens. It is just a light that changes color, and in this case its saves energy and, of course, money.

To learn more about the Energy Orb and 7 other energy saving gadgets including something called the UFO Powercenter click here.

CNT Energy also wrote a detailed report about the effects of the Price Light on Power Smart Pricing customers that you can download here (pdf).

RSVP to Summer Workshops Online

Are you interested in attending a PSP Summer Readiness Workshop??? You should be.  RSVP online at www.PowerSmartPricing.org/rsvp2010.

Workshop schedule:

• May 4, 6:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur

• May 5, 6:30 p.m., Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave., Normal

• May 6, 6:30 p.m., Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign

• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Peoria Public Library, Lake View Branch, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria

• May 12, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville

• May 13, 6 p.m., Quincy Public Library, 526 Jersey St., Quincy

• May 18, 6:30 p.m., Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S Illinois Ave., Carbondale

• May 19, 6 p.m., Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville

• May 20, 6:30 p.m., Collinsville Public Library, 408 W Main St., Collinsville

5 Energy Saving Lightbulbs Coming Soon

According to the US EPA, lighting accounts for roughly 20 % of the a household electric bills. Federal policy is fostering the development of more energy efficient lighting to outshine (pun intended) bulbs that haven't seen much improvement in the past 100 years. First to knock the incandescents of its mantle was the Compact Fluorescent Light bulb, or CFL. Now Light Emitting Diodes, or more commonly LEDs, are gaining traction.

Light most emerging technologies the prices are high. Greater competition within the industry has forced the price of these light bulbs to drop fairly dramatically over the past couple years. However the prices are still too high to break through just yet. The current round of offerings cost between $40 and $50 a bulb.

However, the even at that price they are cost effective against your old incandescent bulb. The new bulbs deliver the same amount of light while using just 25% of the electricity, and they last 25 times longer. For more on the cost effectiveness of LEDs click here.

The market for these bulbs will be people who are looking to lower their electric bill and ease their burden on the environment. Many of these customers have probably recently outfitted their house with CFLs. LEDs still offer significant advantages over CFLs. They last 10 times longer, no hazardous materials, do not emit ambient heat (which contributes to your cooling costs) and are more energy efficient.

5 LED Bulbs You Can (Soon) Buy To Replace Incandescents

2010 PSP Summer Readiness Workshop Schedule

This May the Power Smart Pricing team will host workshops to help Illinois households better manage their summer electricity costs. Attend a workshop to learn how to save more energy and money at home.

• Get tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs with the Power Smart Pricing program.
• Discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy.
• Learn which energy-saving home improvements could offer the best return on your investment.
• Get advice on how you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.

Workshop Schedule:

• May 4, 6:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur
• May 5, 6:30 p.m., Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave., Normal
• May 6, 6:30 p.m., Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Peoria Public Library, Lake View Branch, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria
• May 12, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville
• May 13, 6 p.m., Quincy Public Library, 526 Jersey St., Quincy
• May 18, 6:30 p.m., Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S Illinois Ave., Carbondale
• May 19, 6 p.m., Belleville Public Library, 121 E. Washington St., Belleville
• May 20, 6:30 p.m., Collinsville Public Library, 408 W Main St., Collinsville

Workshops are free of charge and refreshments will be provided. 

RSVP to info@PowerSmartPricing.org or 1-877-655-6028 or sign up at www.PowerSmartPricing.org/rsvp2010.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Earth Hour Tonight - 8:30

Earth Hour is annual call for people across the world to gather their community around the simple act of turning off the lights for one hour. It began a 2007 in Sydney, Australia and it has become a world wide sensation. Each year the event has grown larger and more MWs of electricity have been turned off in display reaffirming to notion that lots of small actions can have a tremendous impact. Tonight it continues at 8:30 PM local time.

