James Koch, owner of Sundance Plumbing, Gas and Heating, drives an electric Hummer.
“It just made sense,” he said, describing why he abandoned his traditional Alberta gas truck. The Hummer is good in cold weather. The model he chose has three batteries, making it possible to cover 600 kilometres without recharging.
And then there are the savings. James does a lot of driving, and fuel for the old truck was costing about $1,000 a month.
“Now, I am paying almost nothing,” he said. “It is costing a few dollars to fill up my car.”
James’ windfall is due to a magic box known as the interval meter. The meter can give him access to the wholesale electricity market
What is an Interval Meter?
In Alberta, the Electric Utilities Act and regulation states that anyone with a solar panel has the right to request an interval meter. Unlike traditional meters, interval meters record your energy usage every hour—no more averaging or estimates. When combined with a battery, this lets you buy electricity when prices are low and sell your excess when prices peak.
Homeowners and small businesses like Sundance Plumbing can now take control of their own electricity costs.
James describes himself as “an oil and gas guy.” But that didn’t stop him from installing solar panels in his home. With two air conditioners, electric heat pumps and a hot tub, he uses a lot of electricity.
“Solar panels and an interval meter have lowered my costs by about $4600 a year,” said James.
Once his home electricity costs were under control, James took the next step and purchased his electric Hummer.
“If you’re someone like me,” said James, “who wants cheaper power, it’s a no brainer. I can’t understand why more people haven’t done this.”
How can you take control?
Start with solar panels. Add an interval meter. Attach a battery to store the electricity you make. Use the power yourself or sell it when prices are high. Plug in an electric vehicle and charge it at the lowest rates
“It’s an electric appliance,” explained James about his Hummer. “The way electricity pricing works, it fluctuates and is lower at night. My charger is set to put power into the battery from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.”
If you have solar panels, the interval meter can replace your traditional meter. Interval meters record what you actually use every hour. No more averages. No more estimates. You also become part of the electricity marketplace, so you can sell when prices are high and buy when they’re low.
While electricity retailers compete to offer the lowest rates, Albertans can now walk away from that conversation and talk instead about generating their own electricity and taking control of their costs.
