BrokerX

09/30/2021

Detecting problems on the grid in real-time, whether from faulty equipment, cyber threats, or even theft of power from the grid, would be impossible to detect without AI. By regularly reading the data from smart meters across the grid and sensors throughout the transmission and distribution sector, artificial intelligence can learn about normal operations, identify the types of interruptions that will self-correct, and infer when an unexpected pattern arrives in the data that requires intervention. AI raises alarm about potentially issues that previously required manual review and decision-making, so AI availability ensures time isn’t wasted while problems persist anywhere across the infrastructure. To read the full article, click here... https://lnkd.in/dAH8fp-m

Artificial intelligence (AI) gained prominence as a mainstay of science fiction and regular futuristic predictions about all aspects of various industries, products and more. What for many may evoke images of robots or sentient super computers actually has a rather mundane definition. According to I...

09/16/2021

As climate change and clean energy have climbed their way up higher on the priority list of the average American, with over 80% of voters in 2020 citing climate change as at least ‘somewhat important,’ the media has increasingly satiated the appetite for related news. Whether breathless reporting on the dire IPCC report on climate or extolling the excitement behind the latest electric vehicle model, major outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times are all pushing out the clean energy news as fast as it’s being made. Click here to read the full article... https://lnkd.in/d8HBMdW3

As climate change and clean energy have climbed their way up higher on the priority list of the average American, with over 80% of voters in 2020 citing climate change as at least ‘somewhat important,’ the media has increasingly satiated the appetite for related news. Whether breathless reportin...

09/14/2021

With the deluge of climate awareness and discussion now commonplace, the release of the 2021 report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may seem like just another one to add to the pile representing more of the same warnings we’ve now been hearing from years. But if you’re paying close attention the thought leaders in energy, climate, and related fields, you’ll hear that something is different this time. The 2021 IPCC report has unleased some warnings more dire, more imminent, and more worthy of attention than many similar reports in recent years, and recognizing this difference is critical to look forward to what comes next.

So, if you tend to only read the headlines and not dive deep into these scientific, international reports, you’ll likely have some questions, and after a week of discussion you might be too afraid to even ask them. But the answers to these questions are critical to unpacking what to do next, so I’ll lay them out for you here:

https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/the-recent-ipcc-climate-change-report

The Recent IPCC Climate Change Report: What’s New, What’s It Mean, and What Are Industry Insiders Saying? Thanks to early advocates, scientists, and leaders, awareness of the climate crisis is at an all-time high in the United States and abroad. This accomplishment represents no small feat, give...

09/13/2021

Thinking of a won deal as the beginning, not the end, of the journey is the key to realizing the customer’s lifetime value – the key concept covered so much in business and marketing books. The customer lifetime value (CLV) for an energy brokerage business depends on the commission received, the frequency of renewals, and customer’s lifetime span. Acquiring a new customer can be time-consuming and costly. That’s why investing in customer retention is essential, making nurturing and identifying potential renewals one of the key activities for energy brokers. Click here to read more... https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/customer-retention

One of the secrets of running a successful energy brokerage business is building a long-term relationship with your customers. Thinking of a won deal as the beginning, not the end, of the journey is the key to realizing the customer’s lifetime value – the key concept covered so much in business ...

09/07/2021

For many customers, their utilities and the bills they receive from power providers are a bit of a black box. Some of the more informed customers, such as facility managers and building managers of larger commercial enterprises, will understand the specifics: charges for energy use, for peak demand capacity, and for time of use, but those specific rates are still set in stone in a process they don’t understand.

Customers who best understand the process that goes into their rates, though, will be the ones most poised to benefit. And in markets where competitive energy contracts are signed, brokers who can understand and explain these intricacies to their customers and potential clients will be best positioned to earn trust and business. But what makes this area harder to understand is the patchwork of different process that go into setting rates depending on the state, the regulators in a region, and the form in which a power provider takes.

As such, this latest entry into the Broker eXcelerate series aims to educate readers on the two most prominent and important methods for setting power prices: cost-of-service ratemaking vs. retail open access market rates.

https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/excelerate-series-cost-of-service-vs-retail-open-access-markets

For many customers, their utilities and the bills they receive from power providers are a bit of a black box. They use energy, turning on lights and powering their appliances or equipment and then they receive a bill at the end of the month. Some of the more informed customers, such as facility mana...

