Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions we are here to help. Browse questions below or feel free to call us anytime. You will always get a real person to help and answer your questions 215.413.2122.
I am not a member of The Energy Co-op yet but am moving to the area and would like to join. What do I need to do?
Welcome to southeastern Pennsylvania! First please coordinate with your utility to confirm the service start date at your new home. Once you’ve done that, please contact our office with the following information:
- Your new service address.
- Your new billing address.
- The new account number provided by your utility.
- If you are a PGW customer enrolling for RNG supply, the new Service Point ID number and Rate Schedule provided by PGW (if applicable).
- The date you would like service to begin at your new address.
Do you offer an exciting and fun way to meet other members and learn how to connect my neighborhood, friends, and community with The Energy Co-op?
Yes! Please contact Member Services Manager Noah Swistak at noah@theenergy.coop,
who can provide information about our Member Ambassador program and other ways to get involved.
How can I keep up with what’s new at The Energy Co-op?
- Our Upcoming Events page offers a look at future events for The Energy Co-op and our partners.
- Our monthly newsletter, The Current, details what’s happening at The Energy Co-op, as well as the latest on sustainable energy in the Delaware Valley and beyond. If you’re not receiving The Current in your inbox each month, please reach out at info@theenergy.coop and we’ll make sure to add you to the list. Archived issues of The Current are available here.
- Our website’s blog, also titled The Current, takes a deeper dive into timely and pertinent topics for Energy Co-op members.
- Follow us and engage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Is someone from The Energy Co-op available to speak to my workplace, school, or community organization about renewable energy?
Please get in touch at 215.413.2122 or info@theenergy.coop with details about the speaking opportunity and we will work to accommodate your request.
I am a member and planning to move. What do I do to maintain service from The Energy Co-op?
First, inform your utility that you are moving. Once you’ve done that, please contact our office with the following information:
- Your new service address.
- Your new billing address.
- The new account number provided by your utility (for PECO and PPL customers only).
- The new Service Point ID number and Rate Schedule (for PGW customers only).
- The date you would like service to begin at your new address.
- The date you would like service to end at your current address.
- Whether you have already requested through your utility to keep your third-party supplier.
Is The Energy Co-op hiring?
Check our Careers page for any open opportunities and instructions to submit your application.
How can I be removed from The Energy Co-op’s mailing list?
Please click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email you received from The Energy Co-op.
Note, however, that you will continue to receive messages relating to your rights as a member of a cooperative corporation, as required by law.
What are The Energy Co-op’s renewable electricity options?
The Energy Co-op offers 100% renewable electricity to customers in both PECO and PPL service territories. We offer local and national options: EcoChoice100 Pennsylvania, which is sourced only from renewable sources located in Pennsylvania, and EcoChoice100 National, which is sourced from renewable sources located nationwide. Currently, both options are 99% wind power and 1% solar power. Each option is offered at a variable rate, which may change monthly. Current rates for PECO and PPL customers are available here.
Due to sudden, significant wholesale cost increases for renewable electricity and extraordinary volatility in all energy markets, as of October 1, 2021 and until further notice, The Energy Co-op is not in a position to offer new enrollments or renewal options that include fixed rates. We are monitoring the market daily and will again offer fixed rate 100% renewable electricity as soon as market conditions permit. In the past few years, we have worked diligently to lower the supply cost of renewable electricity for our members in order to expand and advance our shared goal of reducing our region’s reliance on fossil fuels. We will continue to do so, and we appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued support of The Energy Co-op.
Can I sign up for The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program?
Anyone who receives an electricity bill from PECO or PPL can enroll in The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program. When you enroll in any of The Energy Co-op’s energy programs, you become a cooperative member.
Do The Energy Co-op members have to pay dues?
No, there are no membership dues.
Does The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program charge any fees?
Not for residential accounts. There are no enrollment fees, no membership fees, no monthly fees, and no cancellation fees. You can leave the program at any time by notifying your electricity utility or us. Of course, we hope you will be like the vast majority of our members and continue to support The Energy Co-op for years to come.
For commercial accounts, there are no enrollment fees, no membership fees, and no monthly fees. For most commercial accounts, there is no cancellation fee either. However, for certain large commercial accounts, prudent business practice occasionally may require The Energy Co-op to impose an early cancellation fee that is clearly disclosed in writing and discussed before service begins.
