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A sustainability strategy for your small business can help you attract new employees and new clients, as well as contribute to a greener environment. And becoming a green business can have a big impact on your bottom line. Here’s how to develop a sustainability strategy for your business.
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Thinking about installing a whole house generator in your home on the Texas Gulf Coast? Good call. The Gulf Coast is prone to hurricanes, flooding and power outages.
A whole home generator can be a good value if it brings you peace of mind and convenience during power outages and emergencies. They can automatically activate when the power goes out, so you barely notice a power outage. But they can be expensive, costing $8-12,000 installed.
Here’s what you need to know about installing a whole house generator in Houston or elsewhere in Texas.
What’s the best air conditioner temperature setting in the summer? You want to keep your home cool, but also want to keep control of your electricity bills.
Keeping in mind both energy efficiency and comfort, the best thermostat settings for summer are 76° when you are home, 80-85° when you are away and 72° at night. Then use ceiling fans in the rooms you are in to feel up to 4* cooler.
Here’s more on why these thermostat settings are the best.
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What’s going on with Texas (ERCOT) electricity? And more importantly, why don’t I have lights?
Below we walk through what’s going on with Texas electricity during this brutal cold snap. We also have some ideas on why rolling blackouts have turned to 36+ hours without power in some areas.
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City inspections and permits may stand in the way of getting new electricity turned on for your business.
It’s pretty common. The business owner shows up on the day they expected to have lights. And there’s no electricity. And it’s all due to a required inspection that no one told them about.
If you are putting the lights in your business name, you’re scheduling a “move-in” and that typically triggers an inspection. Contact your city or county inspection office to find out if a inspection is required. The inspection certificate must be filed with your local utility before you can get the lights turned on with the retail electricity provider you selected.
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Do you need same day electricity service? Whether you’re moving in to a new home or to get power on today, when you have lights out no service, you need electricity fast.
Texas residents can get same-day electricity turn-on from any provider in Texas, as long as they sign up online or via phone by a certain time. The cut-off time varies by provider, but it’s usually between 2pm and 6:30pm, Monday through Saturday. There is no same-day power available on Sundays or major holidays.
You’ll find a list of the cut-off time for same day electricity below.
Where are energy rates going for 2020? And what are the trends to watch? In this article we examine some of the important factors in energy rates, including: natural gas prices, the continued growth of renewable energy, and potential changes in capacity markets.
Texas electricity rates in 2019 were relatively flat compared to the prior year. And if you were in a fixed rate contract throughout 2019, you had a secure price. But those who were on a variable rate or a wholesale index rate (i.e. Griddy Energy) had their rate explode in mid August when ERCOT hit a historic usage level.
So what will happen in 2020? It all depends. But indications are that market forces are driving up retail energy prices in the short term, and that long-term contracts might be the way to go this year.
>>Want the latest Texas electricity trends? Here are Texas Electricity Trends for 2021
You shopped for the lowest rate per kWh for your business. So what’s this other charge on your bill?
Business customers often pay a commercial electricity demand charge in addition to the cost per kWh. A demand charge is a fee based on the highest amount of power a customer draws during any 15 minute interval. Demand charges are established annually, and can add 30% or more to your electricity bill.
Read on to find out what is a demand charge, how demand charges are set, typical load factor by type of business, how your load factor impacts your demand, and most importantly, how to reduce your demand charges.
Can your business survive a power outage?
No matter what kind of business you have, no modern business can survive without electricity. Whether it’s a short-term issue like a line or a transformer down, or a bigger issue like a hurricane, tornado or winter storm, successful businesses have a back-up plan for a business power outage.
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