IDT Energy New York - Switch and Save with IDT Energy

IDT Energy is One of New York's ESCOs

Users of Con Edison in New York receive a customer newsletter with each bill. In the newsletter a program called Power Your Way is featured. The goal of Power Your Way is to encourage and help customers to contact other ESCOs (Energy Service Companies) for information regarding pricing and other services that they offer.

The Power Your Way website makes it easy to find an ESCO suited to each customer’s needs, and among those ESCOs listed is IDT Energy, which serves Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and Westchester, the areas which Con Edison services.

The Power Your Way Program explains clearly what an ESCO is, and why someone would prefer to have an ESCO be their supplier of power. Just as each person/family/business decides which cell phone provider, internet provider, bank or other service provider they deal with, so to consumers, whether a business or a residence, has the ability to choose their energy supplier. Prices and services vary, and an educated consumer will research his options and choose wisely.

 IDT Energy is one of those companies which supplies customers with electricity and gas, and IDT Energy encourages consumers to check out the service and prices which they offer when they are deciding to switch to an ESCO as their energy supplier.

Four City Montana Tour Showcases Renewable Energy

Keeping you informed about the latest goings on the world of energy is one of the goals at IDT Energy in New York.  IDT Energy searches far and wide to find interesting and relevant events to keep you informed of the latest developments in the world of renewable, clean energy.

Embarking on a four-city tour this week is mobile presentation which will showcase what is on the cutting-edge today of renewable and common sense projects designed to conserve energy in a sensible and effective way.

The main goal of this tour is to educate the public, farmers and homeowners, as to what is available out there now, and what is practical, by way of bringing the latest technologies for energy conservation into our lives.

The tour will bring interested parties to four cities in Montana, Lewistown, the C.M Russell wildlife Refuge Office, Fergus High School and one other location, at a cost of $10. Participants will see a 10 kilowatt wind turbine at the wildlife refuge, a 2.4 kilowatt wind turbine at the school, and solar panels at the Lewistown Fire Department.

Obama Allocates Major Funds for Clean Energy

In recent news, Obama announced in his weekly address that the Department of Energy has awarded two solar companies with nearly $2 billion as part of the Recovery Act. These companies are Abengoa Solar and Abound Solar Manufacturing.

As Obama explained, “These are just two of the many clean energy investments in the Recovery Act. Already, I’ve seen the payoff from these investments. I’ve seen once-shuttered factories humming with new workers who are building solar panels and wind turbines; rolling up their sleeves to help America win the race for the clean energy economy.” 

Good News for IDT and Other Energy Service Companies

According to a recent report, “Energy service companies, or ESCOs, will see 26% annual growth from 2009-2011 with revenue reaching $7.1 to $7.3 billion, the report estimates. ESCOs are private companies that typically offer energy savings improvements under long-term performance contracts.”  This has to be good news for a company like IDT Energy, “one of the leading suppliers of electric and gas services to residential & business customers.” 

But what economists and businessmen are curious about  is, given that the economy is in such a poor state right now, how are these companies doing so well?  The answer is apparently that most of the business generated is coming from what is known as the MUSH market (municipal and state governments, universities, schools and hospitals).  This is because such organizations/companies do not encounter the “boom and bust of private business,” so were hit less by the recession.  As well, they are receiving “federal stimulus dollars to spend on energy efficiency.”  But what should also be noted for a company like IDT Energy is that this news shouldn’t encourage them to sit on their laurels since the fact still remains that “interest in energy efficiency ebbed among big businesses, not surprising given the economy [which] accounted for 15% of market share in 2006, but only 7% in 2008.”  A report showed that not knowing what the future holds is making them reluctant to commit to long-term performance contracts.

FAQs about IDT Energy

When you’re considering changing your energy service, it’s certainly important to have your many questions answered.  Your energy service actually contains two parts.  There is both the supply and delivery. When you select IDT Energy as your supplier, they then purchase the electricity and natural gas for your home.  Your local utility company will continue delivering the electricity and natural gas, so you won’t even notice the difference.

If you change to IDT Energy or another company, there are no sign up or cancellation fees and no long term commitments – you can switch back at any time.  You’ll still get your monthly bill from your local utility company for both the supply and delivery and you’ll still make only one payment to your local utility.

