The sun may have been setting over Evanston one recent evening, but the crowd gathered at the local civic center wanted to learn all about how solar power could reduce their electric bills and their carbon footprint with the help of a program called Solarize Chicagoland. “There’s a lot of…...
What’s going with clean jobs training in Illinois?
by Cate York, CUB sustainable communities liaison The Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) of 2016 was huge. It ramped up energy efficiency programs for ComEd and Ameren customers, exploded the solar economy, and created low-income programs to extend the benefits of clean energy to all Illinoisans. But what about the…...
We have a winner: CUB’s Earth Day giveaway
Congratulations to the winner of CUB’s Earth Day giveaway: Bernadet of Naperville! She will be receiving a Nest smart thermostat, allowing her to control her home’s temperature from anywhere with her smartphone or tablet, and save on her electric bill. Smart thermostats are a great way to make your home…...
Oh well, we didn’t need that $12 billion anyway
On Earth Day, we want to alert you that the Energy Department wants to reverse a plan to improve light bulb efficiency standards. And that could lose the average household about $100 a year in savings. President George W. Bush originally strengthened bulb efficiency standards. It was a bright idea that saved…...
Tips to make the most of ComEd’s Hourly Pricing
With ComEd’s Hourly Pricing, a program that charges the hourly market rate for electricity instead of the standard fixed rate, you could see average savings of 15 percent on the supply portion of your electric bill by shifting your energy-usage to hours when power prices drop (like nights and weekends).…...
How much does your phantom load affect your electric bill?
Phantom load–sometimes called “vampire power”–refers to home appliances still using energy even after you turn them off. So what impact does that have on your electric bill? About 10 percent of your energy costs come from wasted power. The National Resources Defense Council found phantom loads account for $19 billion…...
