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).

Weighing in on Smart Grid Stimulus

CNT Energy's Director of Policy and Evaluation, Anthony Star, wrote up a great piece for GE's smart grid blog on how the new funds have made "getting dynamic pricing right... more important now than ever."

There are several reasons that I am nervous about this large increase in the availability of dynamic pricing. One of our key findings has been that it is essential to think about dynamic pricing from the consumer’s point of view.

The article goes on to describe how our organization feels an effective dynamic pricing program should be run. It took us a long time and a lot of effort to figure out the best methods. The smart grid funds mark a time when a lot of different utilities across the country will be introducing dynamic pricing to their customers. If it is done right, then a lot of people (just like our Power Smart Pricing customers) will benefit from finding a new way to think about their electricity use. If not, preconceptions and apprehension about something new and different can bring the opposite effect.

Read Anthony's GE post "Why Getting Dynamic Pricing Right is More Important Than Ever."

DOE Smart Grid Funding is Announced

This morning the Department of Energy announced the recipients of the $3.4 Billion allocated for 100 smart grid projects through the ARRA. Overall the funding will lead to the installation of 18 million smart meters, 1 million in-home energy management displays, 170,000 smart thermostats, as well as advanced transformers and load management devices.

While this is a major day for the smart grid on a national scale, it is unfortunate that neither of the major Illinois utilities were among those chosen to receive funds. The competition was incredibly fierce. Of the 400 applicants only 100 projects will see their projects funded through the grant.

Alongside the $3.4 billion set aside by the federal government, $4.7 billion in private funds will contribute to a total of $8.1 billion. This is quite an investment for an emerging field. Smart grid projects are still new and today is a day that will surely mark its true arrival.

Many of the projects include a dynamic pricing option where customers will pay for electricity on a rate that varies across each day and provides incentives to manage peak electric demand. Some projects even include a real-time pricing model like Power Smart Pricing where that rate will be based on the wholesale electricity market prices.

Here in Illinois we have seven years of experience of how to get the consumers, environmentalists, citizen watchdog groups, utilities, and governments all on board with dynamic pricing. This was not achieved by a chanced interaction between a group of like minded people. All parties had their input, and thus a mutually agreed upon consumer-centric approach has been successful. Nationwide roll outs of these programs need to be handled with care, and they need to focus on making it easy for the consumer.

Click on the map to open a pdf.

For more details, you can see lists of the smart grid projects by category (pdf), by state (pdf).

Continued Coverage from Danville Article

One of the blogs that we have followed on the blog roll called Knowledge Problem wrote up a quick summary of the Danville article. In following the comments we decided to address some of the missing gaps of information and expand further on the benefits of our variable pricing program.

Here was are response:

I should say upfront that I am one of administrators of the Power Smart Pricing program. I am also a daily reader of KP. Great work.

As far as savings are concerned, the average savings for our entire customer base is 13% since the beginning of the program in Jan 2007. Over time the savings levels has fluctuated as power prices change, but we’ve had a very good run lately. In 2009 with the wholesale market price for electricity being so low, the average savings for customers has jumped to 27%. Ameren’s flat rates went down a bit in June which has cut into those savings a bit during the summer but since summer power prices haven’t increased as much as in past summers, the numbers continue to look really good. Not paying a risk premium for a flat rate is what’s making the program attractive to customers.

We hear your concerns about the participation fee and do agree is one disincentive to participation. The history of the fee is that the legislation that enabled this program required utilities to spread the costs of it between participants and residential non-participants. Since Ameren doesn’t yet have smart meters, there was a need to figure out how to pay for the interval recording meters that get installed for participants on the program as well as the program administration costs. Absent this program, Ameren charges $5 a month for this type of meter. The $2.25 fee was a negotiated reduction with the rest of the costs being spread out across the residential rate base via a rider (currently about 6 cents a month). Long term we hope that the cost of meters gets dealt with in different ways as AMI/Smart metering plans get determined. If it were a common cost, the incremental cost of this program would be substantially lower

With the mention of fuel pricing, we have unbundled utilities in Illinois that don’t own their own generation but rather procure power for flat rate customers via the Illinois Power Agency (and some legacy contracts from our ill-fated reverse auction). Therefore the fuel price risk isn’t really a factor or concern to the utility.

