Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Is it Safe to Buy Online or Order Texas Electricity Service Online?

This is one question remains for many consumers about their use of the Internet, is it safe to buy online ro order Texas electricity service online? As more and more people turn to online shopping for both large and small items and services like electricity, the answer is a definite yes. It has never been more secure to purchase over the Internet, and of course online shopping has a wide array of other benefits as well.

Buying a product or service online is the ultimate in convenience. From the comfort of your own home you can leisurely browse different products, brands and stores. You can shop at anytime of the day or night, whenever you have the time, energy or motivation.

You can compare products or services for different features and prices. In this way shopping online actually saves you time and money, because you can easily track down the best deal for the specific product or service you are looking for. You aren't restricted to buying it at a physical store or calling every service company that happened to carry the item or service you were looking for. You'll also be able to see the reviews and comments people have about specific items, which should help you make a more informed decision that you won't regret later.

Considering all of these advantages, shopping online is a vital component of many households. However, getting back to the question on hand, is it really safe to shop online? You should cast all of your fears aside, because great advancements in technology and online security has enabled consumers to feel completely safe and happy with online transactions. Secure websites and addresses, encrypted data, SSL and EV SSL certificates (like those of ChooseEnergy.com) and so on have all tightened up the world of online shopping.

Meanwhile, the improvements in security with online shopping have not been matched at physical locations. You still have to turn over your credit card to somebody you don't know anything about. This person could easily take a picture of your numbers, or jot them down to try to steal your information. It can take only seconds for you to get ripped off in this fashion.
But when you shop online nobody else has their hands on your information and nobody gets to see what you are entering. It's complete privacy and complete security, and there's no middle man running the transaction that can do you more harm than good.

Feel confident in the fact that online shopping today is more secure than it ever has been. In many ways it is even more secure than shopping at physical store locations. Of course, it is also extremely convenient, will help you make a better decision and will save you time and money.

So, if you want to save time and money, go to ChooseEnergy.com and lower your Texas electricity bill.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Texas Electricity - History

Here is a little bit of history of electricity in America for you...

The earliest documented experiments with electricity in America were by Benjamin Franklin. He did some very extensive work, financing his experiments by selling his possessions. He is best known for reputedly tying a metal key to the end of a wet kite string and flying the kite during a storm. Observing the sparks that leapt from the key to his hand, he realized that the lightning was a natural form of electricity.

The invention of an electric cell by Alessandro Volta of Italy in 1800 made it much easier for scientists everywhere to study electricity and its applications. The electric cells were connected together, creating a battery.

Alexander Graham Bell is generally known as the inventor of the telephone. A teacher of the deaf by profession, he was fascinated with methods to transmit sound. He used electricity in his experiments on sound transmission that led to the success of the telephone.

A Connecticut mill worker named Thomas Doolittle created a method to make the very first hard-drawn copper wire that was durable enough to be used as telegraph wire.

Michael Faraday of England was the first to understand that electricity could be created by passing a magnet through copper wire. This same application is used all over America today in power plants to create electricity to send out to customers everywhere. The electric generator and motor are both built using this principle. Generators take mechanical energy and turn it into electricity. Motors take electrical energy and turn it into mechanical energy.

Thomas Edison did a great many experiments with electricity. He invented the electric light bulb as well as many other electrical gadgets. His largest challenge with the light bulb was finding an appropriate material for the filament. He finally settled on a cotton thread soaked in carbon. The carbon prevented the thread from burning. When the electricity went through the thread, it glowed. When the light bulbs caught on, Edison turned his attention to developing a power plant that would help run all those light bulbs. His first power plant began operation in 1882, serving 85 customers in New York City.

A big turning point came in 1895. Edison's power plant used direct current (DC), and could only transport the power for a short distance, which turned out to be approximately one square mile around his power plant. The development of alternating current (AC) allowed George Westinghouse to transport power over 200 miles from his new Niagara Falls power plant.
Electricity was slow to take root in America. While many people were excited about all the new inventions, some were afraid of the new electrical current and thought it would be dangerous to put into their houses. Others could not afford the service. Electricity was criticized as causing the end of a simpler way of life. Electric lights were accused of being "less romantic than gas light."
New inventions using the power of electricity were often exhibited at fairs and expositions around the world. In 1893, the Columbian Exposition in Chicago used 90,000 incandescent lamps and 5,000 arc lights. Visitors to the exposition could see or ride on electrified attractions that included elevators, three cranes, several water fountains a moving sidewalk and an on-site streetcar system created by General Electric.

