In today’s AUSenergy News Update: Beware of phony ComEd phone scam, Carbon emissions to be reduced by 4% as coal power plants close, and $10 billion in annual revenue by 2023 predicted for demand response.

Beware of Phony ComEd Phone Scam

Summary: The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and ComEd are warning customers of phone scammers targeting individual customers and businesses with false claims that their utility bills are delinquent and their service is in danger of being disconnected. The phone scammers typically target Senior Citizens.
AUS Comment: ComEd will never call to ask customers to make payment over the phone. Customers should never share any personal or financial information over the phone. If you think you have been targeted, be sure to file a report at: http://www.icc.illinois.gov/consumer/complaint/

Carbon emissions to be reduced by 4% as coal power plants close

Summary: 140 coal power plants are slated for retirement. These are mostly small, old generating units in the Midwest and South. Their retirement will account for 4% of all CO2 emitted last year by U.S. power plants.
AUS Comment: Natural gas has been the largest source of competition and biggest challenge for coal. It is one of the primary causes of coal’s gradual decline. Even if the EPA’s Clean Power Plan were halted somehow, coal plants would still be on the decline due to natural gas.

$10 Billion in annual revenue by 2023 forecasted for Demand Response

Summary: A recent report from Navigant Research shows that the worldwide revenue from demand response (DR) programs will grow from $1.6 billion annually in 2014 to $9.7 billion in 2023. North America will remain the largest market for DR programs.
AUS Comment: In addition to steady growth in the DR market, the commercial energy storage market is also expected to expand to become the largest market segment in 2017, according to IMS Research. AUS works with demand response providers active in utilities across NA and sees demand response as a relatively untapped resource for our clients to achieve additional income.