Industry FAQs

Electricity
Monthly demand, natural gas rates, and regulatory changes are some of the external factors that can affect electricity rates.
You can choose to pass through any components that you would not like to include in your fixed rate. The two components that clients most commonly pass through are capacity and transmission.
We recommend you start looking at electricity options 8 to 12 months in advance of your current agreement’s expiration dates. This gives your advisor plenty of time to monitor the market and prepare to act when the market hits the price point you’re aiming for.

Natural Gas
Storage, oil prices, and natural gas exports are some of the external factors that can affect natural gas rates.
Citygate is the physical location where natural gas is delivered to your local utility. Burner Tip refers to the point at which gas is used as fuel.
Natural gas is the number one source of electricity in the US. Because of the growth of natural gas use, there is no longer a “best” time to purchase it.

Green Energy FAQs
There is a premium associated with purchasing RECs. Currently, premiums are between $.001 and $.002 per kWh, but this could vary based on the type of REC you choose.
Most likely not. The grid contains both renewable and non-renewable energy. If you purchase RECs, you ensure that green energy gets to the grid. But unless you own a renewable asset tied to your facility, you won’t know for sure if the electricity you’re receiving is truly green.
While most green energy talk revolves around power generation, renewable natural gas (RNG) does exist. However, RNG isn’t as prevalent as renewable electricity because most of the US currently lack the infrastructure to clean and transport the gas to utilities.

Demand Response FAQs
Yes. Demand response is a year-round program, which means there is a summer (June – October) and winter (November – April) participation season. However, if your facility has no ability to curtail in the winter, CPower can customize the program so you can only participate in the summer.
Yes. There is a single, one-hour test event at the end of June. We will give you multiple weeks’ notice and help you identify curtailment opportunities to help you maximize your payouts.
No, there are no out-of-pocket penalties for not performing. Zero performance simply earns zero dollars. If you don’t perform, your expected revenue will be reduced by the amount of under/non-performance.
Earnings are determined based on the utility your facility is located in. Depending on the utility, clients can earn between $50,000 and $75,000 per year. Additionally, you are eligible for an energy payment if an emergency event is called. The payments range from $1,000 to $1,849 per megawatt-hour curtailed.
May 1 is typically the deadline for enrolling in the next demand response program. However, since there is a limit to the amount of capacity that can be claimed, enrolling earlier ensures a spot for you in the program.
