When your heating bill nearly gives you a heart attack. [View all]

[sheshe2]

I am from MA. We have been in a deep freeze for more than a month. I have gas heat now, I keep it turned low, I heat at 60-65 degrees. I usually turn it all the way down at night and only edge it up when I get home from work, yet it has been far to cold to do that now. I have to leave it on.

My bill floored me. It was twice what I paid last year. It is so damn cold. I was talking to a person at work that lives in a condo where I use to live. They are electric and I froze there while paying a huge price for heat. I asked him how bad it was now, made a guess what they paid to be cold. I was low in my estimate, his heat was more than his mortgage payment. Hello! Mass has is 4th in the highest rates.

Currently, Massachusetts has the fourth most expensive electricity based on a study done by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. The state’s residents are paying between 17.5 and 22 cents for electricity and rates are supposed to continue to increase. Residential electricity costs in Massachusetts have doubled since 1990, with a majority of the increase happening after 2004. Other regions in the country have not been impacted as intensely because electricity generation isn’t tied to natural gas. This is a good indicator that Massachusetts needs better diversification of their energy portfolio to avoid rate increases. Investment in renewable energy choices, such as solar power, are a smart choice for the state and for residents who want to avoid spikes in energy prices.

Another reason why Massachusetts consumers are paying more for electricity is because they are using more. An increase in the variety of electronic devices has directly impacted resident’s bills. Ten years ago, few households had home computers, cell-phone chargers, DVD players or PlayStations. Even though most appliances these days are much more energy-efficient than in the past and people are more conscientious about turning off lights, the best way to pay less for your electricity bill is to start cutting usage.[dclass="excerpt"]

We need solar and we need it now!