Your Opinion Of BG&E's "Clean Energy" Option (Baltimore: credit, month to)

[Calvert Hall '62]

If you enroll, BGE will supply you with energy from renewable sources like wood, sun, wind, etc. The FAQ says that "... outages will be no more or less than they've ever been."

On the matter of cost: "Contrary to what you may have heard, clean energy costs are comparable to 'dirty' energy. In some areas, it's even cheaper! But like all the sources your energy provider uses, the cost of clean energy does fluctuate."

The supplier "Clean Energy Option" will provide BGE with the energy.

Would very much like to hear your opinions on this option.

[james777]

The supplier "Clean Energy Option", is that is separate company that provides the energy while BGE does the billing? I know nothing about that company, but I should warn you to beware of these companies that supply energy through BGE's lines while BGE does the billing. For the past couple of years I have been paying twice as much as I should have for my electricity because it came from one of those suppliers of energy that they have allowed since deregulation. I was paying 19 cents per kilowatt hour while BGE's was charging 9 cents per kilowatt hour. So my electric bill for running the AC all the time during last summer's scorching heat would have been half as much. I quickly switched back to BGE. Everyone should check their bill because some people have been switched without knowing it. I would not have known of the price difference unless I had gone over my bill, which I had never done before. I guess now that everything is deregulated, you need to go over your bills to find out which companies are screwing you.

As for whether my energy is clean or dirty, I could care less. There are plenty of ways that the people, government, and companies of this country could save energy, recycle, and have a cleaner environment if they wanted to.

[Calvert Hall '62]

Originally Posted by james777

The supplier "Clean Energy Option", is that is separate company that provides the energy while BGE does the billing? I know nothing about that company, but I should warn you to beware of these companies that supply energy through BGE's lines while BGE does the billing. For the past couple of years I have been paying twice as much as I should have for my electricity because it came from one of those suppliers of energy that they have allowed since deregulation. I was paying 19 cents per kilowatt hour while BGE's was charging 9 cents per kilowatt hour. So my electric bill for running the AC all the time during last summer's scorching heat would have been half as much. I quickly switched back to BGE. Everyone should check their bill because some people have been switched without knowing it. I would not have known of the price difference unless I had gone over my bill, which I had never done before. I guess now that everything is deregulated, you need to go over your bills to find out which companies are screwing you.

FAQ says that BGE will still maintain wires, prepare the bill, and provide reliable service. The only change according to the FAQ "... is where BGE gets its electricity ..." (BGE emphasis)

So I don't know how to interpret that. FAQ also says you can switch back at any time.

Incidentally, my wife's caregiver said that she gets her electricity from "Ambit" and prices have been substantially cheaper than BGEs. Ambits still uses "dirty" energy.

[North Beach Person]

Hey kids, it is somewhat of a shell game.

I have traditional electric service from BGE. You, my next door neighbor, sign up for this program. The electricity comes to our houses on the same main line. There is no differentiation for the generating source. They just shift numbers around.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Hey kids, it is somewhat of a shell game.

I have traditional electric service from BGE. You, my next door neighbor, sign up for this program. The electricity comes to our houses on the same main line. There is no differentiation for the generating source. They just shift numbers around.

Exactly right. If you have interests, I encourage you to do some additional research in Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), which are separately traded. By supplying a REC to match 1 for 1 with a megawatt-hour, your energy is declared green. There is no possible way to know which electron went where once it is in the grid. You can't see one or anything, so you move and use RECs in the shell game if you will. If energy is to be declared green, 1 REC is retired for every MWh.

As for alternate suppliers as some of you have mentioned, yes, I encourage you to check. But it shows up very clearly in 1 spot of the BGE bill: "Electric Supplier Charges," the bottom left of your bill. It says the name of the company. If it is another company, you SHOULD know, unless you have been illegally "slammed." Also, you should know what sort of product you are on, whether it is fixed or variable (month to month). Fixed rates are good for so long and then often terminate, switching to to variable until a new contract is signed or you request to terminate back to BGE. If you have another company, their phone number should be listed. You can call them and ask what the terms of the contract were - though you should have saved the contract. If you were slammed, contact the Public Utilities Commission. This is the same for natural gas supply.

[picardlx]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Hey kids, it is somewhat of a shell game.

I have traditional electric service from BGE. You, my next door neighbor, sign up for this program. The electricity comes to our houses on the same main line. There is no differentiation for the generating source. They just shift numbers around.

That was incredibly shallow, I cannot believe people actually think this way.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by picardlx

That was incredibly shallow, I cannot believe people actually think this way.

What way? Do you honestly think that your "green energy" is differently handled than what you in Baltimore get from Calvert Cliffs?

If you do, then there is some shallow thinking going on at your end.

The way it's handled is exactly how CDMoore described.

[cdmoore125]

Originally Posted by picardlx

That was incredibly shallow, I cannot believe people actually think this way.

Yeah I am particularly confused on your side. I work in the industry, that is exactly how it works. It can't be done any other way.