Here's a quote from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on being a state sponsor:

By turning out our lights for an hour on March 27, the people of Illinois will show our commitment to fighting light pollution. Earth Hour highlights the importance of conserving energy and protecting our environment for future generations.

To watch a slideshow of images taken March 27 at 8:30 PM from around the world click here.

Check out the 2010 Earth Hour video below:

New Cell Phone Charger gets "Smart" Label

Whatever you call it, most people have begun to realize that our electronics are costing us more and more dollars on utility bills. Each new gadget comes with a new charger and they all stay plugged into the wall sipping precious nickels and dimes 24 hours a day. As consumer awareness grows, so does the demand for a product to let will us plug in and forget it.

First to the party is AT&T who is introducing a new cell phone charger in May called the AT&T Zero. The phone charger has the ability to sense when a phone is plugged into it. So when the phone gets unplugged it can stop drawing power from the wall. Keep in mind that it will be sold separately for around the same price as a traditional charger. It would probably be difficult to realize any savings if you purchased a new charger, but if you happen to misplace your old one you should look for this innovate, first-of-its-kind wonder device (I tried to use as many buzz words as possible).

Up to now all chargers (phone or otherwise) continue to draw electricity as long as its plugged into the wall. The amount of electricity it takes drops when a phone gets unplugged, but you might as well being paying rent  on that real estate in the wall.

To learn more about the AT&T Zero, here's an article from the New York Times Gadget blog.

Calling on Developers

Keeping track of your home's energy usage is something all Power Smart Pricing customers understand the value in. Lowering your consumption as the price goes up provides a unique money saving opportunity. A lot of big companies see the demand for this type of information on the horizon. In preparation, the software giants of the day, Microsoft and Google are making sure they're prepared.

Microsoft's Hohm and Google's PowerMeter represent two exciting entrants into energy management software. Over a period of a couple weeks both companies opened their programs to a trusted group of software developers to create applications and enhance their energy saving techniques.

It will take a long series of trial and error to really measure the effectiveness of these devices. In fact, the it is almost entirely up in the air as to where this software will be used. Ultimately the industry is getting flushed with tons of new data and this new data represents another way to make money (and save money for the consumer... for a price).

To learn more about Microsoft and Google's recent announcements, click here.

Instant Rebates on Appliances in IL

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (commonly known as the "stimulus"), the US Department of Energy has provided the State of Illinois $12,379,000 for a Cash for Appliances program. The money is available as an instant rebate for ENERGY STAR rated appliances from participating vendors for:

• Refrigerators
• Freezers
• Clothes washers
• Dishwashers
• Room air conditioners
• Gas storage water heaters
• Gas tankless water heaters
• Heat pump water heaters
• Gas and propane furnaces
• Gas boilers
• Central air conditioners
• Air source heat pumps

It's hard to imagine a vendor not participating in this offer because their customers will receive a discount with the US Government footing the rest of the bill. You can also receive an additional mail-in rebate with proof that your old appliance was hauled away when the new one was delivered.

The first phase of the program began on January 31 and is available for for water heaters and heating and ventilation products. The second phase will launch around Earth Day and will last until there's money left.

For more information on qualifying appliances, click here (pdf).

Free E-Smart Thermostat Coverage is Expanding

There has been tremendous interest among Power Smart Pricing customers for the free E-Smart Thermostat. For more information you can find our previous post here. The rollout of the new device has not quite matched the demand, but we recently received word that Ameren is widely expanding the eligible customer geography to the following zip codes:

Peoria - 61525, 61615, 61614, 61528, 61523, 61548, 61571, 61550, 61603, 61604, 61554, 61568, 61535, 61606, 61536, 61547, 61607, 61568, 61616, 61611, 61564, 61539, 61552

Champaign -  61815, 61853, 61878, 61873, 61802, 61821, 61820, 61801, 61874, 61880, 61822, 61875, 61884, 61856, 61830, 61855, 62501, 62554, 61818, 62535, 62501, 62573, 62521, 62526, 62521, 62522, 62537, 62551, 62514, 62532, 61925, 62549