In 1901, the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, NY had electricity as its theme. It featured a 400 foot tall Electric Tower that utilized 40,000 lights and the Electricity Building, which housed a large exhibition of electrical appliances.

As small electrical companies sprang up across the country, power became available to more people. Many of the smaller companies began to merge into larger conglomerates, the largest of whom were Westinghouse Electric Company and General Electric Company. These companies built power plants with generators that produced electricity through the use of steam, fossil fuel combustion. Other plants were built using kinetic power to generate power such as wind or water. When nuclear power was developed, the power released when nuclear reactions occurred began to be used to create electricity.

Electricity demand grew 12% each year during the first thirty years of the twentieth century. Today, as demand continues to grow, renewable sources of power are increasingly being put to work to supply electricity. Wind power, hydropower and solar power are all being put to more use as America tries to meet the demand and help the environment at the same time.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Texas Electric News - Earth Day 2009

Since today is Earth Day 2009 in America, I thought I would provide you with some helpful Texas electric tips on making your home green.

Due to environmental concerns, many wonder how they can live greener at home. As people learn ways of conserving and recycling, they are amazed to discover how easy it is to go green. Not only does a green home support a better environment, but it can also be cost-effective. With a few adjustments, everyone can enjoy the benefits of green living.

A good portion of a home's costly energy consumption relates to cooling and heating. Setting a home's thermostat to below 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter and at 25 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer will save money on Texas energy bills and conserve energy at the same time.

Also, by creating shade at windows at the east and west ends of a home, indoor temperature can be kept several degrees cooler as the morning and afternoon sun passes. Preparing meals before the air heats up or after it cools will also keep heat from becoming trapped inside of the home and reduce reliance on air conditioning. Ceiling fans also help circulate air and delay it from becoming too hot.

Polyethylene plastic bags, like those commonly offered by grocers, are manufactured using petroleum. As 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away annually, their disposal by burning presents a devastating assault upon the environment. By investing a dollar or two in re-usable cloth grocery bags, the amount of plastic bags wasted can be reduced along with their global warming impact.

Plastic water bottles increase the level of greenhouse gases as they languish in landfills. To reduce this impact, every member of the family should have their own re-usable water bottle to carry with them when they are away from home. Filling bottles before leaving home also saves money.

To reduce fuel costs and rising carbon emissions, public transportation or carpooling is ideal for daily travel. With fewer cars on the road, not only will the air be cleaner, but also the cost of public transportation by train, bus or carpooling can save consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. As the demand for fuel decreases, retail prices for fuel does also. For neighborhood errands, walking or riding a bicycle is another great way to cut fuel emissions and both are an effective form of exercise.

When remodeling a home, opt for bamboo flooring instead of hardwood floors. Bamboo is an environmentally friendly, high yielding, self-replenishing flooring material. It only takes bamboo between 6 and 8 years to mature, compared to the 50 to100 long years needed for hardwoods. When installing bamboo flooring, only use glues that do not contain toxic formaldehyde.

Finally, opt out of paper bills and opt in to electronic bill payments instead. Many companies even encourage this by offering discounts to customers who receive and pay their bills electronically. To further help keep paper waste products out of landfills, purchase recycled paper products and make sure they are unbleached since the bleaching process is environmentally toxic.

Though some believe that going green is a painstaking process, the truth is that consciously doing so isn't as difficult as it sounds. People who go green can feel satisfied about doing their part to nurture the earth and will find it rewarding to save a few pennies in the process.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Top Tips to a Lower Texas Electric Bill

With the spring and summer heat coming to Texas, more and more people wonder what they can do to lower their Texas electric bills. That said, here are the top tips we’ve found.