We also do like automation to help customers, but it of course comes at a price. We’ve been really proud of what our participants do without automation, they have a good elasticity of demand to price. (see: http://www.cntenergy.org/real-time-electricity-pricing.php for the evaluation reports) We are working in areas where internet usage isn’t that high

Our organization is definitely one that centers on environmental policy, but this program has really proven to attract all types of customers. Most are looking to save some money and are not that concerned with energy consumption or its environmental impacts. In fact, most of our customers don’t even use computers on a regular basis. Automation would help to a degree, but our customers have shown that simple price signals have been able to work on their own. See the evaluation reports at: http://www.cntenergy.org/real-time-electricity-pricing.php. Our participants don’t think of themselves as advanced or cutting edge. It’s simply people realizing that variable pricing is a better option for them.

I write our blog over at http://www.powersmartpricing.blogspot.com. Come over and check it out if you want to follow our program a little more. For example, we are particularly excited about our new use of twitter to broadcast prices.

Check out the original Knowledge Problem post here.

And.. the follow up.

PSP In the Danville Commercial-News

The Commercial-News wrote an article about Power Smart Pricing. There are some informative quotes from Jim Chilsen, CUB Communications Director. The Citizen's Utility Board (CUB) is a watchdog group that advocates consumer protections among a wide range of issues. His attribution to the article is a great source.

One clarification on the article would be to explain that Power Smart Pricing can be great option for many high winter users even some with electric heat. Some Ameren Utility customers have access to a space heat rate that in my cases is a better electricity pricing option than Power Smart Pricing.

However the customers that do not receive this special rate are highly recommended into learning more about Power Smart Pricing. The lowest prices of the year traditionally occur during the cooler fall, winter, and spring months so therefore customers with high winter usage are likely to save on their bills.

Check out the story here.

Any customers from the Danville area interested in writing a letter to the editor to add any additional information about being a customer on the program?

Write a comment to the post or email us at info@cntenergy.org. Thanks!

All LEED Projects to Provide Performance Data

Buildings are responsible for around 70% of the energy use in the United States. They also provide opportunities for low cost energy efficiency improvements that can often be paid for in direct energy cost savings in a short period of time. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) sponsors an award called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) that certifies excellence in building design and its performance.

CNT Energy's building has received the highest rating, Platinum, for the reconstruction we did in 2005. Since then we have monitored its performance to make sure it has achieved the goals that it was expected to, and track how our daily use in the building has effected the results. We have done this out of curiosity, and in our belief that performance monitoring and maintenance should be an active part of a certification for LEED buildings.

In the release of the new standards for LEED 2009, the USGBC has declared that certified buildings must report back their energy and water use performance for the first 5 years. This will not only make sure that building operators are achieving the results the building is modeled for, but it will also provide a lot of data so the USGBC can make the best changes to their certification that maximize the designs that have the best results.

A buzz word in the energy efficiency world is the "Snackwell Effect." Like the popular cookie a few years back, it has less calories but the consumers would end up eating more of them and the healthy snack lost its edge. Some families that change their lightbulbs to CFLs have a tendency to leave them on all day because they're energy efficient. Of course, at the end of the month the bill won't look any different. Actively monitoring performance will help the building owners get the most out of their LEED certified investment.

For more information check out this BuildingGreen.com article.

Watch the PSP Summer Readiness Workshop

The 2009 Summer Readiness Workshop presentation is now online for your viewing enjoyment. If you could not attend one of the workshops, this post will fill you a little on the information that we presented. As always, if you have questions from anything you saw here please send us an email info@powersmartpricing.org or a call at 1-877-655-6028.

