#GreeningtheGrid: February ESCO and Subscription Solar Update

Note: To power your home with renewable energy, see the most recent Subscription Community Solar update and 100% Renewable Electricity update.

​By Gerri Wiley, HeatSmart volunteer and Energy Navigator

Progress?
Have you seen the movie, “Groundhog Day” in which a weatherman finds himself living the same day over and over again?
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Well, Groundhog Day is over, but you’d never know it by looking at NYSEG’s electricity supply for us. In fact, as you see in above chart, the percentages of renewables and greenhouse gas emission-free electricity were higher in 2009 than they were ten years later in 2019!

We can do better than this! Let’s make sure our friends and family know that Subscription Community Solar and 100% Renewable ESCOs are available.
What’s new with Subscription Community Solar this month?

As solar projects reach capacity, new ones are being built, so if you haven’t purchased solar panels, you might consider doing so, or consider subscribing to a solar project. Delaware River Solar and Nexamp are building new projects now and Solar Farms NY still has available space. Get yourself on one of the waiting lists, as projects can reach capacity quickly.

What’s new with 100% Renewable Electricity ESCOs?

I’m still awaiting the magical appearance of a second plan from which to choose. Why is Energy Coop of America’s renewable plan still the only plan I can list? Because it is the only one meeting my criteria:

• Buys 100% renewable electricity (RECs) from New York State
• Its trailing 12 mo. average is no more than 2 cents/kWh more than that of NYSEG’s traditional grid mix
• Has few or no customer complaints to the Public Service Commission or Better Business Bureau
• Uses ethical marketing practices
• Provides timely and useful customer service

Note that if you live in a community that’s part of a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) with default 100% renewable electricity (such as Village of Owego, Town of Union, Village of Horseheads, Village of Elmira Heights), you may already be subscribed to an ESCO that fairly well meets these criteria. Check your NYSEG bill to see if an ESCO called ‘Constellation New Energy’ is listed or drop me a note and we’ll figure it out together.