Hacking the Electrical Grid (Part 1)

Perhaps the recent blackouts in California, as well as the dangerously low reserve margins that ERCOT faced in Texas this summer, were timely opportunities to reflect on the sometimes precarious state of centralized grids. And even more pressing is the … Continue reading

Utility Scams Awareness

It’s never a bad time to arm yourself against the revolving door of fraud and scams that affect the utility space. With Wednesday, November 20th being Utility Scam Awareness Day, we thought it necessary to add to the growing body … Continue reading

Microgrids and Their Potential Impacts

Microgrids are quickly becoming the future of the power industry as the city of Austin, Texas recently experimented with microgrids as a way to lessen the impact and incidence of electrical blackouts. Essentially, they are investing in a lot of … Continue reading

The EIA Electric Power Annual in Context

Sometimes the sheer magnitude of electrical data out there can lead to a staggering feeling of information overload. Given that the EIA just released their Electric Power Annual, it’s important to at least interpret a broad overview of the existing … Continue reading

Texas Solar Energy Updates

A lot has been said about Texas wind and other pushes for renewable electricity generation, and solar is just as relevant a talking point. Texas is the 6th largest supplier of solar energy in the country, after all. Using that … Continue reading

Tornadoes Affect Dallas Electricity Customers

As if recent weather-related news in and near Texas wasn’t chaotic already, three tornadoes ripped through Dallas last week. Ten overall tornadoes were formed because of the storms that stretched across North Texas. These tornadoes left behind devastated stretches of … Continue reading

The State of Solar Energy

Even though wind farms and natural gas generators have increased in construction costs throughout the Country, solar photovoltaic systems have actually decreased in cost to make. This is according to the EIA, who say that “Since 2013, average costs for … Continue reading

Recent Profile of Retail Texas Electric Rates

According to the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power (TCAP) and their annual snapshot of electricity prices in Texas, prices have decreased in the deregulated areas of Texas. These price decreases were not easily apparent at first though because of price … Continue reading