Thursday, May 15, 2014

California Climate Credit

We opened our Electricity bill this week and to my surprise, it was only $17.04.... huh?.... We used the same amount of electricity last month and our bill was $62.19.... The only explanation we got was the following notice:

You Received a California Climate Credit
California is fighting climate change and so can you! Your ill includes a Climate Credit from a state program to cut carbon pollution while also reducing your energy costs. Find out how at energyupgradeCa.org/credit



So I went to the website and found this:

Millions of Californians will see savings on their electricity bill—in April and October for residential customers and monthly for small businesses—from a state program to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Credit is designed to help all of us in California fight climate change and clean the air. You don’t need to do anything to get the credit, but if you want to join California’s efforts to tackle climate change, there’s a lot you can do. 

The credit goes to households and small businesses located where privately owned utilities regulated by the Public Utilities Commission provide electricity distribution services. That includes customers of PG&E, SDG&E, Southern California Edison, PacificPower, Liberty Utilities and those who buy electricity generation in those areas from direct access providers and community choice aggregators such as Marin Clean Energy.
The amount of the credit varies based on utility or electric service provider.
While its nice to have another $40.00 in my pocket, I'm not sure how I feel about this. Nothing is required to get the credit... and normally in the past you have to do things to reduce energy to get a credit in the summer season... but NOTHING IS REQUIRED... 
I don't know if that's because its a companies money (See the picture for details..) 

But I have to ask.... if I got $40.... how many $40 checks did they have to cash & mail out.... and is this the best way to spend that kind of money? 
Wouldn't it be better to take this money and put in a solar plant instead of dolling it out to all of us if they really want to use the money for energy awareness????

2 comments:

  1. I think you're right about the solar plant or something like it. However, I'd wager most people don't care and enjoy the "free" money without bothering to look in to it let alone look into an alternative energy plant.

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  2. The idea is that you'll now go out and buy something energy efficient with the extra money (i.e. LED bulbs, energy efficient appliance, etc). You'll get the credit twice a year through 2020. Don't worry though, rates will be going up and your "credit" will decrease over time as companies get more energy efficient equipment.

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