The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

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Summer is Coming. Time to Shave the Peak!

As summer approaches, thousands of our followers prepare to “Shave the Peak.”  

Subscribers to our Shave the Peak program will receive text and email...

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Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Our programs Climate change

Summer is Coming. Time to Shave the Peak!

As summer approaches, thousands of our followers prepare to “Shave the Peak.”  

Subscribers to our Shave the Peak program will receive text and email alerts about how and when to reduce power use on days when electricity demand is significantly higher than usual. As we begin to see temperatures rise above 90°F this summer,more people will turn on their air conditioners to stay cool. This increased electricity demand leads to the grid operator having to call on more expensive and polluting power sources such as oil- and gas-fired “peaker plants". These fossil-fuel-powered peaker plants contribute only a fraction of our electricity over the course of the year (about 2-7%) but have an enormous impact on energy prices and air pollution.

Picture of Becca Miller Becca Miller 
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Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Electricity and the grid Our programs Climate change

Shave the Peak End-of-Summer Trends

This summer, we collected data every day from ISO-New England, the nonprofit Independent System Operator responsible for ensuring reliable electricity delivery across the six New England states. We tracked the forecasted high temperature, the forecasted and actual peak load, the time of said peak, the peak price of electricity and its timing, the CO2 emissions at peak, the output of behind the meter (BTM) solar and its timing, and whether or not we sent out a Shave the Peak notification to our subscribers who receive alerts on when and how to reduce electricity use during times of high stress on the grid. Stay tuned to find out how many Shave the Peak alerts we sent out this summer! 

Picture of Amanda Barker Amanda Barker 
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Picture of Maya Mastro Maya Mastro
Renewable energy Energy policy & advocacy Massachusetts Electric vehicles/Transportation Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Heating Green municipal aggregation Rhode Island Our programs Climate change Phasing out fossil fuels

Listen Up! Our Green Energy Podcast Is Finally Here

We are excited to launch the Consumers for Climate Podcast, now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music! This podcast reflects our mission to empower consumers and communities to make energy choices that speed a just transition to a zero-carbon world.

by Adrianna Lovegrove
Electricity and the grid Energy efficiency Our programs

How to "Shave the Peak" when the electric grid is dirtiest

Peak Alerts! Protect our climate by reducing your electricity use on weekdays from 5-8pm

Starting Tuesday, July 19th, 2022

According to Accuweather, we're headed for a prolonged stretch of hot weather through July 31st. Over the next few days, you might hear from your local utility or our electric grid operator, ISO-New England, that our electricity system will be stressed. If you care about air quality and the cost of electricity, the next two weeks are a time to pay attention to when you're using energy. In this blog, we’ll explain how weather affects the power grid, and how we can collectively try to cope.

Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Energy efficiency Heating Our programs

Finding great Heat Pump installers and advice

Green Energy Consumers has launched a new Heat Pump program designed to connect consumers with trusted expertise. As prices for heating oil and natural gas continue to respond to the worldwide supply shortage, this is a great summer to investigate whether a heat pump would make sense for your home.

If you've wondered how to assess your home's suitability for heat pumps, find installers, or compare their varying bids, we recommend you register for this new program by clicking below. And, of course, read on!

Get help with heat pumps

Find the best contractor for you

Because the heat pump market in Massachusetts and Rhode Island is still relatively young, it’s sometimes hard to know if an installer has enough experience to do a good job. Likewise, heat pump systems can be designed in various ways, and many consumers lack the training to be able to compare designs. Our program makes it easier for energy consumers to find trusted vendors and independent advice. 

Picture of Loie Hayes Loie Hayes 
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Picture of Larry Chretien Larry Chretien
Renewable energy Electricity and the grid Our programs Climate change

Daily Beast: "Green" competitive suppliers are a rip-off

"I want to make sure that my electricity is coming from coal," said no one ever.

Renewable energy is different in that people do want to make sure it's on the grid, in ever increasing numbers. That's why so many people think about buying green electricity, and why they get duped by competitive electricity suppliers.

Our Executive Director Larry Chretien is quoted in a recent article by the Daily Beast that tackles the topic of competitive electricity suppliers, their shady practices, and their greenwashed products. Here we've reposted his comments from the article, and we recommend you read the whole thing.

by Green Energy Consumers Alliance