The Main Types of Alternative Energy Today

Why exactly are alternative energy companies becoming such a major part of the energy industry today? For two main reasons: alternative electricity for your home or business can potentially provide savings for some consumers in the immediate future, while the variety of energy sources can allow for environmentally friendly energy options in the long run. 

As alternative power companies are given more opportunities to provide valuable resources to their customers, thanks in part to the deregulation of electricity markets, more effective and affordable energy sources become available. Here are just a few of the most common types of alternative power sources provided by energy companies today: 

Solar Energy: Harnessing the natural power of solar rays from the sun, solar energy has been an important source of energy since before "power companies" were even a thing! Solar energy is used more often than any other alternative energy source globally. 

Wind Energy: A bit less common (and reliable) than solar energy -- but just as powerful -- is wind-powered energy. This form of natural energy has actually been used for hundreds of years: think of how ships used their sails to navigate the seas, or how windmills in colonial times allowed farmers and shop owners to manage automated tasks (like grinding grains). 

Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is easily one of the most powerful forms of energy today, and it can be found nearly anywhere. This energy source uses heat which is produced deep under the Earth's surface, where molten rock and lava are constantly churning, and heat pumps convert this heat into steam so that it can power generators in homes and businesses. As long as the Earth keeps producing heat, this form of energy has the possibility of remaining renewable indefinitely. 

There are several other types of power sources which alternative energy companies are starting to tap into -- and it's never too early to start learning about these sources and deciding if you might benefit from them!

Alternative Electricity Companies Look to Silicon Valley

As the world and the people that live in it have become more and more concerned with sustainability, energy suppliers' distributions have become an issue of importance. Many communities have already deregulated energy markets, and now one of the country's leading, innovative communities is doing the same. 

Silicon Valley has long been known as the intellectual hub when it comes to technology in the United States and now the city of Los Altos, California looks like they'll try their luck with alternative electricity companies. According to the Los Altos Town Crier, the Los Altos City Council will make their final recommendation January 26 on whether or not the Silicon Valley Community Choice Energy (CCE) Partnership will be allowed to work with the local PGandE electricity company already in place to deliver more renewable and potentially cheaper electricity. 

"It's given us a choice," said Los Altos Environmental Commission Chairman Gary Hedden, speaking on his own behalf. "To me, that’s the big attraction." 

The cost of generating and delivering electricity has decreased considerably in recent years thanks to technological advancements. For example, in 1995 the average delivered cost of electricity for investor-owned utilities was 7.1 cents per kilowatt hour and generation accounted for about two-thirds of the price. Today, generation only accounts for less than half the price, according to the Edison Electric Institute. 

For a community that's known for living on the cusp of modernization, they were hesitant to make the move from the norm. They first considered the move way back in April, and now things are finally moving after about a year. While no solid numbers on just how much consumers can expect to save on their bill are available yet, energy industry deregulation generally means more competition, better services, and ultimately better prices. 

Under the proposed partnership, CCE will actually work with PGandE. PGandE will maintain the grid and distribute the services, while CCE procures energy from alternative electricity suppliers. This strategy makes sense to at least one former member of the California Energy Commission and current resident of the area. 

"Utilities' business is to sell energy – not get customers to save energy," said Jeff Byron. "I'm keen on renewables, but the stuff I’m more interested in seeing is consumers being more efficient in their usage." 

Alternative electricity companies are a great solution to many of the problems local communities face and more officials would be wise to investigate services like Starion Energy for renewable, affordable, and reliable alternative electricity companies.

What Are Some Alternative Electricity Sources?

Electricity is a great expense when it comes to a household, with the average american living in an average home using 903 kilowatt hours per month costing $107. Air conditioning alone uses 19% of that money, which is the largest use of electricity in a U.S. household. There are, however, many alternative electricity companies that can help you find alternative energy sources for your home that are less costly. 

A few energy suppliers are:
Wind
Wind mills or turbines use wind and convert its energy to electricity. Most homes use this electricity to charge batteries that energize the home, this compensates for times when there a minimal winds. Wind is best used for electricity in are where there is naturally a great amount of wind.

Solar
Solar power gives energy during sunny days, and at night or cloudy days a grid is accessed that has stored power for those times. Solar power systems are available for both large and small homes. The grid is normally placed on the roof to receive optimal sunlight.

MicroCHP
Heavy industries often use combined heat and power (CHP) as a source of alternative electricity. The heat from fuels produced by the industry, which is normally vented, is captured by a MicroCHP unit and produces electricity. These units are advancing to combine home electrical generation, home heating, and water heating.

Combustion Engine
Combustion engines fueled by gas, natural gas, propane, or diesel are the least costly to purchase and install. However, to operate them is the most costly source of alternative electric power, which is why they are mainly used for emergency back-up where they may be frequent outages of power.The above stated power suppliers can be provided to you from alternative electricity companies. It is becoming increasingly important to find power companies that will help because electricity use keeps increasing. In fact, in 2013 U.S. electricity use was over 13 times more than 1950 electricity use.

3 Ways to Trim Your Energy Bills

Winter is here, which means your energy bills may start creeping up soon. That is, unless you do something about it. Here are a few ways to keep power companies from getting more of your money this winter. 

Make Sure All of Your Vents Are Open. - It sounds obvious, but it's worth checking to make sure that all of your heating vents are open. If they're not, then your home isn't being evenly heated. Consequently, your heater works harder and harder to get those parts of the home warmed up, which means it uses up more energy, increasing the bill. Go all throughout your home and apartment to double check and make sure your heating vents are open. 

Get a Programmable Thermostat. - Programmable thermostats are great investments. You can set it so it automatically heats up your home when you're home or about to be home, and set it so that your house is cooler when you're not around, so it doesn't use as much energy. Studies show that programmable thermostats can help homeowners save as much as 20% of their heating costs. In fact, they pay for themselves in the first year. 