Please note that both PECO and PPL charge account and other distribution fees, none of which are paid to The Energy Co-op.
How does The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program work?
When you enroll in our Renewable Electricity program, The Energy Co-op will become your renewable electricity supplier within 3-5 days. But your utility (whether PECO or PPL) will remain responsible for delivering it to your home or business. We supply it to your utility, and the utility delivers it to you. There is nothing to install and no interruption of service. Your electric utility will continue to bill you. You’ll see The Energy Co-op listed on your utility bill as your supplier.
How do I enroll in The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program?
You can sign up at any time online at www.theenergy.coop/enrollment or by emailing us at info@theenergy.coop. You can also call us Monday through Friday, between 9am and 5pm, at 215.413.2122. Signing up for our Renewable Electricity program only takes a few minutes—and even less if you have your electric utility bill in hand.
Why would I want to change to using renewable electricity?
Using renewable electricity from wind and solar power reduces pollution and carbon emissions, resulting in cleaner air and more clean energy jobs, rewards clean energy investment, and advances our region’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
What’s the difference between The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program and other renewable electricity companies?
The Energy Co-op is a nonprofit cooperative owned by the people and businesses it supplies energy to. Our members know that every cent is going towards our mission of helping our members affordably and sustainably buy, use, and understand energy. And our business practices are totally transparent. No tricks. No gimmicks. No fees.
We are committed to our community. We are a Pennsylvania supplier, based in Philadelphia for over 40 years. Most of the renewable electricity we supply is generated in Pennsylvania, reducing local pollution, and supporting the growth of the local green economy.
And unlike many companies that offer renewable electricity, the only electricity offered by The Energy Co-op is 100% wind and solar. Renewable electricity isn’t a sideline business to a larger fossil-fuel electricity business. We offer only 100% wind and solar power.
You can learn more about how to shop for renewable electricity in Pennsylvania here.
What are the advantages of The Energy Co-op’s cooperative business model?
As a cooperative, we’ve focused on the triple bottom line since long before triple bottom line became popular. People, planet, profit—with a strong emphasis on the first two.
Our members come first, of course. When you buy energy from The Energy Co-op, you become a member. (Don’t worry—there are no dues!) When you become a member, you become an owner—one of thousands of owners in our area who participate in our renewable energy programs because they are concerned about our community, our state, and our planet. Together, we don’t just talk about making our world a better one, we vote with our energy dollars to do it.
Also, because we have no stockholders or other investors, The Energy Co-op can innovate in ways that corporations don’t. For example, we were the first supplier of renewable electricity in southeast Pennsylvania starting in 1998. And in 2015, we became the first—and are still the only—supplier of renewable natural gas to our area. We innovate because our cooperative member-owners want us to look for ways to accelerate our state’s transition to a sustainable energy future. That’s our cooperative advantage!
Does renewable electricity cost more than electricity from my utility?
Please note that PECO and PPL change their electricity rates every few months. And our Renewable Electricity program variable rate products are also subject to change monthly (although we work as hard as we can to keep them steady). So, the difference in cost will vary. Our current renewable electricity rates and detailed terms applicable to PECO and PPL customers can be found here.
We and our Renewable Electricity program members believe any difference in price is a small cost for a cleaner planet, a more sustainable Pennsylvania, and a more robust local green economy.
How Does The Energy Co-op source renewable electricity?
The 100% renewable electricity offered by The Energy Co-op is supported by our purchase of renewable electricity certificates, or RECs. A REC represents 1 megawatt-hour of electricity generated by a renewable resource and, in our case, by a wind or solar renewable resource. For our EcoChoice100 Pennsylvania products, these RECs represent electricity generated only in our state. Energy Co-op members enrolled in our Renewable Electricity program may claim that their home or business is powered by 100% wind and solar, or 100% renewable electricity.
The Energy Co-op retires the RECs it purchases on behalf of our members. As a member-owned cooperative, we operate with 100% transparency. We are required to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations of Pennsylvania governing both third-party suppliers and acquisition and retirement of RECs, including oversight by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. In addition, we are subject to audit by the Federal Trade Commission at any time with respect to our 100% renewable energy programs.
I have or am considering installing solar panels on my home. Can I net meter with The Energy Co-op?
