The list of issues concerning the supply of electricity in Texas is long.  First, the state has its own power grid, so it is essentially isolated from the rest of the nation.  It can’t get power from the outside during peak demand periods.  Plus, new rules from the EPA went into effect January 1 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, forcing the immediate shutdown of two power plants in the state.   On top of that, since all power plants need a supply of cooling water to operate, the state’s drought and low water tables may force up to 3000 megawatts of power-generating equipment to shut down as early as May.  According to Plano, TX electricians, one plant was forced to shut down in 2011 for lack of water.  Add to this an increasing population and projected record summer temperatures, and the likelihood of blackouts will be at an all-time high.

Fortunately, for customers of Texas power utilities, it is possible to avoid the headaches and potential damage to electrically-operated appliances in a blackout with some foresight and wise investing.  By using a savvy electrician, Plano TX residents can take advantage of the latest technology in back-up power systems to service their houses during power outages.  Homeowners can continue to enjoy all the creature comforts they expect, even if their neighbors are in total darkness.

The latest advancement in backup power supplies is the Indoor Generator, which uses a bank of batteries to provide emergency power to the home.  Unlike traditional engine-driven units, these indoor generators are quiet, require no messy fuel handling, have no smell, and produce a more efficient supply of power for home appliances.  Even better, customers don’t have to use power from the power company to charge the batteries.  Renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power, can be used to charge the batteries by installing solar panels or a wind turbine along with the unit.

A reliable, reputable Plano, TX electrician can set up customers with a system like this quickly thanks to innovations such as the Power Cart, a mobile trailer which combines a battery-based indoor generator with four solar panels and an optional wind turbine.  The indoor generator takes advantage of the sun and wind when available to power the batteries, relying only on the power company or second backup generator if the batteries deplete.  The system can provide a continuous 3.6 kilowatt output, and has on-board electronics to tell the Power Cart to sell power back to the power company using wind or solar power when possible.

If you have determined you need an electrician, you are probably wondering how to best find the right electrician for you and your needs. It can be tough to find an electrician in Santa Monica you can trust to get the job done right without overcharging you or doing work that is substandard. You can always count on the crew at The Electric Connection to provide you with excellent service every time. The following tips will help you find the perfect electrician for your needs. Yes, you do have the right to “interview” potential candidates.

Do not waste your time or money by hiring an electrician who is unlicensed. Ask for the license number if it is not readily available on their business card.

Ask if the electrician is insured and for how much. If the electrician isn’t insured for at least $500k, it is best to look elsewhere. Although this may seem like a lot of money, it doesn’t take much to burn through that much money if there is major damage or injury caused by faulty wiring.

Ask to see references or ask for numbers of clients who have used the electrician’s services in the past. Do your due diligence and make the phone calls. You can also check Angie’s List and online for reviews.

Ask the potential electrician how they go about the job. Will they give you updates about the status of a job? Will they contact you about unforeseen expenses that might pop up before making the decision to tack the extra money on to your bill? Communication is crucial when you are dealing with any contractor.

Ask if there will be a detailed estimate of the job. You need to know just what kind of Santa Monica electrical work you are paying for. An estimate will help you budget and compare prices to other electricians.

If you need a reliable and reputable electrician, give The Electric Connection a call.

Location, location, location. Many factors in your quality of life are affected by where you choose to live, including your energy costs. Wallet Hub recently released a report that surveyed the average energy costs, including electricity, in all 50 states. Read on to learn more about where your state falls in the rankings.

What Affects Electricity Rates?

A number of factors play into the price of electricity in a given state or region – the proximity of energy production and fuel sources, federal or state incentives, taxes, and the local competition in the energy market can all affect the final price.

The gap between the cheapest and most expensive states can be surprisingly large – electricity in Hawaii, the most expensive state, costs four times as much per unit as it does in Washington D.C., an electrician's paradise with the lowest price for power. Joining Washington D.C. among the cheapest electricity states are North Dakota, Idaho, Louisiana and West Virginia, while Vermont, Connecticut, Alaska and New York round out the most expensive five after Hawaii.

Adding Consumption to the Mix

Of course, there's more to your utility costs than just the base sticker price. How much electricity you consume plays a role as well. Those homeowners paying sky-high prices in Hawaii, for example, also use the least electricity per household in the entire United States. Residents in Louisiana, on the other hand, use the most electricity per household, thanks to sweltering hot weather that goes hand-in-hand with significant reliance on electric air conditioning.

Given the combination of price and consumption, people living in Washington, D.C. spend the least amount on electricity, forking over an average of $79 per month, followed by residents of Illinois, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Despite their low consumption levels, people in Hawaii still get the highest bills, at an average of $179 per month. Residents of Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida join them in the top five for overall electricity spending.

Let the Electricians Guide You to Lower Bills

The report also includes interviews with energy experts on how to save money on utility bills, as well as the impact of tax deductions, credits and energy assistance for low-income households in the utility market.

“Consider calling your utility company and asking if they offer any services to help you identify ways to be more efficient in your home,” Sanya Carley, associate professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, suggests. “Many utilities offer such services for free, and will send someone to your house to prepare a formal or informal audit for you.”

To see the full list and find out where your state ranks when it comes to electricity and other household energy costs, check out the WalletHub report here. If you need tips on how to conserve electricity to reduce your utility bills no matter what the sticker price of energy is in your state, contact an expert electrician today.