Google Looking at Wind Farms

Everyone is getting into the act trying to focus on alternative energy sources. In recent news, even Google Inc. has invested in this renewable resource, putting $38.8 million towards two North Dakota wind farms.  This is actually the first direct investment by Google in the utility-scale renewable energy generation.  It’s certainly interesting to read about this growing resource and about large companies, like Google, that are getting into the act.

Tips for Efficient Cooking: IDT Energy

Cooking during the hot summer months is not always a pleasant experience.  There are key ways to make it less uncomfortable – while simultaneously saving on your electricity bill.  Learn with IDT Energy about these key tips to better summer kitchen use.

Make sure that you have tight-fitting lids on your pots and pans and cook at lower temperatures to reduce energy use.  If you place a six-inch pan onto an 8-inch element, for instance, you are actually wasting 40% of the element’s heat output.  This can make a big difference in your electricity or gas use over time.

The microwave should actually be your best friend during the hottest months.  Microwave cooking reduces energy use by up to two-thirds and it produces far less waste heat than does the stove.  You can use your toaster oven and your slow cooker in a similar way, as well.

  

Many Benefits of Solar Electricity

Not every home has enough sunlight to sustain itself with solar electricity.  Most of us need to continue using an electric company such as IDT Energy to supply us with our electricity and gas.  For some, however, solar electricity might just be a great answer.  Solar electricity involves placing PV panels on the roof or walls that create electricity from the rays of the sun.

They cut down on the carbon footprint as a green, renewable energy source.  They certainly cut down on the electricity bill since the sunlight is free.  Once you’ve paid for the installation, the electricity costs are going to be vastly reduced.  While the PV system doesn’t produce all of the electricity for the home, it can produce about 40% of the needed electricity for the year.

Some people can even store electricity they generate for future use.  If your home isn’t connected to the national grid, you can actually store your excess electricity in batteries and then use it as you need it.

Before jumping into using solar electricity, you need to have your home evaluated.  You’ll need to see if you have a sunny place to put the PV panels and see if your roof is strong enough to hold the panels.  In some places, you’ll need planning permission as well.

IDT Energy Offers Tips to Ask a Potential Energy Supplier

In New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, you can now switch energy suppliers from your utility company to IDT Energy or to another company.  This offers consumers more choice in their energy bills and more control.  Before switching electricity suppliers, you should ask the potential suppliers a number of questions.  Here, we offer some questions for you to use with suppliers such as IDT Energy and others.

First, find out if the supplier is licensed by the Public Utility Commission in your state.  Ask them what their price is per kilowatt hour and if it is fixed or if it depends on time of day and usage.  Find out what the length of the agreement is and if the prices can change during that time.  Is there a cancellation fee or penalty if you decide to switch suppliers and do they offer you choices in the energy sources?

Find out if the supplier has a budget billing plan and if you’ll receive one or two bills each month.  Do they offer any type of bonus for signing up with them?  Are all taxes included as part of the overall price?

Armed with these questions, you should be able to make an educated decision about your energy supplier and make the right choice for your needs. 

IDT Energy Offering Savings Tips

IDT Energy understands that your money is hard-earned.  For this reason, they offer the lowest possible prices for electric and gas services.  While reducing your bills in these areas, they also want to help you to save money in your home overall.  One problem in the home that might be costing you unnecessarily is cold air leaks.  These often occur around windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures and gaps in corners.

Such cold air leaks can cause rooms to feel drafty and can cause you to spend more heating the home than is necessary.  Here are a few ways to deal with such air leaks.  You can use air sealing to stop drafts.  A contractor can help you to identify where your air leaks are originating and can help you to close these gaps.

Similarly, it’s a good idea to ask the heating and cooling contractor to check the ducts for air leaks and to look for a balanced airflow.  Finally, if you have a fireplace, you should certainly close the damper when the fireplace is not in use.

Summer Savings the IDT Energy Way

 Summer is coming and consumption of electricity is rising along with the thermometer’s reading. IDT Energy, one of New York’s major suppliers of electricity to consumers and businesses is always on the lookout for money saving and energy saving tips for New Yorkers.

