| Our Sources Say |
Cooperatives remain members’ most trusted energy partner Consumers are starting to expect the freedom and flexibility of managing their home and lifestyle energy usage through everything from “smart” thermostats and hot-water heaters to solar panels and electric vehicles.
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rust is a powerful thing. Just ask any of Alabama’s 22 electric cooperatives. Theirs is a business built on long-standing trust with members and the community, and their desire to play a vital role in the collective economic well-being of those served. That is why, as digital “smart” devices revolutionize the way consumers manage energy consumption and new-to-market energy providers begin offering more renewable products that promise self-sufficiency and convenience, members can rest assured their electric cooperative will remain their most trusted source of information, technology expertise and customer service. Consumers are starting to expect the freedom and flexibility of managing their home and lifestyle energy usage through everything from “smart” thermostats and hot-water heaters to solar panels and electric vehicles. With those advanced energy products come new value propositions and new-to-the-community third-party businesses. Alabama’s electric cooperatives can provide valuable expertise to members during the research phase of their purchase journey to evaluate energy efficiency and true cost, as well as the potential lifestyle enhancements and financial incentives. In their long-time service to members and the community, member-owned electric cooperatives are better equipped to fill the energy advisor role than any other provider. In our connected world, the relationship between consumers and cooperatives is no longer based solely on the power company’s ability to “keep the lights on” but also on their understanding of what its customers value. That is why Alabama’s electric coop-
eratives are working behind the scenes to prepare the interconnected power grid for the emerging lifestyle-enhancing technologies that offer members comfort, choice, convenience, control and cost-effectiveness. Next-generation technologies installed by cooperatives on the electric system will allow members – residential, commercial and industrial – to connect renewable energy sources -- like rooftop solar panels and battery storage -- and “smart” devices to the grid. These enhancements to the electric system are a win-win for cost-conscious consumers and electric cooperatives alike. A cornerstone of the electric cooperative model is service to consumer-members, which is demonstrated through energy efficiency and efforts to keep costs low. As the automation of digital energy platforms continues to develop and consumer-members become increasingly aware of how to manage both their usage and their electricity budget, they will enjoy an even more synergistic relationship with their cooperative. Conscientious energy usage benefits both consumers and the power companies, and is an important part of many cooperatives’ strategy for providing their consumer-members with stable and affordable electricity rates. Whether you’ve begun to invest in the brave new lifestyle technologies of the future or remain satisfactorily served by the technologies of today, rest assured your electric cooperative is ready to help meet your needs. Alabama’s electric cooperatives are ideally suited to fulfill their role as your most trusted energy partner now and into the future.n
Nathalie Strickland, APR, is vice president of communications for the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, Inc.
52 APRIL 2019
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