Bloomington -   61701, 61702, 61704, 61705, 61761, 61772, 61736, 61732, 61745, 61748, 61776, 61725






Metro East -  62001, 62002, 62010, 62012, 62024, 62025, 62034, 62035, 62040, 62046, 62049, 62059, 62060, 62062, 62087, 62088, 62095, 62201, 62202, 62203, 62205, 62206, 62207, 62208, ,62214, 62215, 62216, 62218, 62219, 62220, 62221, 62222, 62223, 62225, 62226, 62230, 62231, ,62232, 62234, 62236, 62239, 62240, 62242, 62243, 62244, 62245, 62248, 62249, 62254, 62255, ,62256, 62257, 62258, 62260, 62262, 62263, 62264, 62265, 62269, 62275, 62277, 62278, 62279, ,62281, 62282, 62285, 62289, 62293, 62294, 62295, 62298

Please keep in mind that the rollout of this device has to do with ensuring that the technology receives the pager signal required for the thermostat to work properly.

Historical Price Annual Update

On our website we keep track of the average Day Ahead hourly price broken out by month, quarter (3 months) and year. If you haven't had a chance, take a look at Day Ahead vs Standard Prices for the breakdown. It is important to note, that this type of detail weighs each hour equally, but clearly when it comes to managing your electricity usage 4pm is more important than 4am.

The first 3 years of Power Smart Pricing has given us a great amount of data to examine. If we look first at the annual average, you can clearly see how significantly low the prices were in 2009. At 2.682 cents per kWh the average is far lower than 2008's 4.744 and 2007's 4.428.  A down economy for the first half of the year dropped Commercial and Industrial demand for electricity, a cool Midwest summer lowered Residential demand and no major service or storm related damage all factored in keeping prices low.

Representing a first in the history of Power Smart Pricing we did not send a single High Price Alert (an alert sent out when at least one hour during the following day is higher than 13 cents per kWh). In fact, many of you called in thinking something might have been wrong and that you were missing them. Well, once we reassured our callers that everything was in order they were more than happy to hear about the low prices. The highest single hour price was only 7.993 cents (3pm-4pm on June 24). There were also only 5 hours all year over 7 cents. 

A month by month breakdown shows which months had the highest impact on the low 2009 prices. While each month in 2009 had a lower average than its 2008 counterpart, the summer months represented the most significant drops. For example, July 2009 was more than 4 cents lower than July 2008.

We can safely assume that we won't see a year like 2009 again (in many ways...). From our small sample of 2010 prices, it looks to be closer to 2009 than 2008, but only time will tell. So before we get ahead of ourselves, let's be thankful for some low prices and big savings in 2009.  Whether you realize it or not, your success is expanding the opportunity for other communities around the country to take advantage of real-time electricity pricing. Great work by all!

CES 2010 Reveals Ripe Competition

Alright here it is.. after some logistical juggling and tricky air travel in the middle of the winter, the post heard round the world has finally arrived.

Everything about the show in insanely large. The booth displays, the televisions, and of foremost importance the competition. Aside from the large companies vying for the most extravagance booth, the show was stuffed to the brim with smaller businesses looking to make a few magical first impressions.

One place where that competition was brewing from all angles with everyone looking over their shoulder was the field of home energy management. Everything was up for grabs. The meters, the displays, the accessories, and even the communication technology to integrate all the madness. Unfortunately some of these ventures will fall flat because their devices will be based on a communication system that will end up going extinct (think vcr vs betamax or the contemporary version - Bluray vs HD-DVD).