Here are five great and easy ways to save just a bit more electricity when the sun is shining and the heat is on.

1.    Why not let your dishes air-dry as an alternative to using the drying function on your dishwasher.

2.    Washing dishes and laundry only when the machines are full is cost and energy efficient. It’s a waste to wash less than full loads.

3.    Save up your ironing and do it all at once. This saves heating up your iron multiple times, and saves energy.

4.    Do you hate the humidity of New York summers? You can keep your household humidity down by doing water-related chores in the early morning or at night, to keep evaporation down to a minimum. Included in these types of chores would be washing clothes and dishes, mopping floors, watering indoor plants, and more.

5.    Use a surge protector to power down all your appliances at once. Turning off your computer, printer, copier and other home electronics can save quite a bit of energy every day.

The Whole-House Approach Helps Save Energy

By incorporating just a few easy to do tips into your daily activities you can save as much as 25% on your yearly utilities bill for electricity and natural gas. To really understand how to save it is useful to have a “whole-house” energy efficiency plan.  Think of your house as an energy system made up of interrelated parts. To understand this concept, you can think of your furnace, to take just one example, as a heat delivery system. The system begins at the furnace and brings heat to everywhere in your house using a series of pipes and ducts. Even the very best, energy-efficient furnace will waste a large percentage of energy if the ducts, walls, windows, doors, and attic are not well insulated and sealed.

Understanding the “whole-house” approach to energy efficiency will help you get the most of your energy dollars, as well as make your home more “user friendly”, comfortable, and earn you long-term financial rewards. The more you spend on energy efficient appliances will more than pay for themselves, and other household improvements you make to create a more energy efficient home might even yield the benefit of a higher selling price for your money-saving, comfortable and modern home.

Save Energy, Save Money with IDT Energy

As a provider of electricity and natural gas to consumers, IDT Energy is concerned that these precious resources are used efficiently, providing the means for people to work, play and live conveniently, inexpensively and worry-free. This is why we are constantly on the look-out for money saving and energy efficient ways for you to get the most out of the power IDT Energy provides.

According to analysts, a typical family in the United States today spends almost $2,000 on their utility bills each year. Within that amount, unfortunately, there is a large percentage is spent unnecessarily. It is important for consumers of power to understand the ways they can reduce this waste and help save themselves money while simultaneously helping to reduce the amount of fossil fuels which are used each year to produce more and more electricity and other types of energy. Reducing energy consumption helps to save these fuels, reduces the United States’ dependence on outside sources for these fuels, helps to improve the quality of air and water in our environment and also saves consumers money. Let’s start exploring some great ways to save energy, without too much fuss.

Help for Haiti From IDT Corporation

The private sector reacted strongly to the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in mid-January of 2010. Included among the many relief organizations and private businesses that contributed their time, money, and industrial know-how was IDT Corporation, the parent company of IDT Energy based in New York. IDT Corporation is a top provider of international telecommunications as well as energy supply and solutions. Their expertise in the telecommunications industry allowed them to come into Haiti and set up the means for people to contact family and friends in Haiti in addition to helping significantly with the relief effort. According to Yona Katz the chief operating officer of IDT Telecom,

"Many of the local telecommunications service providers in Haiti suffered significant damage, resulting in sporadic access for both inbound and outbound Haiti traffic."

IDT Building Communications in Haiti After Earthquake

In response to the catastrophic earthquake which took place in Haiti this past January, 2010, IDT Corporation, of which IDT Energy in New York is a subsidiary, contributed its technical know-how to repairing, rebuilding and supplying telecommunications to Haiti through its other subsidiary, IDT Telecom.

IDT Telecom is setting up calling stations in hotels and other centralized places in partnership with Access Haiti, a broadband provider and sales partner with IDT. The system will allow Haitians to use the IDT VoiceLine service so that they can contact friends and family globally.

Because the Haitian land-line service was damaged by the earthquake IDT decided to set up their VoiceLine service, which in internet based, therefore bypassing altogether the non-functional landlines.
In addition, IDT Corporation is donating 4,000 Boss and Calypso calling cards to Haitian community organizations located in Florida and New York to help family and friends in the U.S. contact their loved ones in Haiti.