The Energy Co-op offers limited net metering opportunities to our members. To learn if you are eligible, please contact our office with the installer’s generation estimate for the solar array at your home, whether it’s planned or already installed. If that is not available, please provide us with the array’s size/capacity.
Can you supply my business?
Yes. We supply businesses, including owners of multi-family rental properties, through all of our energy programs, including renewable electricity. Just submit a commercial quote request online, send us an email to info@theenergy.coop, or call us at 215-413-2122.
Can The Energy Co-op supply the public buildings in my municipality with renewable electricity?
Yes, we would be happy to! Please call us at 215-413-2122 or email us at info@theenergy.coop for more information.
Will participating in this program affect any billing assistance programs?
Joining The Energy Co-op will not affect your use of Budget Billing, your eligibility for LIHEAP, or the Senior Discount on the distribution portion of your bill. Unfortunately, PECO customers on the Customer Assistance Program (CAP) are currently not eligible to choose any third-party electric supplier.
What is Renewable Natural Gas?
Renewable Natural Gas (or RNG) is comprised primarily of methane that forms naturally from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills and other waste treatment facilities. Also known as biogas, it is often flared, burning it, and wasting its energy content. However, RNG can also be used like conventional natural gas. But it is recovered without any drilling or fracking.
Who can sign up for The Energy Co-op’s RNG program?
Anyone who receives a gas bill from PECO or PGW can enroll in The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Natural Gas program. When you enroll in any of The Energy Co-op’s energy programs, you become a cooperative member.
Do The Energy Co-op members have to pay dues?
No, there are no membership dues.
Does The Energy Co-op’s RNG program charge any fees?
Not for residential accounts. There are no enrollment fees, no membership fees, no monthly fees, and no cancellation fees. You can leave the program at any time by notifying your gas utility or us. Of course, we hope you will be like the vast majority of our members and continue to support The Energy Co-op for years to come.
For commercial accounts, there are no enrollment fees, no membership fees, and no monthly fees. For most commercial accounts, there is no cancellation fee either. However, for certain large commercial accounts, prudent business practice occasionally may require The Energy Co-op to impose an early cancellation fee that is clearly disclosed in writing and discussed before service begins.
Please note that both PECO and PGW charge account and other distribution fees, none of which are paid to The Energy Co-op.
How does The Energy Co-op’s RNG program work?
When you enroll in our RNG program, The Energy Co-op will become your renewable natural gas supplier within 1-2 billing cycles. But your utility (whether PECO or PGW) will remain responsible for delivering it to your home or business. We supply it to your utility, and the utility delivers it to you. There is nothing to install and no interruption of service. Your gas utility will continue to bill you. You’ll see The Energy Co-op listed on your utility bill as your supplier.
How do I enroll in The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Natural Gas program?
You can sign up at any time online at www.theenergy.coop/enrollment or by emailing us at info@theenergy.coop. You can also call us Monday through Friday, between 9am and 5pm, at 215.413.2122. Signing up for our RNG program only takes a few minutes—and even less if you have your gas utility bill in hand.
Why would I want to change to using RNG?
Conventional natural gas is recovered by deep drilling and environmentally destructive fracking, including here in Pennsylvania. The results? Subsurface and surface disturbance, groundwater contamination, and air emissions of raw methane from drilling and production rigs. By enrolling in The Energy Co-op’s RNG program, you are decreasing the demand for conventional natural gas and reducing the environmental damage caused by drilling and fracking. In addition, you are using and promoting the use of an abundant, sustainable resource. Finally, you are directly supporting businesses and projects that capture this valuable resource and put it to good use.
What’s the difference between The Energy Co-op’s RNG program and other “green” gas options?
Many gas suppliers that advertise a “green” option purchase carbon offsets on your behalf. These offsets can be generated from investing in energy efficiency projects, planting trees, and other such projects that are intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. However, carbon offset projects do not necessarily reduce drilling or fracking, nor do they promote the use of abundant, sustainable biogas. As far as we know, The Energy Co-op’s RNG program is currently the only one serving southeastern Pennsylvania that directly supports the production and use of RNG.
What are the advantages of The Energy Co-op’s cooperative business model?
As a cooperative, we’ve focused on the triple bottom line since long before triple bottom line became popular. People, planet, profit—with a strong emphasis on the first two.