This May the Power Smart Pricing team hosted workshops to help Illinois households manage their summer electricity costs. The Summer Energy Saving Workshops presented the information you need to enjoy the summer and while keeping your electricity bills under control.

• Tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs.
• No-cost and low-cost ways to save energy at home.
• How you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.
• Learn about your electricity pricing options, including strategies for saving energy and money with Power Smart Pricing, an hourly electricity pricing option from the Ameren Illinois Utilities.

2009 PSP Summer Readiness Workshop

View more OpenOffice presentations from mgscallet.

Day Ahead vs Real Time Pricing

Last June, Power Smart Pricing switched from using real time pricing to day ahead pricing. We were very happy with this change because it gave our customers an assurance of the actual price of electricity. Real time pricing can be quite volatile, and it is not uncommon for an occasional hour to show a price that is very atypical.

Yesterday (May 14th) was a great example of this difference. The day featured all the good and bad that real time pricing provides while the day ahead prices were very consistent with the low prices that we have seen over the past few months.

First the good - Between 1am and 3am, Ameren would have literally paid you for using electricity as the real time prices were negative (-0.000890 and -0.075410). Of course this occurred in real time so only those fortunate people who happened to have been running a significant amount of electricity at the time would have benefited.

Now the bad - During the 8pm hour, the price made an unpredictable jump to about 29 cents per kwh. This is roughly 5 times the flat rate, and it far outpaces the day ahead price of 3.8 cents per kwh. Day ahead pricing would never see a jump like this one, and it will never stray from the published price the evening before.

Real time pricing can also show times when the price is lower than the day ahead price which would always be nice to see, but there are certain instances like the price spike that occurred last night that can really cost a consumer money. Day ahead pricing provides the consistent pattern that can be used to ensure that shifting your usage to lower priced times will payoff.

CNT wins MacArthur Award

The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) was recognized today as one of only eight organizations from around the world to receive the prestigious John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. CNT has pioneered new approaches to urban problems that use resources more efficiently, reduce costs for households and communities, and improve the environment. The award recognizes organizations that are “highly creative and effective, have made an extraordinary impact in their fields and are helping to address some of the world’s most challenging problems.”

“The MacArthur Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations around the world like these that demonstrate the creativity, drive, and vision to make the world more just and peaceful,” said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton. “These organizations may be small but their impact is tremendous. From protecting human rights to improving urban neighborhoods to conserving biodiversity, they are blazing new paths and finding fresh solutions to some of our most difficult challenges.”

The Center for Neighborhood Technology is an innovative and creative organization that has maintained a strong focus on sustainability for over 30 years,” said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. “The new technologies and ideas CNT has developed have kept Illinois at the forefront of green innovation, and this award is a fitting tribute.”

For more continue reading here >>>

What others are saying:

Bruce Katz, Vice President and Director of The Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program
“CNT’s role is unique and its impact is pronounced. It has successfully bridged the gap between innovative practice and smart policy on transportation, housing, energy, climate and a host of other domestic policies. This is a well deserved honor for decades of quality, provocative, effective work.”

Adele Simmons, President, Global Philanthropy Partnership
“CNT demonstrates a unique combination of vision, high-quality analysis, and the ability to implement effective programs. Rarely do you find all three in one organization.”

Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment
“Having worked with the Center for Neighborhood Technology for about half of its existence, I can attest that it has been one of the most consistently innovative non profits in the country. CNT’s roots in Chicago region have allowed it to beta test new sustainability tools on the ground that have then gone on to have national and international impact. In this urban century, CNT’s insistent focus on a sustainability rooted in community engagement and place is vital.”

Frank M.Clark, ComEd Chairman and CEO
“CNT is quite deserving of this recognition. Their innovations, including their important work on the nation’s first residential real-time pricing program, will certainly be an ongoing contributor to Exelon 2020, our parent company’s aggressive plan to reduce, offset, or displace more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020.”

