Tag Archives: electricity rates

How to read your SDG&E bill

Reading Time: 6 minutes

San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) is the third largest utility company in the Golden State. Based in San Diego, they provide natural gas and electricity to about 3.3 million people in San Diego and southern Orange County.

Many electricity customers throughout the country receive their electric bill every month and pay it without really diving into the details of what they’re actually paying for…and we’re here to help break it down. In this article, we’ll review the most important parts of your SDG&E electricity bill, and how that changes once you install solar panels.

Continue reading →

Saving energy with EnergySage, part 3: Understanding your electricity rates

Leave a reply

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This post is the third in our series about how to save on your energy bills even when you’re spending more time at home, as the entire EnergySage team is, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (here are the first and second.) Continue to check our blog for more ideas for how you can take control of your energy bills in the coming weeks.

Continue reading →

Saving energy with EnergySage, part 1: What’s on your bill?

Leave a reply

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This post is the first in our series about how to save on your energy bills even when you’re spending more time at home, as the entire EnergySage team is, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue to check our blog for more ideas for how you can take control of your energy bills in the coming weeks.

You may have heard that the world is basically on pause right now. The impact of the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus appears to be vast, far-reaching, and multilayered, including in some ways that you may not anticipate. For instance, with so many Americans now working from home or sheltering in place, one way you may see the impact of the pandemic personally is in how your energy bills change now that you’re spending more time at home.

Continue reading →

Which SCE rate schedule is best for solar? Understanding peak hours

6 Replies

Reading Time: 6 minutesSouthern California Edison’s (SCE) new time-of-use (TOU) rate plans went into effect in March 2019, affecting the utility’s entire coverage area. Whether you have solar panels on your roof, are considering solar, or don’t have any plans to generate your own electricity, the time-of-use (TOU) rates will have an impact on your monthly electricity costs. Continue reading →

Demand response programs explained

1 Reply

Reading Time: 5 minutesA large portion of the cost of electricity comes from a very small portion of hours out of the year. As a result, utilities, electricity grid operators and private companies alike are finding innovative solutions to these infrequent but substantial electricity costs. One product in particular that has already proven to be successful throughout the country is demand response.

Continue reading →

Pros and cons of electric water heaters

7 Replies

Reading Time: 5 minutesHeating water in your house requires a lot of electricity. In fact, roughly 12 percent of an average home’s energy consumption is spent heating water. How much energy your own water heater consumes depends not only on how much hot water you use but also on the type of water heater you install. As such, when it’s time to install a new water heater in your home, it’s important to compare multiple options before making a final purchasing decision.

Continue reading →

Which PG&E rate schedule is best for solar? Understanding peak hours

16 Replies

Reading Time: 5 minutes

PG&E’s new rate schedule affects utility’s entire coverage area in 2020. Whether you have solar panels on your roof, are considering solar, or don’t have any plans to generate your own electricity, the time-of-use (TOU) rates will have an impact on your monthly electricity costs. Currently, all PG&E customers have the option of switching to TOU rates or remaining on their existing rate schedule. However, if you are a new PG&E customer or move to a new address, you’ll have to choose a new TOU plan. The best option for your home depends on your electricity use habits.

Continue reading →

Feed-in tariffs: a primer on feed-in tariffs for solar

4 Replies

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are a number of financial incentives offered to property owners going solar. From rebates to tax incentives and net metering policies, there are many policies that bring down the cost of installing solar panels on your house. One such policy is the feed-in tariff, which, when designed properly, can provide substantial financial benefits to solar customers.

Continue reading →

Understanding time-of-use rates

Leave a reply

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Across the country, utilities are beginning to introduce innovative rate structures for residential energy consumers. These rate structures–from time-of-use rates to demand charges to real-time-pricing–all have a common goal: to incentivize customers to consume energy during times when the cost of generating electricity is cheap, and to disincentive energy consumption when the cost of generating electricity is high. As a result, understanding the ins and outs of a time-of-use rate can help you reduce your monthly cost of energy.

Continue reading →

How do demand charges work?

Leave a reply

Reading Time: 5 minutesIn the past few years, utilities across the country — from Indiana to Massachusetts to Arizona — proposed mandatory or voluntary demand charges for residential customers. With the right resources and knowledge, it is definitely possible to reduce your monthly bill on a demand charge rate. But in many situations, including often for people with solar on their roof, demand charges can lead to more expensive bills overall.

Continue reading →