Our members come first, of course. When you buy energy from The Energy Co-op, you become a member. (Don’t worry—there are no dues!) When you become a member, you become an owner—one of thousands of owners in our area who participate in our renewable energy programs because they are concerned about our community, our state, and our planet. Together, we don’t just talk about making our world a better one, we vote with our energy dollars to do it.
Also, because we have no stockholders or other investors, The Energy Co-op can innovate in ways that corporations don’t. For example, we were the first supplier of renewable electricity in southeast Pennsylvania starting in 1998. And in 2015, we became the first—and are still the only—supplier of RNG to our area. We innovate because our cooperative member-owners want us to look for ways to accelerate our state’s transition to a sustainable energy future. That’s our cooperative advantage!
Does RNG cost more than conventional natural gas?
Please note that PECO and PGW change their gas rates every few months. And our RNG program variable rate products are also subject to change monthly (although we work as hard as we can to keep them steady). So, the difference in cost will vary. Our current RNG rates and detailed terms applicable to PECO and PGW customers can be found here.
We and our RNG program members believe any difference in price is a small cost for a cleaner planet, a more sustainable Pennsylvania, and a more robust local green economy.
How Does The Energy Co-op Source RNG?
Our RNG program is like our Renewable Electricity program. Just as there is only one set of electricity distribution wires, there is only one system of gas distribution pipes.
So, each program is supported by our purchase of what are called environmental attributes. For electricity, these are called renewable electricity certificates, or RECs. For renewable natural gas, these are sometimes called renewable natural gas credits, or RNGCs (pronounced “RINKS”). A REC represents 1 megawatt-hour of generated renewable electricity. A RNGC represents the direct equivalent of 1 mmBtu of landfill methane.
Since The Energy Co-op’s RNG program began, we have supported it in two ways: (1) We have acquired RNGCs from landfills that process biogas and inject it into the natural gas distribution system; and (2) we have acquired RECs from landfills that process biogas and use it to generate electricity. Both methods are industry-recognized means of sourcing RNG.
Please note that The Energy Co-op’s Renewable Electricity program is supported only by the purchase of 100% wind and solar RECs, not landfill biogas RECs.
Can you supply my business?
Yes. We supply owners of both multi-family rental properties and businesses through all of our energy programs, including RNG. Just submit a commercial quote request online, send us an email to info@theenergy.coop, or call us at 215-413-2122.
Can The Energy Co-op supply the public buildings in my municipality with RNG?
Yes, we would be happy to! In February 2021, Swarthmore Borough became the first municipality in Pennsylvania to make the switch from conventional natural gas, with hopefully many more to follow. Please call us at 215-413-2122 or email us at info@theenergy.coop for more information.
When did The Energy Co-op first begin supplying RNG?
The Energy Co-op first started supplying RNG to PECO gas customers in 2015 and became the first and only supplier of RNG in Philadelphia in January 2020 through our expansion into PGW territory.
Why does it take up to 1-2 billing cycles before The Energy Co-op becomes my renewable natural gas supplier?
When you enroll in The Energy Co-op’s RNG program, we inform your utility of the change. It is then the responsibility of the utility to process the supplier switch in accordance with the utility’s rules, which does not occur instantly. RNG enrollments processed by PECO can take from 11-51 days to become active. RNG enrollments processed by PGW can take from 15-75 days to become active. The Energy Co-op is not responsible for these delays, and we appreciate your understanding.
Is there an RNG mandate in Pennsylvania?
No, The Energy Co-op is voluntarily supplying 100% renewable natural gas.
Will participating in this program affect any billing assistance programs?
Choosing The Energy Co-op should not affect your use of Budget Billing, your eligibility for LIHEAP, or the Senior Discount on the distribution portion of your gas utility bill. Unfortunately, neither PGW customers with CRP nor PECO customers on CAP are currently eligible to choose any third party gas supplier other than their gas utility.
Where can I learn even more about The Energy Co-op’s RNG program?
Join us at one of our upcoming RNG webinars. Held quarterly, these presentations educate on the benefits of RNG and what you can do to get involved.
READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?
Your choice to power your home with renewable electricity, Renewable Natural Gas or Home Heating Oil DOES make a difference! Call or click to get rates & sign up today!
READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?
Switching to green energy DOES make a difference!
