Energy Minister Todd Smith joined Entegrus Powerlines Inc. recently, along with several other Ontario utilities, to launch the new Green Button data system.
Energy Minister Todd Smith joined Entegrus Powerlines Inc. and several other Ontario utilities for the recent launch of the new Green Button data system.
This system will allow families and businesses across Chatham-Kent, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, Mount Brydges, Parkhill, Dutton and Newbury to track and control their energy use and save money on monthly bills.
Studies have found that access to energy data, which Green Button enables via smart home devices, can help consumers achieve energy savings of up to 18 percent.
Ontario becomes the first province in Canada to mandate the standard.
“Families and businesses want to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to their energy bills,” Smith stated in a release.
“Green Button is part of our commitment to give consumers more choice when it comes to their energy use, and will enable easy, quick and safe access to their consumption data through smartphone or computer apps so they can find customized tips to reduce energy use or switch electricity price plans to save money.”
The implementation of the Green Button standard comes as the Ontario government marks two years of providing consumers with customer choice rates.
“Entegrus is excited to announce that we have partnered with ERTH to offer the Green Button certified Connect My Data tool to allow consumers additional access to their real-time energy usage,” Jim Hogan, Entegrus president and CEO, said.
“Tracking consumption data on Green Button will provide local families and businesses the immediate opportunity to analyze their usage, conserve energy and save money over time.”
In November of 2020, most families, small businesses and farms could start selecting either a time-of-use or a tiered billing structure for their electricity usage.
More than 355,000 Ontario electricity customers have used this choice to better manage their electricity bills by switching their pricing plan to one that is a better fit.
Green Button provides consumers the information they need to better understand their energy use so they can make an informed decision on which price plan is right for them, helping them to lower their energy bills, the release stated.
GREEN BUTTON FACTS
– Green Button first became available in 2012 and, prior to the new regulatory requirement, offering it to customers was voluntary in Ontario for electricity and natural gas utilities.
– In 2015, London Hydro became the first Ontario utility to provide Green Button to its customers. Since its launch, 160,000 electricity and 106,000 water London Hydro customers have utilized Green Button.
– When choosing an electricity billing structure, if a customer limits their consumption to non-peak hours during evenings and weekends, time-of-use pricing may be their preferred rate plan. If customers consume most of their electricity during weekday hours, tiered pricing may be a better option for them.
– Energy customers in Ontario who are served by utilities that have fully implemented Green Button have access to a wide range of applications that are tailored to their individual needs. As more utilities in Ontario implement Green Button, new applications are expected to be developed to serve all types of customers, including residential, commercial and industrial energy users.
– ERTH Corporation partnered with vendors Savage Data Systems, SilverBlaze and NorthStar Utilities Solutions to facilitate Green Button Data access to customers of Entegrus.