Tag Archives: energy efficiency


Happy 20th Birthday, Energy Star!

Anyone who takes steps, large or small, to conserve energy is an energy star in our book. Thanks to the ENERGY STAR® program – a joint project of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy – making smart, energy-saving choices gets easier all the time. The program celebrates its 20th birthday this spring, so now seems like a good time to recap all … Read More…


Earth Day 2012

In April 1970, gas was 36 cents a gallon. Paul McCartney announced he was leaving the Beatles. Against all odds, the Apollo 13 crew returned to Earth after an oxygen tank exploded on the way to the moon. And a few days later, 20 million Americans ventured out on a sunny Wednesday afternoon to demonstrate for environmental reform – the first-ever Earth Day. Wide ties, … Read More…


Texas Wind Farms

Here in Texas, we’re known for farming cotton, corn, wheat and hay. But did you know we’re also the nation’s biggest farmer of wind? That’s right—Texas has a production capacity of more than 10,000 MW (that’s megawatts), followed not-so-closely by Iowa with around 3,700 MW. All that wind production not only gives us great green energy (have you checked out the great rates on our … Read More…


Can We Vent?

A better title for this post might actually be Can Your Dryer Vent? Your dryer works by using heated air that evaporates water from your wet clothes. If that moisture-rich air can’t escape from the dryer vent, it stays in the dryer and your clothes stay wet. So what clogs up your dryer vent? In a word: lint. ENERGY STAR estimates that cleaning the lint … Read More…


It’s Audit Time (Energy Audit, That Is)

Taxes done? Congrats! Here’s another item for your to-do list before the Texas heat starts blasting down on us full force. April is the perfect month for a home energy audit! Do you really want to wait till August to start thinking about putting insulation in your attic?   Why Hire a Pro? An unsealed house is kind of like a leaky air mattress – no … Read More…


Powering the Future

One of the things we love about being a retail energy provider is learning about exciting new advances in science and technology. That’s why we were excited to read a Bizmology article recently about a California start-up company that’s exploring gallium nitride as a substitute for silicon in converters, transistors and switches. The chemical properties of gallium nitride make it more efficient than silicon in … Read More…


A House That Talks

 At First Choice Power, we’re always thinking about home energy efficiency and ways to help our customers save electricity and money. That’s why we were really excited to see this cool video about a special house that the University of Texas has developed to measure energy usage and indoor air quality. Located on the J.J. Pickle Research campus, the UTest House measures everything from different … Read More…


Don’t Forget Your Energy Credits!

As we get closer to April 15, many of us at First Choice Power are putting the finishing touches (or, um, just starting) on our federal tax returns. It’s a good time to remember that if you bought an ENERGY STAR rated product for your home in 2011, you might be eligible for a tax credit. Claiming your energy efficient tax credits is pretty simple, … Read More…


#EcoMonday: Saving Money on Your Electric Bill: Step #4

Happy Monday bill slimmers! It’s time to take the fourth step toward reducing your electric bill — making the most of your window coverings! Step 4: Wear Your Shades You probably have blinds or curtains for privacy throughout your home. But did you know that making the most of your window coverings can actually go a long way toward keeping your heated and cooled air … Read More…


Granting Students’ Wishes

You might not know it, but for the last six years First Choice Power has awarded Reduce Your Use Grants to schools and nonprofits all over Texas. The organizations applied for the grants, which were designed to be used for energy-saving improvements and projects, everything from improving insulation to replacing inefficient light fixtures to well, planting trees. We’re always impressed with the dedication of the … Read More…