Heating and Cooling

As startling as this is, remember that approximately half of the energy used in a home is for heating and cooling. Thus, taking care of these specific appliances in order to make sure that they do not suck up energy is highly important. Steps for doing so include changing the filter regularly, tuning up the equipment, and sealing and insulating the ducts. You also might look into a programmable thermostat that changes the temperature when the home is unoccupied or the occupants are asleep, for instance, thus reducing the energy used.

Appliances

Sometimes when you stop and think about it, we are people who need appliances to keep us happy in our homes. For instance most of us own air conditioning, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, disposals, as well as washers and dryers. This list of essentials does not even cover clocks, TVs or radios, water heaters, and ceiling fans, not to mention cell phones that need to be plugged in, computers, printers and assorted sound equipment. Thus, when you purchase appliances for your homes pay special attention to the energy saver listings that the manufacturer warrants.

Water Heater

Next to the heating and cooling costs, the second largest energy expenditure in most families goes to heat the water they bathe with and use to clean dishes. Purchasing a water heater that offers advanced technology and is an energy saver will definitely lower your energy bill.

Lighting

Many will be shocked to hear that lighting costs the average homeowner approximately 20% of their Texas electric bill. Sure, your mother always told you to turn off the lights in a vacated room, and that helps tremendously, however you also need to remove the incandescent light bulbs that may still be in your home and replace them with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) that mostly come in those weird spiral bulbs. Those newer bulbs use 75% less energy than the incandescent bulbs! Startling, but true, and the cost of the new bulbs will easily be made up within 6 months of usage because if you’ll remember they last approximately 10 times longer than an incandescent bulbs.
Home Electronics

Various appliances from TVs to even stoves and microwaves use digital displays that are in “standby” power mode. When purchasing such items make sure of the energy rating that each is given, and opt for those that use less energy even in “standby” mode!
Office Equipment

Besides the fact that most home office equipment is running 24 hours a day, all of the accessories associated with a home office also drain off a tremendous amount of energy. Be sure to purchase equipment that is the lowest rated energy guzzler anytime you replace the office equipment.

In general, most people will be superbly surprised with the Texas energy savings experienced by following these very simple tips.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Texas Electricity Summer Savings Tips

Summer is going to be here soon, and believe it or not, it's going to get HOT here in Texas and that means it's time to look at your Texas electricity bill! Keeping your home cool costs energy as well as money, and here are a few things you can do in the span of a weekend to help keep your home cooler during the dog days of summer.

Follow these 3 tips and you are guaranteed to save big bucks on your summer electric bill.

1. Buy sun blocking blinds. The rays of the sun travel through the glass in your window, and they will heat your home no matter what time of the year it is. These rays will also pass through cloth curtain and Venetian blinds. In the winter, the sun shining through a window will cut down on your heating costs, but in the summer it can make your home miserably hot. Sun blocking blinds are inexpensive and easy to install, and they do a marvelous job of blocking out the suns rays. If you have curtains, the sun blocking blinds can be installed to hang underneath them. When you close these blinds during the times when the angle of the sun is at it's highest, you will be amazed at how much cooler your home will be and how much less energy you will need to use.

2. Caulk your Windows.


The cool air you pump into your home, be it from central air or window air conditioners, will find air passageways in your home and escape. The biggest places it escapes from are doors and windows. By caulking your windows you are closing off an avenue of escape. Caulk is very inexpensive to buy, and if you aren't using it you are just throwing money away.

3. Add insulation to your attic or basement.


Another way to stop air from escaping from your home. The cooler air that is coming from your cooling system will leak through any cracks that exist in your floor and ceiling, no matter how small they are. As the cool air escapes through your ceiling or to your basement underneath your house, slightly warmer air rushes in to take it's place, and thus you will use more energy to cool your air. When you have insulation in your attic or basement, the cool air can't escape as easily and warmer can't come in. You will use less energy to cool your home if you do this because the laws of science say that you must!

In each one of these cases, the amount of money you spend versus the amount of money you save in energy costs will put you at a plus every single time. I nstalling blinds, caulking your windows, and adding insulation are all things that can be done in a single weekend, and in some cases a single day. There is no reason not to do them, and there are some very good reasons for doing them.

Save money on your Texas electricity costs this summer by making these changes and switching to a lower electric rate.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Wind Energy - It's Right for Texas is it Right for You?

