There is an energy crisis in Texas where peak energy demand is getting too close to peak energy supply. Ercot, the energy agency in Texas, has not kept up with the super hot Texas heat wave of 2023. The energy industry was “deregulated” in Texas, then ERCOT was created to regulate the deregulated industry. That makes sense and ads extra fees to every bill for the deregulated regulation of energy. Back to 2023 Freaking Hot Texas Summer:
The record high demand for power and faltering sources of electricity have tested the Texas independent grid for the past two months, forcing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to look into ways to keep the Friday Night Lights on in Texas during the sweltering TX heat.
How To Shave Energy During Peak Demand?
Power users (energy consumers) should do the following to save money on every energy bill & reduce energy consumption:
- Insulate their homes & offices
- Add insulation to the walls & attic
- Insulate their windows with solar control window film
- Plant Trees to offer shade
- Convert black roofs to reflective white roofs: reject the heat before it is absorbed into the building
- Paint exterior walls a lighter shade (stay away from dark black shades
- Insulate doors
TintDepot’s Dual Reflective 5% rejects up to 82% of the total heat (TSER) to keep your building cooler in summer and save on energy bills. This offers home owners & business owners years of savings off their energy bill and gives the Texas electrical grid a little more relief during the dang hot endless summer.
ERCOT Fiasco
What does this mean to the Texas energy consumer? The Texas energy consumer now needs to study their energy bill, study the industry, keep track of when your energy “contract” is up and look for new so-called “suppliers” every year or two. And what happens if you forget to renew an energy contract? Your bill doubles. This warehouse bill went from a “$.06 / kWh” contract where we paid $.125/kwh because of ERCOT and the 28 extra add on transmission, distribution, nuclear, and state tax fees. So the $.125/kWh fee went to $.26 / kWh when the so called “energy supplier” which just does the billing, they don’t supply anything, forgot to renew the contract. We tried to do it online and clicked on all the right clicks; but then got a message & an email that someone would call to verbally renew the contract over the landline phone? They (Engie) forgot to call and our kWh went to over $.25 / kWh. Even though we have 3 automatic emails that state we “renewed the contract”, they didn’t call & they jacked up the bill. Shame on Engie. 8 phone calls into Engie and they agree that we did the right thing, they have to “escalate” the claim to a VP. Three weeks later, the VP has never contacted us.
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