23 pieces published
Harry Brooks
Director of Energy Strategy, Seenra Inc
Director of Energy Strategy at Seenra Inc. Harry runs the operator-side playbook — supplier shortlisting, lock-window timing, multi-site bundling, and the renewal-watch system that protects every Seenra account from silent rollover. Twelve years across PJM, ERCOT, ISO-NE, and NYISO procurement desks before joining Seenra to bring institutional-grade procurement to US households and small businesses. Based in Columbus, Ohio.
- Lock-in strategy
- Multi-state procurement
- Renewal-watch automation
- Operator-grade math
- Residential + small commercial
Guides written by Harry
Why is my electric bill so high? A diagnostic checklist
The single most-asked question in US residential energy. Six diagnostic buckets — rate change, usage spike, season, equipment, phantom load, and billing error — and the operator-grade math behind each one.
moving and-setup · 10 minHow to set up electricity in a new apartment
Complete walkthrough for setting up electric service when moving into a US apartment. What documents you need, deposit math, credit-check rules, and how to schedule service so the lights are on the day you move in.
saving money · 13 minHow to lower your electric bill — 30 evergreen tips
The complete US-household playbook for lowering your monthly electric bill. Where every kWh actually goes, the high-leverage HVAC + water-heater + dryer interventions, and the per-tip dollar math at average 17¢/kWh rates.
state by-state · 8 minHow to use PUCO Apples-to-Apples for Ohio supply shopping
Ohio's energychoice.ohio.gov portal compares every PUCO-licensed supplier against your utility's SSO rate. The 5-step flow Ohio households use to lock a better rate without changing utility.
lock in · 7 minEarly termination fees on energy contracts, explained
When the ETF is worth paying, when it is not, and the math that decides. Plus the 5 contract clauses you should always check before signing.
smart meters-and-ev · 8 minTime-of-use rates vs flat rates — which saves more?
TOU pricing rewards shifting electricity use to off-peak hours. The break-even math, the appliances that benefit, and the load profiles where flat rate still wins.
smart meters-and-ev · 9 minEV home charging — rate plans, submetering, savings
EV-specific TOU rates can drop home charging cost from $80/mo to $25/mo on the same vehicle. Submetering vs whole-home, plan comparison, and the payback math on a Level 2 charger.
heating and-cooling · 9 minHeat pump vs gas furnace — the 2026 utility-bill math
When a heat pump beats a gas furnace on operating cost, when the furnace wins, and the electricity-to-gas price ratio that decides. State-by-state breakdown for 2026 conditions.
renewables · 8 minCommunity solar vs rooftop solar — which is right for you
Community solar is a subscription to a remote farm; rooftop is panels on your house. Cost structure, payback, and the renter / shaded-roof / capital-light cases where community solar wins.
outages and-backup · 9 minPortable generator vs battery backup — safety + cost
Generators run on fuel and produce carbon monoxide; batteries are silent and indoor-safe but limited capacity. Cost-per-kWh comparison, safety rules, and the use cases for each.
commercial · 11 minHow to audit your commercial energy bill (and find 15–30% savings)
Bill-audit walkthrough that catches mis-billed riders, wrong rate codes, missing solar credits, capacity-tag errors. Plus the 5 line items that pay back the audit cost in the first month.
lock in · 7 minWhen to renew a fixed-rate energy contract — the 60-day rule
Renewing 60–90 days before contract expiry beats the silent rollover trap and locks the best new-supplier offer. The calendar discipline + the 3 rate signals that say "wait" or "lock now".
state by-state · 8 minSwitching electricity in New Jersey — PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City
NJ deregulated electricity in 1999. PSE&G (Newark + central), JCP&L (Morristown + Toms River), Atlantic City Electric (south Jersey + Shore), Rockland Electric (north Jersey) own the wires. NJ BPU regulates the EDECA program.
appliances and-equipment · 9 minWater heater types — tank vs tankless vs heat-pump
Tank water heaters: $400-$1,200, $400-700/yr operating cost. Tankless: $1,500-$3,000, $300-500/yr. Heat-pump: $1,500-$3,000, $130-200/yr. The capital + operating math by fuel type and household size.
renewables · 9 minSolar battery backup — cost, payback, and when it's worth it
A 13.5 kWh Powerwall costs $13K-$16K installed. Payback varies — 6-8 years in TOU-heavy states, 12-15+ years in flat-rate states. The use cases where battery actually pencils out.
heating and-cooling · 9 minDual-fuel heat pump + furnace — the balance-point math
A dual-fuel system runs heat pump in moderate weather (above ~30°F) and switches to gas furnace below. The balance-point setting + the operating-cost math by climate zone.
commercial · 9 minRestaurant energy costs — the 15-25% savings playbook
Restaurants spend 3-5% of revenue on energy. ENERGY STAR fryers save $260/yr, LED lighting saves up to 90% of lighting cost, demand management cuts bills 15-25%. The high-leverage interventions.
commercial · 11 minManufacturing energy procurement — load-profile bundling
Manufacturing facilities use 95.1 kWh/sqft on average — 4-5x retail and office. Load-profile bundling, capacity-tag management, and demand-response participation can cut total cost 15-30%.
smart meters-and-ev · 8 minDemand response programs — utility rebates explained
Demand-response programs pay you to reduce electricity use during peak grid stress events. Residential rebates: $50-$300/yr. Commercial: $5K-$50K/yr. The enrollment workflow + the participation rules.
seasonal · 10 minWinter heating bill — the 18-step defence checklist
Cold-snap bills run 3-5x higher than summer. The 18-step playbook — thermostat, weather-stripping, attic insulation, water heater, smart-thermostat — that delivers 25-40% reductions.
energy literacy · 9 minHow wholesale electricity works — generators, ISOs, you
The grid is a real-time auction market. Generators bid hourly; the regional grid operator (PJM, ERCOT, ISO-NE) clears the lowest bids. Your retail rate is downstream of the wholesale clearing price.
smart meters-and-ev · 9 minEV fleet charging for businesses — rates, demand charges, stations
Fleet EV charging adds 50-200 kW of demand to a commercial site. The demand-charge impact, the EV-specific commercial rates, and the make-ready vs full-build decisions.
reading the-bill · 6 minThe transmission charge — wires from the generator to your zone
Transmission is the bulk-power network — 138-765 kV lines that move electricity hundreds of miles from generators to regional substations. Regulated by FERC. Typically 3-7% of your bill.