Bulogics - http://www.bulogics.com/index.html
One of the companies, Bulogics is taking no chances. Their devices are based on a communication standard called Z-wave that is in direct competition with the much more successful to date, Zigbee. However in their latest iteration, they have added a simple functionality update to be able to work with all the possible outcomes (Z-wave, Zigbee, or WiFi). Bulogics has developed a Smart Grid Controller that can send and receive signals from a customers' smart meter. If the price electricity goes up, the customer can use a Bulogics surge protector to manage specific home electronics automatically. You would also be able to control your air conditioner over the internet and change the temperature based on different price points that you choose. In the end, a utility customer with a smart meter and dynamic rates like Power Smart Pricing can see energy cost savings automatically. No more checking the prices and scrambling around the house.

4Home Energy - http://www.4home.com/
Aside from the actual equipment and communication standards, companies are competing in the area of software. Just like Power Smart Pricing's new Bill Comparison Tool, utilities are looking for ways to take all this new information and communicate it effectively to their customers. 4Home Energy has developed software that is designed to be "plug and play" for utilities' new expansion of a smart meter system. From the brief demo, it is clear that they have managed to incorporate a lot of the important aspects of managing your home energy usage. You would be able to control your HVAC equipment, your lights, and your larger appliances over the internet or through an in-home display.

So what does all this mean? Things are in good shape. Healthy competition will ensure that the best will eventually make its way to the top. In the meantime, hurdles will have to be crossed to bring this emerging field to fruition. For starters, every company is somewhat waiting and watching for the continued expansion of smart meters in residences.

The so called silver bullet, the necessary component to all this is quite clear... these companies need customers with dynamic pricing. The traditional flat rate would stifle extended innovation. Customers want more for less while the flat rate's offer of less for less leave these competitors racing without a spur.

CES Countdown is On!

Tomorrow the PSP Blog is leaving its comfortable surroundings in Illinois and trading snow and cold for the desert winds of Las Vegas for CES 2010.  Be prepared for an all day onslaught of TMI (Too Much Information). The plan is to not get too sidetracked by oversized televisions, touchscreens, and crazy robots.

There should be reports on new home management displays, batteries, and perhaps an energy efficient television or two... So don't stray too far.

After the weekend, the PSP Blog will post a wrap up featuring the grand themes and schemes headed our way. The blog will weigh in on any success real-time pricing programs like Power Smart Pricing have had on the collective minds of our future innovators.

If you have any requests or specific questions that you are seeking answers for, leave a comment and the PSP Blog will do its best to answer it.

More CES 2010 Fever

The bloggers over at Earth2Tech have put together a "Green Guide" for CES 2010. Some of their highlights match the PSP Blog's top list, but it still should be an interesting read.

Click here for earth2tech's guide to CES 2010.

Everyone be on the lookout for updates from the CES floor on Friday January 8th. The event will be a great time, and it will see the road map laid out for 2010 and beyond. The technology world might not be caught up with Power Smart Pricing, but I guess we should give them a chance to wow us this year...

1/2 Energy & Environment Links

WattVision Is Latest Tool for Easy Real-Time Energy Monitoring (Video)

Wattvision is a new plug-n-play tool for real time energy monitoring. Like most power monitors available on the market, you just snap a sensor on to your electricity meter and you can get real-time energy consumption data on your computer or smart phone. But an interesting pricing structure, super simple displays, and social networking tools for energy consumption data could help set Wattvision apart from the rest of the market.

Energy Star Gets Tough on LG Electronics

The Department of Energy has announced that, as of Jan. 20, LG Electronics will be banned from using the Energy Star label on 20 of its refrigerator-freezer models.

Amazing Glitter-Sized Photovoltaic Cells Look Like Golden Snowflakes

As snowstorms sweep the country, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are warming up our winter blues with the creation of these gorgeous snowflake-shaped photovoltaic cells. The glitter-sized solar sequins are made from crystalline silicon and use 100 times less material to generate the same amount of electricity as standard solar cells made from 6-inch square solar wafers. Perfect for soaking up the sun’s rays on unusual shapes and surfaces, the solar cells are expected to be less expensive, more efficient, and have promising applications in textiles and clothing.