Turn the Heat Down. - Why keep your house super warm when you can just as easily put on a sweater? You can save between one to three percent of your heating costs just by dialing things down. The optimum temperature is to set your home to 68 degrees when you're home, and 65 degrees when you're away. If you're going to be gone for the day (or at least for five hours), lower your thermostat to 58 degrees. 

It's also worth noting that there are renewable energy companies who may be able to offer you more alternatives. That being said, not all states have deregulated energy markets. Check online to see if your state allows different power suppliers to compete for customers. 

If you have any questions, feel free to share in the comments.

Michigan Delays Proposed Energy Deregulation Overhaul to 2016

The United States has seen great strides in the area of deregulated energy markets in recent years, but there are still only nine states that have both the deregulation of electricity markets and energy industry deregulation. While the answer may be different for energy companies, it's pretty clear the consumer is the ultimate winner when the government is taken out of the equation and businesses are forced to compete just like in every other industry. 

Considering the current state of industries like natural gas, and the fact that U.S. electricity use in 2013 was more than 13 times greater than electricity use in 1950, these matters will begin to play an even bigger role going forward. One of the states that has deregulated their electricity markets, and has been on the cusp of doing the same for energy companies, is Michigan. 

According to the utility and energy news source UtilityDive.com, state lawmakers have decided to push back the vote on energy overhaul legislation that was planned until 2016. Michigan has struggled with what essentially amounts to partial deregulation right now and is trying to include language to boost renewable energy use. 

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) had said he wanted an energy package completed and passed before the end of this year, but with just days left in this year's session, lawmakers are forced to delay the vote until next year. 
"That was a goal," said Sen. Mike Nofs (R). "But more important than the goal is actually getting it right. So my bills aren't ready and they're not right yet." 
Renewable energy companies may already be chomping at the bit after the Michigan House Energy Policy Committee last month passed amendments to energy legislation that included a 30% renewables goal by 2025 and a compromise which would keep the state's energy choice law at 10%. 

In addition to cleaner energy companies, deregulation has helped consumer bottom-line as well. In 1995, generation accounted for about two-thirds of the price of electricity compared to today, where the cost of generating electrons currently accounts for less than half of the price of electricity, according to the Edison Electric Institute. 

Hawaii Debates New Alternative Electricity Suppliers

The trend towards the deregulation of electricity markets has become more and more common across the Continental United States, but it appears deregulated electricity could payoff in the one state not included in that area. Alternative electricity suppliers and energy companies are constantly looking for new opportunities and one of the most recent examples is taking place right now on the islands of Hawaii. 
According to the energy and utility industry news source UtilityDive.com, the Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative (HIEC) is attempting to block the proposed $4.3 billion takeover of Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI) by NextEra Energy. The alternative electricity suppliers believe they can provide the island state with the utility they need at a much lower price than NextEra Energy. 
This has become somewhat common in the U.S. as electricity remains one of the most valuable and sought after resources. In fact, U.S. electricity use in 2013 was more than 13 times greater than electricity use in 1950. 
Fortunately, through modern advances in technology and equipment alternative electricity suppliers are able to compete with already established providers, which ultimately results in lower costs for the consumer. In 1995, generation accounted for about two-thirds of the price of electricity. Today, the cost of generating electrons currently accounts for less than half of the price of electricity, according to the Edison Electric Institute. 
In this specific case, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will decide whether or not the proposed merger will go through. NextEra has reported that they will be able to save customers about $400 over the course of five years. However, the cooperative-style, nonprofit HIEC believes they can save consumers, “as much as $113 million on the existing HELCO rate base and up to $234 million including investments to modernize the grid over four years.” 
The final decision isn't expected to come down until June 2016. Hawaii regulators rejected NextEra's Hawaiian Electric's Power Supply Implementation Plan last month for not aligning with the state's clean energy goals, which could foreshadow a potential win for alternative electricity.

Four Ways You Can Quickly Cut Down On Your Utility Bills

Our country's energy suppliers produce an unprecedented amount of electricity. In the mid-1990s, electricity was affordable at 7.1 cents per kilowatt hour in 1995; by that year the price to actually generate the electricity from the power companies was two-thirds the price of what the homeowner would pay for electricity. In 2013, United States energy use was over 13 times greater than the energy use of 1950. Moreover, the current cost to generate electricity amounts to less than half of the price of electricity according to the Edison Electric Institute. Cutting down on your electric bill is possible by following these steps to cut costs and find alternative electricity for your home.

Regulate Heat Year-Round 

Most wasted energy is due to heat or air conditioning that runs while no one is home. By installing a programmable thermostat, you can set your heater or air conditioner to run only during the hours that people are home. In total, this can help homeowners save as much as 10% per year on their heating and cooling bills.

Warm Bathing Water 

Studies have shown that most Americans dedicate up to 18% of their utility bills to water heating. New, tankless water heaters are able to store a greater reservoir of hot water while helping to eliminate costs, thus helping homeowners save hundreds on their hot water every year.

Energy-Saving Appliances 

Many Americans have joined a growing movement to find more economically friendly, low-energy alternatives to traditional appliances. The refrigerators of today use three-quarters less energy than the average refrigerator sold in 1975; this is even despite the fact that today's refrigerators are 20% larger and cost 60% less.

Alternative Electricity for Your Home 

Many homeowners are searching for more affordable alternative electricity companies in order to save on their monthly bills. Many of these companies take extra precautions to ensure that your home is using energy at a moderate rate relative to the size of your household. Already, these alternative energy companies have installed 50 million smart meters to regulate nearly 43% of homes in the United States.