Bulletin - October 2007
Electric Contract: Guarantees Mailed by Direct Energy
Our new electricity program with Direct Energy has been very popular, with over 300 PowerOptions members already executing agreements. One of the important protections that is a part of your electricity contract is a financial guarantee of performance by Centrica, Direct Energy's parent company. These guarantees were mailed out recently to all members who have contracts – the guarantee itself and the contract amendment showing the amount for which you are the beneficiary, were sent separately to you. No action is required – simply file these documents with your contract. If you have any questions about the guarantee, please email Carter Wall at cwall@mhefa.org. Thanks to all of you for making our new program such a success!
2008 "Green" Workshops
We have several new programs coming out in 2008 for members who are interested in exploring renewable electricity for their facilities:
January 11, 2008
Wind for Non-Profits Workshop
Do you think you own a good site for a wind turbine? Several towns and
organizations in Massachusetts have already built successful wind projects incorporating
funding from state programs. PowerOptions, in conjunction with the Massachusetts
Technology Collaborative, has designed this workshop for our members interested in a
hands-on session on building and financing a wind project. We will have presentations on
permitting and financing, and you will hear first-hand from other non-profits in the state
that have built their own wind project. Registration is required. For more information, please visit
our Wind Workshop page or contact Carter Wall at
cwall@mhefa.org if you are interested in learning more.
February 29, 2008
Solar for Non-Profits Workshop
Many nonprofits own buildings with large roofs that are well suited for solar power.
If you are interested in installing solar panels at your facility, this session will
help you understand the financial options and rebates available, including some important
"do's and don'ts" from organizations who already use solar power. Contact Carter Wall at
cwall@mhefa.org for more information.
Welcome Tricia Rush, New PowerOptions Program Coordinator!
PowerOptions membership has grown rapidly over the last couple of years, and we have added additional staff to help keep up with member service needs. We are very pleased to announce that Tricia Rush joined PowerOptions this month, and she will be assisting Wendy Lee with all your inquiries. Tricia comes to us from customer service at Aramark, and we are very happy to welcome her to the PowerOptions team!
Member Survey Results
Thanks to all of you who participated in our online survey this summer. All participating members were entered in a contest to win a FREE POWEROPTIONS MEMBERSHIP FOR 2008. And the winner is...Wheaton College, in beautiful Norton, Massachusetts! This survey, done in conjunction with Direct Energy, will help us determine how to do a better job communicating with PowerOptions members.
Some interesting results came out of the survey:
- Members reported that "Peers in the industry" were their primary source of information about energy-related issues, more so than print or online information sources or seminars and conferences. This suggests that finding ways to improve how information is shared between our members would be effective. If you have any ideas about how we can help members share energy information with one another, let us know.
- After "Price", members listed "Contract terms" as being the most important factor in choosing an energy provider. Easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly, standardized contracts with no hidden "gotcha" clauses have been slow to develop in the retail energy industry, and many customers struggle to get the protections they need. We have put a new "Consumer's Guide to Energy Contracting" on our website to help people figure out what to look for.
