Whether you are looking at residential or commercial, energy rates are important. When running a small business, the wrong energy rate plan can make or break your company. It can also mean the difference between owning and renting your home. However, when working through the budget to figure out how much energy you can afford, it is important to remember that you aren’t restricted to a single, one-size-fits-all rate. There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing the best energy suppliers in Alberta, but there are a lot of variables to consider, too. Here are a few tips that can help you narrow down your list of energy providers until you find the best one for you.
Know your needs
Knowing your energy needs is the most important part of finding one of the best energy suppliers in Alberta for your needs, and that extends beyond figuring out whether you are looking for natural gas, electricity, or green energy solutions. You also need to know how much energy you consume on average. This will help you to determine which of the rate plans available will actually provide the greatest benefit to you.
What’s the difference among the many rate plan options?
Since Alberta began to deregulate its energy market, suppliers in Alberta for electricity or natural gas have been divided into two basic groups: regulated and competitive. Depending on your energy consumption needs, either of these option may prove the most beneficial to you.
Regulated prices are determined by the current market rate. These prices may vary between geographic regions, and may also vary on a month-to-month basis; however, they do not require you to lock into an agreement with your provider, and they provide the most flexibility if you are new and unsure of your average monthly consumption, or if you are planning to expand your home or business or incorporate green energy options in the future. Regulated rate options enable a level of flexibility that ensures you don’t get caught paying for more than the energy you are consuming.
Regulated rate options aren’t the most practical of options for everyone, though. If you consume large amounts of energy, if you consume steady amounts of energy, or if you simply want to avoid market fluctuations, the competitive rate option may be better for you.
However, when looking for the best energy suppliers in Alberta, some may allow you to incorporate both energy plans into your rate package. Deregulation made the energy market a lot more competitive, and that means energy providers will want to make themselves more appealing to you. Once you’ve determined your needs, you just need to look for the rate plan that suits them.
Know who to consult to help you make the tough decisions
There are a lot of variables involved in locating the best energy suppliers in Alberta—the decision you’ll be making is akin to the decision you make when choosing where to invest your finances. It isn’t an easy decision, so it’s important to remember that you don’t have to make it alone. Visit us at Energyrates.ca and we can give you the information you need to compare the best energy suppliers in Alberta—and we can go over your needs to make sure you are choosing the rate plan that will help you mitigate the most risk, and offer you the highest advantage.