With the economic crisis and more and more people becoming wary about our dependence on foreign oil, it only makes sense to start looking at alternative energy sources like wind power.

Wind power essentially refers to the conversion of wind energy into electricity through the use of wind turbines. Between 2005 and 2008, the world doubled its production of wind energy, and recently, it has been cited that it accounts for 19% of the energy in Denmark and 11% of the energy in Spain and Portugal.

When we hear about wind farms, we often hear about ones that are built on a large scale. These larger wind farms are connected to the local electric transmission network, while smaller turbines are used to send electricity to isolated locations. Large and small wind farms may both end up having their electricity bought back by utility companies.

With the fact that wind power has been cited as an impressive alternative to fossil fuels, and given the fact that it is derived from a plentiful and renewable clean resource, there are plenty of reasons to be interested in this form of power. While the means to back the system up due to intermittent winds is something that is important to think about, the truth is that the costs of backing up these intermittent outages are considered moderate.

What do you need to know when you are thinking about setting up your own wind farm? The truth is that it is easier than you might think. One major factor that you need to look for is wind consistency. Remember that you should look for a place with relatively consistent winds of around fifteen to twenty five mile an hour speeds. Remember that typically, higher is better.
You may be surprised to find that people who are looking to make a go of the wind farm industry are heading en masse to Texas. Texas is leading the nation in terms of wind power capacity and production, and as a state, it has long believed that the future of the off shore wind industry is off of the Texas Gulf Coast.

On a smaller scale, it is worth noting that Texas farmers can lease out land to wind developers, They can charge a fee for each turbine rented or for a small percentage of the gross annual income from the project. Not only is this pumping life into an economy that sorely needs it, it is also providing more clean energy with a negligible effect on traditional farming and grazing practices.

Where do you stand when it comes to the debate on wind power? There are many people who are interested in seeing where wind power can take us, and its future in America is quite bright. Take some time to consider what your options are going to be as you look at the possibilities of getting your Texas electricity service from Wind Energy. You can compare wind energy options at www.ChooseEnergy.com.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

ChooseEnergy.com - The Easy Way to Shop for Texas Electricity

Texans have a wonderful opportunity to choose their electric company. Choose Energy is a company that was founded to help customers in Texas find the right electric company for their family. With Choose Energy, you will be able to do some comparison shopping and make the best choice for the energy needs of your home at the prices that you can afford.

Residential customers as well as business customers now have a method to compare the rates of the different companies for Texas electricity. Comparing the prices of these companies will allow you to see if the companies are making any offers and how you can take advantage of them.
Choose Energy does more than just give you a way to compare rates. They have an education center that will help consumers learn about how to choose their lower rates. The better informed a consumer is the better choices they will be able to make on their electric company.
Choose Energy will help you find all about Texas electricity and how the whole system works. You will learn exactly how your electricity makes its way to your home and into the appliances that you use in your home every day. It is fascinating to learn how Texas electricity is managed in the state and the meaning behind deregulation.

The site is a great way to learn about changing your electric service provider and will show you everything that you need to know about getting the best deal for your family. There is a frequently asked question section of the site that will have most of the questions that you will have regarding your Texas electricity.

You can use Choose Energy to simply switch your current electric service provider or you can make some comparisons and choose your first electric service provider. The quality of the service of your electric power will not change and you will not lose power even in the event that an electric company goes out of business.

The advantage of deregulation is an amazing benefit to the people of Texas. You now have the power to choose and basically set the rates that you are willing to pay. When companies have to compete with one another the beneficiary of that competition is generally the consumer. Take the time to review the offers that you will find on Choose Energy for your Texas electricity.

Choose Energy is an innovative way to select and shop for your electricity for your home or business. A business will also have an opportunity to find the right Texas electric company for their company. This is an even greater saving for the consumer. The less it costs to operate a business, the less money that company will charge to their customers. Deregulation has the potential to reduce the cost of living for many people all over the state of Texas.

Take some time and review your current electric bills and then head over to Choose Energy for some information on the various electric providers in your area. There may be a way for you to save some serious money on your Texas electricity and put that money back in your pocket.