Ever feel like your electricity bill is mocking you? Or maybe it's not that collective ouch everyone feels when we open our bills and realize we could probably benefit from switching our electricity providers (thank you deregulation). Maybe, just maybe, it's simply a case of needing information on our electricity service, and not knowing where to get it. Previous blogs have detailed and focused on deregulation facts, saving money, switching service and so on, but today I am going to venture into new territory: The Texas electricity glossary.

I found a few confusing terms that I felt would be good for all of us to have a little clarity on. Of course, there are plenty more to peruse within the glossary itself, but I'll post a few just for fun, or functionality, or whichever you may prefer.

Kilowatt-Hour (kWh)
A unit of energy equivalent to one kilowatt (kW) of power expended for one hour of time. The amount of electricity you use each billing period is expressed in terms of a kilowatt-hour, and is noted on your bill.

Duly noted indeed. Kilowatt-hour is especially prominent in rate-plan descriptions and price comparison, so it's a nice little nugget of information.

Retail Electric Provider
A company that sells electricity to customers. All retail electric providers must be certified to do business by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Okay, when you research companies in your area, it's important to realize the difference between an energy marketer, or retail electric provider, and the company that maintains and delivers your electricity. Many times in case of outages, your transmission company will be the appropriate contact for information, not the provider who you purchase service from.

According to our friends at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)—and this isn't just hot air folks—more than $9 billion in investments helped the nation's wind capacity grow by 45 percent in 2007.  

More cheers are in order for Texas once again (go ahead and throw out a random holler; it's really uplifting) as Texas electricity customers can hang our collective hats on the fact that our state continues to lead the rest of the pack in wind energy production. The Lone Star state increased wind capacity by an impressive 57 percent, from 2,768 megawatts to 4,356 in just one year.

Oh and by the way, Texas has more than 1,200 megawatts of wind power in construction. Can I get a booyah?

The days of old are parting ways for an exciting new product in the energy industry. The smart meter is a new technology that will provide the following enhanced services for Texas electricity customers:

• Access to energy use information 24 hours a day

• Improved outage detection and faster restoration

• More flexible services when the customer wants them

• Reducing the need to access the customer’s property

 
What does it do?

In simple terms, it communicates and transmits—in a wireless and automatic fashion—energy use and information, allowing a two-way communication between the customer and the energy provider.

 
Why is it beneficial to the customer?

• It provides customer with detailed energy use and information and allows the customer to reduce their energy usage. A smart meter can be shut off during peak hours when the customers are not home.

• It improves the detection of power outages, aids in restoration and can even provide the customer with energy usage patterns.

• Certain companies will provide customer rebates for using the smart meter.

• Meters will no longer have to be read in person. This provides additional privacy at the customer’s home and eliminates human errors.
  

 
Some deregulated electricity companies are currently utilizing the smart meter, and close to 7,200 businesses already use it as well, but it will take some time for the regulated market to jump on board. This is due to the cost of the equipment and determining exactly who should be responsible for the cost of the meter.

Are you planning on investing in a new home, remodeling or purchasing new household appliances? Did you know

that Energy Star can save you money on those types of purchases?

Energy Star was created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help protect the environment through energy efficient products while helping consumers to save money.

By purchasing energy efficient products that are backed by Energy Star you can save roughly a third of your energy bill. How great is that? You can save money on your energy bill and still purchase reliable name brand products you
trust.

For more information visit the Energy Star site.

HelioVolt Corporation, a company devoted to providing solar technology for the mass market, is building a factory to produce it's solar energy products sometime in 2008. The new Austin facility will utilize HelioVolt's FASST technology, a manufacturing process including a patented "solar skin" that claims to be many times thinner than silicon, and a faster production process. The solar skin allows commercial-scale projects to hopefully become a widespread reality. This could be huge for Texas electricity customers.

What makes this development a possible green TKO in the long-term bout against global warming, is the potential for producing more cost-effective solar technologies, a renewable energy that has remained out of price range for many. If HelioVolt can live up to it's claims of production that is 10 to 100 times faster than traditional solar processes, then Texas may see viable options for solar architecture within the next decade, possibly matching the impressive wind portfolio that the state already has.