For more about the award and the MacArthur Foundation click here.

Report from Illinois Smart Grid Initiative

The Illinois Smart Grid Initiative (ISGI)’s new report, “Empowering Consumers through a Modern Electric Grid”, explores the potential benefits of a modernized electric grid and maps a policy path for achieving those benefits for consumers and the economy. At a time when both President Obama’s Administration and Congress have prioritized electric grid modernization and the jobs potential it holds, Illinois is well positioned to become the national leader in the adoption of a truly consumer-focused smart grid.

Illinois residents face $6-11 billion annually in costs related to power outages and power disruptions, with many communities experiencing outage levels far above the national average. The ISGI Report outlines how a smart grid can fundamentally improve reliability and efficiency, integrate renewable energy on the local level, and empower consumers to take charge of and reduce their electricity bills–while saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.

The ISGI Report identifies several steps that can be taken right now to improve the electricity system for the benefit of all Illinois citizens. It encourages increasing consumer choice by pairing real-time electricity rates with smart technology, and urges regulatory rule changes that encourage public and private investment in energy efficient smart grids. Finally, investing in the smart grid can open the door to new ‘green power’, high-tech business opportunities in communities throughout the state.

Currently, Illinois is the national leader in offering residential customers real-time pricing options, and is among the leading states in mandating increased renewables and energy efficiency. Using the economic stimulus bill as one catalyst, the ISGI Report maps out how Illinois can transform the electric grid into a smart grid and set the standard for the nation in stimulating the economy and protecting the environment.
Download Summary Report (PDF, 363KB)
Download Full Report (PDF, 1.26MB)
Download Fact Sheet - Smart Grid: Status and Opportunities in Illinois (PDF, 119KB)

Summer Energy Saving Workshop 2009

It’s almost time to get ready for summer, and for summer electricity bills. This May the Power Smart Pricing team will host workshops to help Illinois households manage their summer electricity costs. Attend a Summer Energy Saving Workshop to get the information you need to enjoy the summer and while keeping your electricity bills under control.

• Get tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs.
• Discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy at home.
• Get advice on how you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.
• Learn about your electricity pricing options, including strategies for saving energy and money with Power Smart Pricing, an hourly electricity pricing option from the Ameren Illinois Utilities.

Space is limited, so to reserve your seat please RSVP to CNT Energy at 1-877-655-6028 or info@powersmartpricing.org.

Workshop Schedule

Monday, May 4, 6:30 p.m.
Carbondale Civic Center
200 S Illinois Ave, Carbondale

Tuesday, May 5, 6:30 p.m.
O’Fallon Public Safety Facility
285 North Seven Hills Road, O’Fallon

Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m.
Lewis and Clark Community College,
Trimpe Advanced Technology Center (TR 141),
5800 Godfrey Rd, Godfrey

Thursday, May 7, 6 p.m.
Collinsville Public Library
408 W Main St., Collinsville

Monday, May 11, 6:30 p.m.
Champaign Public Library, Robeson Pavilion Room B
200 W. Green St., Champaign

Wednesday, May 13, noon
Urbana City Building
400 S. Vine St., Urbana

Wednesday, May 13, 6:30 p.m.
Bloomington Public Library, Community Room
205 E. Olive St., Bloomington

Thursday, May 14, 6:30 p.m.
Peoria Public Library, 2nd floor meeting room
107 N.E. Monroe St., Peoria

Monday, May 18, 6:30 p .m.
Decatur Public Library
130 N. Franklin St., Decatur

Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 p.m.
Quincy Public Library
526 Jersey St, Quincy

Thursday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.
Galesburg Public Library
40 East Simmons Street, Galesburg

Refer a Friend to PSP get $20 at Home Depot

Pass on the savings!

Across Illinois, energy-smart customers like you have been saving money on their electricity bills with Power Smart Pricing. Since the program launched in 2007, participants saved an average of 10 percent on their electricity bills compared with what they would have paid on the standard residential rate.

