Tag: energy

by James Adam

How Switching Energy Providers Can Save You a Small Fortune


Technology

Many of us stick with the same energy supplier year after year because we view it as more convenient and one less thing to have to worry about. However, did you know that switching energy providers regularly will save you money?

That’s right! Periodically switching suppliers can save you hundreds a year, but how does that work we hear you cry. Keep reading to find out how you can save money on your energy bill this year.

How Does it Work?

By sticking with the same supplier, often, big named businesses will move your tariff into a standard package. Unknowingly you will end up paying more than you need to and miss out on opportunities to lower your expenditures.

Once you begin to search for new suppliers, you’ll be opened up to a world of other tariffs more suitable to your energy usage needs, new customer discounts, and more. Also, when you tell your current supplier that you wish to switch, they may even offer a lower option themselves to keep you as a customer.

Going Green

You will find a vast amount of energy suppliers on comparison websites, some names you will recognize, and others will be unknown. You wouldn’t steer away from the enticingly low prices from a small or new business. These companies often hold customer satisfaction and green energy at the heart of their ethos. It’s proven that the greener the energy source, the cheaper your bills will be, so it’s a win, win situation.

Changing your energy supplier also gives you the option for alternative energy solutions. Most home insurance policies cover solar panels, so there’s no need to worry about your insurance premiums rising as a result, taking away the money you have saved by going green with a new solar provider. According to BrokerLink insurance, a good insurance broker will give you expert advice on what you need your policy to cover and offer customizable plans to ensure you’re 100% covered.

Energy Brokers to the Rescue

Like home or car insurance brokers, energy brokers are the middleman between you and the energy suppliers. They are an invaluable tool to help you find the most competitive yet suitable energy plans, with your finances in mind at all times.

They are a window into a saturated market. An energy broker’s job is to compare and contrast companies, plans, and tariffs suitable for your needs. By doing this, they can then guide you in signing up with the best energy supplier for you and ensure you’re only paying what you need to.

An energy broker has up to date knowledge about modern energy solutions, discounts, and promotions happening right now. They bring you one step closer to taking full control of your bills.

To save money each year, it’s advised that you should consult an energy broker annually. By doing this, you then stay in the know and can make better, more informed choices about where you spend your money.

Every Little Helps

Many people believe that their loyalty will award them with lower rates, but this isn’t always true. Swapping energy providers to save money is no secret, but many households don’t believe that the promised savings will materialize. Instead, they opt for the convenience of sticking with their known provider.

However, switching suppliers allows you to take financial advantage of small companies, as well as advances in energy solutions, and new customer deals, every year. Using a broker who specializes in energy is a great start to finding a cheaper plan. Sit back and let them do the legwork, and you’ll soon find yourself with a healthier bank account each month.


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by Toby Walker

5 Benefits of a Beautifully Renovated Kitchen


Homes

Been dreaming of a beautiful kitchen fit to be featured within the glossy pages of a home design magazine?

Make that dream a reality!

If you’re tired of dealing with a disorganized, greasy kitchen, then it is high time for you to consider doing a full-on kitchen renovation.

Kitchens with Zest

Turn a drab and dreary kitchen into a place full of zing and zest. Kitchens are a place where you prepare sustenance for you and your loved ones. It is important, then, that meals are prepared with positive energy to come up not only with flavorful dishes but meals showered with love.

A beautiful and organized kitchen plays a significant role in keeping your spirits up while preparing hearty meals. Results from a 2010 study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, a scientific journal, people with cluttered homes displayed higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

For a more enjoyable time making meals, it would be best to renovate your kitchen. Enlisting the help of professional kitchen design companies in Melbourne can seriously guide you in making the right decisions in your kitchen renovation project.

When you are having second thoughts, here are some amazing advantages and benefits that will remind you why it is important to upgrade to a new kitchen.

1. Updated look

Look good, feel good. This is a popular saying that proves true in so many situations, and the same could be applied to a new kitchen.

Still rooted in psychology, being in a beautiful environment increases the feeling of positivity. Clean counters, shiny tabletops, and an overall organized feel in the kitchen area can greatly improve your moods and feelings.

With the help of kitchen renovation experts, you can bring your vision to life with their expertise in designing a space that is both pleasing to the eyes and the senses.