07/07/2021

The past few years have unfortunately exposed just how at risk certain cogs in the machine of our national systems may be. All it takes is one component to fall short to bring down the whole house of cards. From wildfires in California to a grid-stopping winter storm in Texas to unexpected outages unfortunately lining up with peak summer loads, many events have undercut confidence in these systems. Those unavoidable examples of interruptions are largely the impact of natural systems we cannot control, but the recent cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline and ensuing interruptions to oil and gas supplies across the country highlighted the unnerving reality that malicious actors could intentionally expose and leverage these vulnerabilities. While the fallout and investigations about the Colonial Pipeline hack are still ongoing, much of the real-world impact and dangers have been made abundantly clear as a result. Click here to read more: https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/the-colonial-pipeline-cyber-attack-exposing-dangerous-vulnerabilities-across-energy-sector

The energy systems that make modern life possible extend well beyond luxury, but rather they are necessities. The availability of energy in all its forms is so ingrained in day-to-day society that any interruption can present real danger: from essential equipment needing power to keep food and medic...

05/25/2021

Energy brokers are plugged into the rapidly changing landscape of energy prices that can ebb and flow based on supply and demand, new generation sources, and the inherently evolving marketplace. This relationship doesn’t always run as smoothly as it could, as brokers can’t offer these opportunities to their customers without getting accurate and timely quotes from the energy suppliers. What follows are the 5 biggest challenges that energy brokers commonly run into when getting quotes from energy suppliers.

For energy brokers in deregulated energy markets, one of the most valuable services they can offer their customers is a direct line to energy suppliers to find the ideal product at the right price for them. Energy brokers are plugged into the rapidly changing landscape of energy prices that can ebb....

05/06/2021

Natural gas is one of the most common fossil fuels out there, an energy type which is justly considered the antithesis to a clean, renewable energy source. So, what in the world does renewable natural gas mean? And if the fuel has a current buzz about it, will it live up to the hype?

https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/the-unlikely-marriage-of-gas-renewables-diving-into-renewable-natural-gas

When most people think of renewable energy, the mind goes straight to solar PV panels glistening on a sunny day, blistering winds moving wind turbines, and the traditional renewable infrastructure. While these technologies indeed are some of the most prominent renewable energy sources, industry inno...

04/29/2021

Do you know the roles that suppliers, brokers and other stakeholders have within the energy industry? Answer: To educate consumers and protect them from misinformation or false narratives. Listen to what our CEO and energy expert, Brett Jurishi, says about what that protection to consumers should look like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnmDihkIZxA

04/26/2021

Committing to reducing emissions in the name of preventing climate change has gone from fantasy at the turn of the century, when renewable energy sources made up 8% of the nation’s power generation (3/4 of which came from hydropower alone), to being closer to standard operating practice. Utilities are committing to 100% clean energy, states are mandating carbon reductions, and the pathway to a clean energy future is being paved by utilities today.

In recognition of Earth Day and all the positive progress being made by power producers thus far and the commitments to future action, we wanted to highlight some of the most major clean energy commitments across the U.S. utility sector—recognizing those who are going above and beyond for the future of our planet and the generations... click here to read the full article: https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/celebrating-earth-day-2021-with-clean-energy-brokerx-review-of-8-major-clean-energy-commitments

04/09/2021

Cold calling an unsuspecting prospect as an energy broker begins most likely at the biggest hurdle in the industry: education of the end-user. Unless you’re working in a saturated market, it’s safe and fair to assume your customer isn’t savvy to the deregulation of their power needs. Sure they might have heard on the news, or seen a bit on social media about “lowering their electric or gas bill”, but it’s likely they didn’t immediately deep dive into subject to find out how they could shave a few dollars a month off their bill. Or worse, considered the notion of cheaper energy evoking the feeling of lesser quality

https://www.brokerxapp.com/post/broker-excelerate-series-warming-up-to-cold-calls

02/25/2021

Who is to blame? The true causes won’t be truly and thoroughly understood until the full investigation and postmortem reports are completed. But in the wake of the unprecedented and devastating events across the Lonestar State, the important place to start is simply asking: what in the world just happened? ...Read the full article by clicking the link below.

https://www.brokerxapp.com/unpacking-what-just-happened-in-texas-winter-storms-blackouts-and-outrage