This spring, you’re invited to help your friends and family save energy and money with Power Smart Pricing! Refer your friends to Power Smart Pricing, and for each friend who enrolls you’ll receive a $20 gift certificate to the Home Depot. You can put that $20 toward energy efficient products like compact fluorescent light bulbs or weatherization supplies to increase your savings with Power Smart Pricing.

To take advantage of this offer, simply tell your friends about Power Smart Pricing. Then if they decide to enroll, ask them to enter your name on the enrollment form in response to the question, “How did you hear about Power Smart Pricing?”

Encourage your friends to visit www.powersmartpricing.org to learn more today!

We’d also be happy to mail you brochures that you can pass along to your friends, neighbors, and local community groups. To request brochures, contact us at info@powersmartpricing.org or (877) 655-6028 and let us know how many copies you’d like to receive.

This promotion is available for a limited time only so tell your friends about Power Smart Pricing today.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

USA Today mentions Power Smart Pricing

Paul Davidson of USA Today wrote an article over the weekend covering the expansion of Federal investment in smart grid technology in the stimulus package that is currently being discussed in Congress. As exciting as that sounds, it gets even better here...

"Consumers that choose time-of-use pricing are prodded to cut air conditioning use on hot days when the grid is stressed and shift, say, their laundry to later in the evening. Utilities avoid building plants needed only at peak hours. Customers on variable pricing in southern Illinois save about 10% on their bills, says program coordinator CNT Energy."

Not bad. (Although I hope you don't feel like we prod you.) Getting mentioned in the USA Today is positive acknowledgment of the work we have put in here at CNT Energy, and what you have accomplished in your homes.

Here is the link: Buzz grows for modernizing energy grid

Saving on Water Saving

At CNT Energy we center our work on lowering energy bills for single family households, multifamily residential properties, commercial buildings, and smart energy planning for entire regions. Power Smart Pricing is the main concentration of our staff and therefore we are mostly concerned with electricity usage. That being said, electricity cannot be the only focus when you are looking for a reduction in your bills. So today I want to shed some light on another way to lower your bills, conserving your water usage and how to upgrade to a high efficiency water heater.

Water conservation provides a smaller cash incentive, but its positive implications are felt worldwide. America offers clean fresh water with relative ease, but water shortage is constant struggle for many third world countries. Kohler, a giant faucet manufacturer, has launched a campaign called Save Water America. The site provides water saving tips and a list of conservation products you can buy (theirs of course). Take the short quiz and Kohler will donate a dollar for Habitat for Humanity to purchase water saving products.

Other than heating and cooling, your household water heater is the largest energy expenditure. The average household spends $400-$600 per year on water heating. The EnergyStar.gov website has a great breakdown of your choices of high efficiency units on the market. Obviously there is no need to replace a fully functioning water heater that still has plenty of life left, but if you are shopping around energystar.gov is a great resource. Many of your purchases even qualify for a $300 Federal Tax Credit in 2009.

For the list of energy efficiency tax credits click here.

Bill Insert on the Way

Keep on the lookout for a Power Smart Pricing bill insert in your next bill. Most people tend to avoid the miscellaneous sheets of paper that sometimes accompany their bills, but there can be very useful information on them. Tell your friends and family to keep an eye out!

Demand Response and EnerNoc

Among policy circles of electricity consumption experts, demand response has become a hot topic. Demand response, sometimes referred to simply as DR, is the amount customers alter their electricity consumption during times of high demand on the electric grid. The reason it has become so important is because peak demand drives the price of electricity up and places the most stress on the grid during the year.

Power Smart Pricing customers understand this idea better than most any electric customers throughout the United States. There is a very clear pricing incentive to lower your electricity usage on those hot summer afternoons.

When CNT Energy goes to conferences to discuss our work, we focus on the demand response of our Power Smart Pricing customers. In the case of most electricity pricing programs, customers do not have any incentive to alter their electricity consumption during times of high demand.