You might be thinking of buying one of those new-fangled electric cars, and may be wondering how they’re charged. That depends on which car you buy. The three main electric cars (electric vehicles or “EVs”) currently available for middle income families are the Toyota Prius, Chevy Volt, and Nissan Leaf.

Toyota Prius. Let’s say you buy a Toyota Prius. The Prius is a “hybrid.” A hybrid isn’t fully electric. It runs on electricity generated by a battery until the battery is depleted. Then, it turns to burning gasoline. In the case of the Prius, a 2010 model drives about 12 miles on a fully charged battery. But the Prius is continuously recharging the battery with a mechanism triggered by stepping on the brakes.

On the downside, the Prius currently doesn’t come with a “plug in” option. That means you can’t plug it into an electric outlet to charge its battery. However, Toyota is partnering with the EV company, Tesla, to develop a plug-in model that will be available in 2012.

Chevy Volt. The Chevy Volt, which started deliveries in the U.S. in December 2010, is also a hybrid. Unlike the Prius, the battery is not charged when you brake, but by plugging into the electric grid. It has a range of around 35 miles before it must start burning gasoline.

Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf is currently the only all-electric EV available for middle income families. It can’t burn gasoline, but runs only on its battery. It has a range of about 100 miles before you need to start looking for an electric outlet.

HOW DO YOU CHARGE A PLUG-IN ELECTRIC CAR?

Level 1 Charging. Both the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf come with a charging cord, called a “Level 1 Charger,” as standard equipment. It looks like an extension cord. You can charge your car by plugging the Level 1 Charger into an electrical outlet in your garage or carport.

The advantage of Level 1 charging is that it’s simple and inexpensive to set up. Hire an electrician to install an outlet in your garage or carport. It will need to be on a dedicated circuit, meaning that no other appliances, like a washer, for example, are on the same circuit. The outlet will need to be the safety version usual in garages and outdoors (a GFI). Also, your electrician will need to check whether your electrical panel should be upgraded in size to handle the increased power demand.

Once the outlet is installed, the EV driver pulls out the Level 1 charging cord that comes with the car, starts charging, and lets the car sit… for a long time. A Chevy Volt battery takes 10 hours from empty to full; a Nissan Leaf takes 20 hours.

Even though Level 1 charging is slow, drivers who have short commutes may be satisfied with it because, if they work it right, they won’t start at empty. They’ll have charge left in their batteries and will simply top off at night.

Here’s how it can work. The 100-mile range of the Nissan Leaf is a lot more than the 33 miles the average American drives daily. If you drive the average 33 miles, you will use only one-third of the battery in a day. If you religiously plug in when arriving home, you will be able to top off at night and leave with a full charge in the morning.

For hybrids, like the Chevy Volt, the issue of leaving home fully charged is less pressing. At about 35 miles, when the battery hits empty, it turns to burning gas. This isn’t good for gas usage, but on the other hand, the driver may suffer less from “range anxiety.”

Level 2 Charging. While you may be able to make Level 1 charging work for you, you also have the option of faster charging by installing a special Level 2 Charger in your garage or carport. A Level 2 charger takes a Chevy Volt battery from completely empty to completely full in four hours; eight hours for the Nissan Leaf. So, even if you totally drain your battery, with a Level 2 Charger, you’ll be able to fill it by morning.

A Level 2 charger requires 240 volts, which is more powerful than house current. A Level 2 Charger is housed in a container about 18 inches around and hangs on the garage wall, sticking out about a foot. When you recharge with a Level 2 charger, it looks very much like filling your tank with gas. You stretch a “hose” over to the recharging socket built into the EV.

A Level 2 Charger is usually purchased when you buy your electric car. If you wish, Nissan or Chevy can arrange the purchase and installation. Nissan has partnered with AeroVironment to supply and install chargers. Chevy Volt has partnered with SPX. When a Leaf, for example, is purchased, the Nissan dealer arranges for an AeroVironment electrician in Los Angeles to look over the new owner’s garage, provide a bid, and do the installation.

The car buyer is free to look for a lower bid from an independent Los Angeles electrician; however, warranties and follow-up repairs on the charger may not be as advantageous.

Consumer Reports estimates that purchase and installation of a Level 2 Charger costs about $2,000. However, the price can vary quite a bit, depending on the distance of the charger from your electrical panel and on whether you need an upgrade of your panel size to accommodate the additional power demands of the charger.

THE FUTURE OF CHARGING YOUR ELECTRIC CAR

Level 3 chargers that can fully charge a Nissan Leaf in 15-30 minutes are currently available in Japan. However, they cost about $45,000 installed. When they come to the U.S., they will most likely be installed for electric trucks, company fleets, or for private cars at shopping malls and at gas stations, where EVs will zip in and out to top off their batteries.

An even faster system is currently being installed in Israel. A Palo Alto company called “Better Place” is building a network of “carwashes.” Only, when you drive your EV in, instead of getting a wash job, your spent battery is pulled out and within a couple of minutes, is replaced with a fully charged battery.

The pressure to be fully charged when leaving home will ease as chargers are increasingly installed in public places in the U.S. In my hometown, Los Angeles, Level 2 Chargers are already available in train stations, the main airport (LAX), the L.A. Convention Center, and other public places. One can easily find the network of existing public chargers on-line. In addition, malls will begin installing Level 2 or Level 3 Chargers as an inducement for shoppers and workplaces as an employment benefit.

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