November 23, 2018
By Prasad Ramnath
Life is full of choices but there are always tradeoffs. Green choices are even harder. Do you use public transportation and sacrifice flexibility or do you drive around in a gas guzzler. Or should you pay a premium for that electric car. Going vegan reduces your carbon footprint but you have to sacrifice your craving for meat and dairy.
Shopping for green electricity is no fun either. If you shop for Green Electricity options at PAPowerSwitch, you'll find quickly that finding a green option that is also cost-effective seems elusive. Yet, there is a little known program knows as the PECO Smart Energy Program that lets you save 7% on your electricity bill and still go green. If you are in the PECO region you call 1-888-899-8612 which takes you to AllConnect. Do not be confused if you hear options on Internet or TV in the automated message. When you do connect with an operator ask about the PECO Smart Energy program.
As part of the PECO Smart Energy Program, AllConnect will hook you up with an alternative energy provider for a 1 year period with no cancellation or termination fees and a 7% discount when compared with PECO's rates. When you do call, have your PECO account number handy. Unfortunately, they do not call out which suppliers who participate in this program are green energy suppliers and you have to choose. Otherwise a supplier will be assigned to you at random. Currently the program has Green Mountain Energy who is a green energy provider. They also have Verde Energy and although Verde is exclusively green energy in the PAPowerSwitch website, I was not able to confirm if Verde would supply green energy as part of the program.
I recently signed up for Green Mountain Energy through the PECO Smart Energy program. The letter from Green Mountain welcomed me to the Standard Offer Program through PECO. Unfortunately, while the Standard Offer program as outlined in the PAPowerswitch website does provide a 7% discount, it does not provide you much choice in your electricity provider. The 1-800 number in that website did not work for PECO either.
There are other programs from PECO including a $25 Energy Assessment that includes free LED bulbs, a smart powerstrip to hook up your TV and related accessories, an efficient showerhead (if you have an electric water-heater). Note that you qualify for the free LED bulbs only if you don't have energy efficient bulbs already in place.
I first learnt of the Smart Energy program through a Sierra Club educational event where Meg Clark of the Havertown-Area Community Action Network (H-CAN) was kind enough to shared her findings. Interested in having a workshop in your community on various ways you can save with PECO? Contact HavSwitch@gmail.com.
Also, note that that if you sign up with the Sierra-Philly Volunteers group you learn about new ways to save the environment every Tuesday during the weekly volunteer call.