Some utilities take the matter in their own hands by instituting a dynamic demand mechanism. This term refers to ways the utility can lower household consumption on their own. For example, an air condition cycling program gives the utility control over a household's largest electrical appliance. The ability to manage consumption is so important that utility companies even offer a bill credit to have this control.

Like all good ideas, someone has figured out how to profit from it. EnerNoc manages large scale building energy consumption. According to the company, they currently manage 2 to 2.2 gigawatts nationwide. Their business is growing with deals like they recently made with the City of Boston to manage its public buildings. Aside from complex demand response solutions, EnerNoc can show an organization where and when they are wasting their energy consumption.

Here is another example of PSP customers being ahead of the curve. Continue achieving great savings results and responding to peak demand!

Environmental Working Group Research on CFL's

People love CFL’s. Wait, that’s not it. People love to complain about CFL’s. “I bought one and then it burned out immediately.” “They’re ugly.” “They have mercury in them.” “They make me look like a cadaver.” Well all of that is over now. Today, with the help the Environmental Working Group, I am going to set the record straight.

CFL’s save money, and the planet. Their key is using less electricity to produce the same amount of light. The demand for this combination came at a time when the companies producing the lamps were eagerly finding ways to lower the price to be more competitive with the tradition Thomas Edison incandescent. This led to shelves being stocked with CFL’s that did not have some of the features that consumers had grown accustom to with their incandescents.

Things have changed. Reliability, versatility, and competition have improved the product while continuing to lower the initial costs. The EWG Shopper's Guide lists the 7 CFL bulbs that contain the least amount of mercury. Included on this list is the Earthmate Mini-Size Bulb that can be found on the Ameren online CFL discount page.

Although it is important to take note of the mercury found in each bulb. One of the major sources of mercury emissions is coal-fired electrical plants. Considering the lower need for electricity as compared to an incandescent bulb, CFL’s generate 70 percent less mercury pollution.

The shopper's guide also includes a savings calculator that can be tailored to the average price of electricity in Illinois.

Here's the entire guide.

NRDC's The Green Squad

The National Resource Defense Council is the one of the nation's most effective environmental action organizations. They developed an interactive guide for kids to look for ways to improve their schools. It is similar to CNT Energy’s Energy Savers program that performs multi-family residential building audits in the Chicago area. However, this puts the tools in the hands of the students.

The Green Squad teaches kids about the relationship between their schools and environmental and health issues. The site is designed primarily for students in fifth through eighth grade, but also offers information for younger and older students as well as parents and teachers.

The Green Squad

More PSP on Facebook

Our Facebook group is getting underway. The numbers are growing slightly, but growing is the important part. We really want to encourage you to sign up because it will be a great way to learn more about the program from fellow participants.

The first discussion about the program was about Precooling. Now that its about zero degrees outside, this isn't the most seasonal article.

Zuzu asked: So I am up to renew my PSP in Feb , but I'm not sure if I want to because of how much more I spend in the summer... why should I keep it?

and Kristy responded: Best thing to do in Summer is to super cool down the house at night until about 10:00 am while power is really cheap and then gradually let it get a bit warmer during the day. We've done great in the summers by doing that. Also, it makes for a comfortable sleeping temp.


One of the "discoveries" that many of our participants made this past summer was with Precooling. It's an idea that has been really effective for some families, and it is a great method to keep costs down during hot summer afternoons.

Reading about it on facebook allowed our facebook administrator to see the comments and post a link to our fact sheet on precooling. Now we can provide all the extra little tidbits of information that we have learned about Power Smart Pricing.

We strongly believe that Facebook and the PSP blog can be a great resource for us to communicate with you and for you with each other.

Link to the Facebook group

Link to the Precooling factsheet

PSP Article in Galesburg Register Mail

http://www.galesburg.com/business/x946494075/Buying-electricity-hourly-can-cut-costs

The next time I see you it will be 2009! Happy new year!