2. Improved functionality

Stylish kitchen designs from the best designers will also increase functionality. Close consultation with these kitchen specialists will ensure that important elements of the kitchen – like the crucial “triangle” placement of cooktop, sink, and refrigerator  – will be top of mind.

Experienced and reliable kitchen renovation masters will ensure that you will have a kitchen that is working according to your needs. A well-designed space will give you practical solutions that will make it easier to move around and use your kitchen area easily and efficiently.

3. Increased comfort and safety

Renovating your kitchen will also bring in comfort and safety.

New kitchen appliances designed to be a lot safer than their earlier counterparts are available. With the right advice from kitchen design experts, you should be quickly brought up to speed on which appliances will still work after renovation, and which ones need replacing, while also keeping in mind the aesthetics of your cooking space.

Also, a kitchen nowadays is not only used for preparing and cooking food. It has also become a social zone where friends and family get together and catch up. Whether it is preparing meals together or simply staying gathered around the kitchen island exchanging stories, a carefully planned kitchen layout will facilitate better flow in and around the space.

When kitchen appliances and other items are in their proper places, the risk of accidents is also reduced. Having your kitchen paraphernalia in their proper storage spaces will significantly improve safety.

4. Reduced energy costs

With in-depth discussions with your kitchen renovation consultant, you will also be informed of other modern conveniences and innovations that will help in lowering energy costs.

From smart kitchen technology to eco-friendly appliances, you can drastically lower you energy consumption by choosing energy-efficient options for your kitchen renovation. You can also switch to LED lighting fixtures that will significantly improve energy efficiency and cut down your electrical bills, while helping reduce your carbon footprint.

5. Increase home value

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key 2323278 640

If in case you consider putting your home up for sale in the future, a stunning kitchen will definitely add to its resale value.

Upgrading the look, style, and functionality of this home space can certainly give added appeal and make buyers consider purchasing your house. Prospects will surely be enticed when they see the thought, care, and attention to detail you and your kitchen designers have put into making a highly operational kitchen.

Style and Substance

Home improvements do great things to improve your overall well-being. Upgrading specific rooms in the house, like your kitchen, will not only make your home a more conducive place to live in but also a place that will bring members of the family, as well as friends, together.

Form and function is what you will get when you hire kitchen renovation specialists. The benefits of cooking up a kitchen concept that will ultimately make your kitchen organized, efficient, and gorgeous. A pleasant place that is free of clutter will bring much joy and comfort leading you to be more inspired in concocting divinely decadent dishes for the whole family.

by Incredible Planet Staff

How Falling Solar Costs Have Sparked an Energy Revolution  


Homes

Once a prohibitively expensive, high-tech novelty, solar energy has undergone a revolution in recent years. Thanks to technological developments and falling hardware prices, solar is now the fastest-growing of all energy sources according to the International Energy Agency. Unfortunately, the highly variable cost of solar from state to state means it’s often difficult to pin down the true cost of an installed system. To get a better handle on the issue, let’s take a look at what you can expect to pay for a solar system and how your location, your choice of installer and many other factors may influence your bottom line.

The Trend Is Your Friend

It’s no secret that solar energy has become markedly more affordable in recent years, but the extent of the price drop has been striking. According to a recent comprehensive study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the cost of solar for residential use has fallen an average of seven percent per year between 1998 and 2016. Over the first half of 2017, preliminary data indicates that costs again fell sharply, declining by about 20 cents per watt. This long-term cost reduction has been driven by both falling hardware prices and reduced soft, or non-hardware, costs.

Establishing a Baseline

As of 2016, the median installed solar energy system cost across the United States was $4.00 per watt. This, however, presents an incomplete picture that fails to capture the tremendous variations in pricing. Location is a major driver in these fluctuations, both from state to state and within each state, because of differences in state and local incentive programs. Economies of scale also play a role, as residential costs are about 19 percent lower on average for 10-12 kW systems than for smaller 2-4 kW systems. Prices vary depending on the installer as well, with some installers charging as much as $1.40 per watt more than lower-cost competitors.

Solar Costs in California and New York

To dig a bit deeper, let’s take a look at two of the states most responsible for driving America’s solar boom: California and New York. By virtually any measure, no other state comes close to the extraordinary adoption of solar power in California. Thanks to detailed studies done by Solar to the People, we know that residential solar costs in the Golden State averaged $18,680 through the first half of 2017, or $3.09 per watt. Average costs across the state ranged from a high of $20,854 in the Shasta Cascade region to $15,939 in the Central Coast. California has seen a particularly steep decline in solar costs in recent years, but prices have begun to stabilize as demand has cooled and installers have had to work harder to find new solar adopters.

