Electricity Education Archives

Understanding Home Battery Backup Systems – Sizing & Cost

After frequent power outages at your home, you’re probably frustrated and ready to do something to keep your home operating regardless of grid conditions. New technology makes home battery backup a solid alternative to a whole home generator.

In this article we review what a battery backup system is, how to determine the size of battery you need, and the subscription model for home battery backup systems that makes it truly affordable.

Generator vs. Home Battery Backup: A Decision Guide

A whole-home standby generator can run for days but costs around $18,000-$20,000. A portable generator is the cheapest way to keep essentials running, but it takes the most work and carries a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if not managed properly. A home battery is silent, switches over instantly, and covers a typical one-day outage. Plus the newest version of home battery backup comes with a low upfront installation and a subscription fee.

The right pick depends on how long a typical outage lasts in your area, what you need to keep running, and what you can spend.

The $1000 Summer: Texans Brace for High Electricity Bills

Summer electricity bills in Texas aren’t a surprise. They’re a certainty. The only question is how much damage they’ll do to your household budget.

The average consumer in Dallas County (Dallas) will spend $939 this summer on electricity, while the average consumer in Harris County (Houston) will spend $924. That’s for the summer months of June – September.

PUCT Ratings: What Do They Mean?

“Five star rating from the Public Utility Commission of Texas,” the billboards scream. This summer we’ve seen three retail electricity providers (REPs) bragging on their 5-star rating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), just in the Houston area alone. Are 5-star ratings from the PUCT like 5-star reviews on Google? Not exactly.

In this article we break down what PUCT ratings are, and why we think they don’t matter much in your search for the best electricity provider.

Average Electricity Bill, Usage and Price per kWh by State (October 2026)

Last Updated October 28, 2026

Wondering how your electricity bill compares to those living in other states? Find information on your state’s average electricity price, typical monthly usage and electricity bill, as tracked by the Energy Information Administration.

Smart Meter Texas – Information To Manage Your Electricity Usage

With energy bills climbing, consumers and business owners alike are looking for ways to cut back. One way to do this is to better understand your electricity usage.

Smart meters, installed by local utilities across Texas, can help you do that. Tap into Smart Meter Texas, the free website where you can access your meter information, to start your energy savings journey!

How Much Electricity Does a Coffee Maker Use?

How much electricity a coffee maker uses varies based on the type and size. Drip coffee makers typically use between 550 and 1200 watts. Single-serve pod coffee makers (like Keurig or Nespresso) use 900 to 1500 watts of power. An automatic espresso machine uses up to 1500 watts.

Make yourself a cuppa and settle in to read more about how much power your cup of joe takes.

What Uses the Most Electricity in a Home?

If you’re looking to save on your electricity bill, the first step is knowing what uses the most electricity in a home. Understand your usage and you’ll know how to make energy saving (and money saving) changes.

How to Keep Warm in a Winter Power Outage

Everyone knows about Texas summers. Hot, hot and more hot. We hit records in 2023 and 2024, both in temperature levels and duration of the heat.

Fewer think about Texas’ winter extremes. But as a former PUCT staff member told us, “The Texas grid is much more fragile in response to winter weather than it is to summer weather. Be prepared.” Here’s how to keep warm in the winter if the power goes out.

Most power outages in Texas are resolved within 4 hours (although those long outages are the ones we remember). To keep your home operating, consider a home battery backup + energy option, with up to 36 hours of backup power. You’ll get a full home battery backup system installed for under $700, pay a monthly fee and commit to using a specific retail electricity provider. Your REP will charge your battery when prices are low and sell power back to the grid when demand is high.

Who Invented Electricity? From Static Electricity to Today’s Electric Grid

You’ve heard about Thomas Edison and his lightbulb, as well as Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite experiment. And you may even think they invented electricity. But electricity as a concept and as a modern convenience has a more complex history extending over multiple centuries.

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