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White Papers

Direct Energy Business is dedicated to helping energy consumers understand their electricity choice options and choose a buying strategy that supports their budget and business objectives.

View or download the following white papers to learn more about your choices and find guidance on choosing a retail electricity supplier.

Electricity Choices
Understanding the Basics of Market Volatility and Product Choices in a Deregulated Market
If you do business in a state with a deregulated electricity market, you can choose an energy strategy that suits and supports your business objectives. This white paper reviews some of the market basics and help you understand how to navigate the selection process. It explains the variables that drive market volatility and an overview of products typically available through retail electricity suppliers. It also includes a discussion guide to help you gather the information needed to make electricity choices with confidence.

Successful Cost Control in a Volatile Electricity Market
6 Fundamentals for Evaluating Buying Strategies for Industrials
This white paper describes how industrial businesses can successfully implement a custom procurement approach by evaluating electricity buying strategies in a new way. It sets forth criteria for the request for proposal (RFP) review process and guides the reader through a focused discussion on cost control opportunities within expectations for business performance. Case studies demonstrate the benefits that two industrial businesses have gained by adopting this portfolio approach.

Pool Power
Bringing Big-business Electricity Choices to Small and Mid-size Businesses
An electricity buying pool (also called aggregation) is an increasingly popular option for small and mid-size businesses seeking greater control of their electricity costs, particularly in today's volatile energy market. This white paper serves as a primer for businesses considering joining a pool. We outline the basic concepts behind the pricing for pool members, explain the characteristics of success and offer practical advice for selecting a pool program.

Renewable Energy
A Key Step on the Road to Sustainability
In today's hypercompetitive global economy, organizations are looking for any way to optimize supply chain management, reduce costs through operating efficiencies and achieve higher standards for corporate social responsibility, a key element of which is the environmental impact of their business practices. Renewable energy certificates (RECs) allow companies to purchase the positive attributes of renewable energy and support the continued development of renewable energy generation facilities. This white paper explains the basics of renewable energy and outlines the choices companies have for purchasing RECs and "greening up" their power usage.



DAILY MARKET UPDATES

  • Click here for the Canadian Weekly Market Update.

  • Market Update for May 17, 2012
    The June '12 natural gas contract is up 2.7 cents to $2.645. June '12 crude contact is down 6 cents at $92.75.
     

  • Market Factors:

    Bullish Factors
    - Coal-to-gas switching
    - Potential production cutbacks
    - EPA regulations (long-term only)
    - Below-average additions to storage

    - Bearish Factors
    - Natural gas glut
    - Mild weather

  • Next-day Power Traded for 5/17/12
    Mass Hub
    $27.70    		 Cin Hub
    $29.58    		 NY Zone A
    $28.00
    PJM
    West Hub
    $32.92    		 ERCOT
    North
    $29.02    		 CA
    SP15
    $32.60

  • Summary for 5-17-12
    The June '12 contract increased 11.8 cents, closing at $2.618. The market jumped significantly because of revised forecasts for warmer weather at many major consuming hubs Crude continued its downward spiral, hitting a 6-month low because of ongoing concerns about the viability of the European Union and U.S. inventory levels that are the highest they've been in decades.

    EIA Storage Report: 5-17-12

    The EIA reported an injection of 61 Bcf, which was slightly above expectations.

    Storage now stands at:2.667 Tcf

    Last year: 1.893 Tcf

    5-year average: 1.894 Tcf

 
 

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