Pre-Paid Energizes The US!!
Of all the schemes developed to reduce our energy-use ‘carbon footprint’, the most critical step to take in the US is to get people looking at their meters. You don’t have a long-term fixed contract for the gas in your car. Your fuel gauge reminds you to fill up the tank when near empty.
Knowing your car’s fuel economy and the price of gas changes decisions you make. You learned that ‘petal to the metal’ uses up more gas than cruise control. You skip the small remote gas station so you can save at the gas stations where there is competitive pricing. You look at the government gas ratings when you select your next vehicle.
The same is true for pre-paid phones. Pre-paid phone and text users talk/text less than ‘unlimited package’ users. Knowing evenings are cheaper (usually free) changes when you talk to your friend across the country.
So what is today’s price for electricity? How much does it really cost to run your electric dryer in the day versus at night? The more awareness and visibility you have of your usage patterns and the cost of the commodity, the more responsible your use.
Pre-paid energy plans give consumers visibility into their use and the cost of the commodity, much like our current car/gas consumption. While many relate ‘pre-paid energy’ to poor credit customers, it really should be for everyone. The days where the local utility hides your true energy costs and hides your usage patterns should be terminated. You want to run that dryer when wholesale markets are at $130/MWh? Watch that pre-paid amount spin down. You need that house cooled to 68 degrees during peak periods of the day when most of you are in school or the office? More spin down. You have no clue what happens when your hot tub heats your water to 102 degrees every 2 hours? You’ll find out!
When you attach dollars to each decision a consumer is making, then you will see progress on the ‘carbon footprint’/'need more power plants’ challenges of today. Smart meters are happening across the nation. The utilities that control their deployment often offer mediocre incremental schemes to take advantage of the information: turning off your AC mid day, etc.
Innovation is where the entrepreneurs of the deregulated energy industry set the pace. Open up the doors to companies offering pre-paid products to customers, and watch that carbon footprint shrink. And the need for more power plants shrink. And many more benefits!
Call your legislator now, and demand pre-paid energy products!
And call ESG to see how your energy company can benefit while saving the world!!