New York ranks just inside the top 10 in the total solar electric capacity installed, and solar remains a popular choice among homeowners due to the high cost of electricity. The Empire State enjoys lower overall prices than California, with Solar to the People reporting a statewide average of $16,426 for a fully installed residential system. Regional differences are again significant, however, with typical costs ranging from a low of $12,361 for homeowners in the Ithaca area to a high of $21,104 on Long Island. These variations are largely caused by regional differences in the incentives offered by New York’s NY-Sun rebate program. Long Island residents no longer receive incentives, while homeowners in the Upstate region receive $0.35 per watt and those in areas served by Con Edison receive $0.40 per watt.

Tariff Trouble Ahead?

In addition to the many other factors that traditionally influence solar costs, a new issue has appeared on the scene. President Donald Trump recently imposed import tariffs on foreign-manufactured solar panels, which some fear may lead to price spikes and other problems for solar energy. Fortunately, it’s unlikely that these tariffs will have a significant effect on residential solar energy. Analysts estimate a modest average price increase of approximately three to five percent, as solar panels themselves represent only a small portion of the overall price of residential solar systems.

The cost of solar remains a complex and multifaceted topic, and you can expect your individual solar costs to vary greatly depending on a whole host of factors. Nonetheless, with prices that continue to fall for residential system installations – and a federal incentive program that will remain at a generous 30 percent credit through 2019 – it’s as good a time as ever to invest in renewable solar energy for your home.

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by Incredible Planet Staff

3 Lifestyle Changes For Better Health And Energy


Lifestyle

Staying healthy through your life is the key to fighting natural fatigue that seems to increase with age. By changing our habits and daily routines, we can make small, steady changes that lead to a greater way of life overall. Luckily, not every change needs to be major. Even something as simple as smiling more can do wonders for your health and energy.

Drink Water

Humans can only survive for mere days without enough water to remain hydrated. Every single aspect of your body involves the use of water in some form or another. Be it keeping your body’s cells structurally healthy or aiding with the digestion of food, water is necessary. By drinking too much soda or coffee, you deprive yourself of something essential. Since your cells can’t use soda to work, keeping your body running takes even more effort. This increase in effort results in you feeling more tired more often. While you don’t have to cut out sodas, teas or coffees entirely, you should be drinking more water than anything else. If your urine is the color of straw, you are hydrated. When you’re hydrated, your body will be working less to keep you going longer and stronger.

Move More

Interestingly enough, those that don’t move often or exercise regularly feel more fatigued than individuals that are always on the go. This is due to how exercise conditions the body. If it’s moving around a lot, it is prepped and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Exercise trains the body how to use fuel from food efficiently, making it easier to get energy in the first place. Sedentary folks feel more tired because they haven’t trained their bodies to make and use its energy stores. They’ve trained themselves to store up fat. The best way to store fat is to move as little as possible, resulting in lethargy and fatigue. While you don’t have to become a world renowned athlete, do what you can to decrease the amount of time you spend sitting each day. Walk around the neighborhood at night. Invest in a standing desk. Park at the back of parking lots. The more you do, the more energy you’ll have.

Eat Better

Our bodies are fueled by the food we put in them. If we feed ourselves meals with low nutritional value, we will always feel hungry and will put on weight because of the excess food we eat. The fatter we are, the harder it is to both move the body and keep it functioning internally. Combined, this leads to increased fatigue and a myriad of health problems. However, if we feed it healthier things, such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean meats and whole grains, we can eat less without feeling hungry. This helps us maintain a healthy weight, feel good and remain active. Because there are many roads to achieve this, don’t be afraid to reach out to experts in the field of diets and diet supplements. You could also consider taking supplements to help your body get the nutrition it needs and lose excess weight. Make sure you do your research, like reading this Xyngular review, or “Dieta da aveia“, before deciding which option is best for you.

Becoming fatigued and unhealthy later in life isn’t natural if you stick to healthy choices on a day to day basis. Whether you’re aiming to become the picture of health or simply make small, strong changes, all can lead to lasting benefits. In fact, it’s often the simplest options that lead to the biggest differences. Take control of your life by taking control of your health.