IDT Corporation Helps with Haitian Relief Effort

Reacting to the tragic earthquake in Haiti which took place in January of 2010, IDT Corporation, parent company to IDT Energy and IDT Telecom, responded generously in several different ways. IDT Telecom was uniquely able to address the issue of communications in Haiti, which was severely damaged by the earthquake, hindering relief efforts and contact between family and friends. With the help of IDT Telecom it is now possible for loved ones to contact their family members and friends in several different ways. One of those ways was by IDT Corporation lowering their rates significantly on their PennyTalk™ prepaid international calling card. The rates to land-line and mobile phones were reduced to only two cents for one minute.

IDT Corporation also announced that it will donate 100% of all its net proceeds which it collects from the use of IDT Telecom’s Boss Revolution prepaid calling service to the American Red Cross’ relief efforts in Haiti, until Feb 28, 2010.

IDT Energy Competive Source for Deregulated Energy Supply

Believing that an informed consumer is the best customer, IDT Energy wants you to understand your bill for electricity and natural gas usage. Your local utility, such as Con Edison, will continue to send you your bill for natural gas and electricity. Since deregulation the bill is now composed of two parts; the cost of the supply of power, and the cost of delivery of that power. Deregulation in New York allows consumers to choose among a variety of power suppliers, but delivery will still be provided by your local utility.

In the case of electricity supply comprises about 50% of the cost. Approximately 75% of the fee for natural gas is the supply, with only about 25% being compensation for its delivery.

The fee you pay for delivery of your power also includes sending out you bill, reading your meter, and serving any problems that may arise.

You can rely on IDT Energy to bring to its customers the lowest prices, excellent customer service, and twenty years of providing customers with consumer products and services.

IDT Energy Invites You to Switch and Save

With deregulation in New York State consumers can now choose a power supplier for electricity and natural gas from among many competing companies. IDT Energy offers many incentives to sign them as your supplier, whether you need power for your home or business or both.

Before you switch energy supplier, check out IDT Energy’s Switch and Save Program which offers consumers competitive rates and seasonal discounts.

Switching supplier is a simple matter since your local utility company will continue to deliver your power, read your meter, send your bill and fix any problems that could arise, just as in the past.

There is no risk to switching to IDT Energy because there is no sign-up fees or cancellation costs and no long term commitments.

Utilizing the Switch and Save program with IDT Energy also insures that you no longer will pay sales tax on the delivery of electricity, natural gas or on any gross receipts tax.

An additional incentive for switching to IDT Energy is the receipt of a credit up to as much as $.004 for each kWh of electricity and $.024 for each therm of natural gas. These credits are automatically applied to your bill.

The amount of savings you experience each month will vary in accordance with how much gas and electricity you actually purchase, the time of year, and the condition of the weather.

IDT Energy encourages you to investigate the options when deciding on a power supplier, and thanks you for considering IDT Energy among those options.

IDT Energy Salutes Teacher Winner Marilyn Hamot Ryan

IDT Energy is happy to inform you that in addition to the three student grand prize winners in the I.C.E. student challenge that we have discussed in previous blog entries, a dedicated teacher, Marilyn Hamot Ryan was also recognized for her contribution to Igniting Creative Energy.

Marilyn is a talented teacher in Saddle Brook, N.J. where she coordinated about 100 separate entries into the I.C.E. student challenge. Her top 15 qualified student entries received the highest average scores.

2009 Middle School I.C.E. Winner

Informing you about new and innovative programs around the country is one of the ways IDT Energy improves our world. Here is something we thought you would like to know about.

Igniting Creative Energy or I.C.E. is a student challenge in which school children develop creative ideas which educate and excite people about the environment.

Maddie Reichman is the grand prize winner on the middle school level. Her clever idea was to distribute air-fresheners and blankets designed to discourage people from idling their cars unnecessarily. She formed what she called the P.E.A.C.E. team, which stands for ‘Protecting Everyone and Our Cool Earth.’
The winner of the elementary school level grand prize was Olivia Horne. Olivia produced a video in which she explained how to protect the environment by changing how they package and eat their school lunches. She designed a reusable lunch bag, which she features in her video, and describes how ordinary lunches waste plastic bags and bottles.

Winners of the National Student Challenge Announced

IDT Energy wants you to know about the latest exciting events that are happening which contribute to energy awareness and conservation.

One of the more fascinating programs is known as I.C.E. or Igniting Creative Energy. This is a student challenge on a national level which is designed to fuel creative potential in young people, motivate them to learn, and igniting the imagination.

Co-sponsored by the National Energy Foundation, four main awards are given. On the High School level the grand prize winner for 2009 was a girl named Suzanne Warren. She developed a board game called “Eco Quest”, which helps children to discover facts about the environment and helps them to compare what they think they know with what is really true.

The Empire State Building to Become State of the Art

Here in New York, the home of IDT Energy there’s a lot going on to create a more environmentally friendly city.

As one example, the Empire State Building, one of New York City’s most beloved landmarks, and also a modern center of commerce, is getting a its windows redone.

In order to improve energy efficiency by reducing bills for heating and cooling the enormous skyscraper, Johnson Controls Inc. is updating the windows in the Empire State Building.

Under the terms of the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, JCI has been awarded approximately $25 million in government contracts in the hope that this will increase energy efficiency in buildings.

"Smart Living System™" Monitors Home and Saves Money, Too

One of our goals at IDT Energy is to keep you in the know about the latest developments in alternatives in energy usage, savings and other innovations to make the earth cleaner and living easier with improved quality.

One of the latest developments is an increased interest in modular home construction with green, energy saving features.

The “Smart Living System ™” is a whole house, high-tech energy management system which also monitors your home. This innovative system will save money on utility bills while simultaneously keeping homeowners comfortable.

Among its features is the ability to detect pipe leaks and even automatically connect to the appropriate number to repair the leak. This saves money and time, not to mention saving the water. A truly useful technology.

Green and Modular, New Home Construction Goes on Tour

In its exploration of what is new in the world of energy savings and green, efficient energy supply, IDT Energy wants you to know about modular green homes.

The Living Zero Home was constructed for the Department of Energy to be a showcase for the country to introduce people to the concept of building modular homes.
Making 17 stops around the United States, including at NASCAR races, the “Living Zero Home Tour” will be travelling from now until late fall, 2009. On this tour you will see incorporated into the structure of the home:

• Icynene (R) foam insulation designed to reduce cooling and heating bills up to 50%.
• Solar panels to produce electricity.
• Low flow plumbing fixtures which reduce the use of water and also saves energy needed to heat the water- if there’s less water to heat, you need less heat and therefore less energy to produce the heat.
• Compact fluorescent or LED lights with the ENERGY STAR.
• ENERGY STAR-rated appliances.
• Water heaters that do not use tanks.
• Bamboo flooring.
• Day lighting systems of zero energy use.
• Fiber cement siding.

Included in this modular model house will be the “Smart Living System™.”  More about what that is in a future post.

Modular Homes Save Time and Money

At IDT Energy we want you to know what is new in the world of innovation, energy savings, alternative energy sources and great new ways to save money.

Traditionally homes are built on-site, bringing materials and manpower to the construction site. For several reasons this style of building can be wasteful, not only of time but of resources for the following reasons:

• Bad weather can slow down or even stop on site construction projects, wasting human resources.
• Cutting parts onsite creates wasted wood, drywall, roofing and packaging materials which end up in landfills, wasting natural and man-made resources.
Modular building indoors has the following benefits:
• Controlled climate in a factory means no bad weather days, work continues uninterrupted with no human resource waste.
• Factory homes can be built with higher quality, for example, studs and joints can be cut more accurately and connected with better tools not always available onsite.
• Modular homes are built to withstand transport from factory to construction site, making them even stronger than homes built onsite.

Not only are modular homes gaining in popularity just for these reasons,  the efficiency of building modular homes is combining with energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to create an almost irresistible alternative to the traditional onsite home construction with traditional infrastructure.

IDT Energy is hopeful that a greener, more efficient future of home construction is at our doorstep.