But Iowa has us and the rest of the country beat when it comes to percentage of electricity demand provided by wind. Their wind power farms set a record of 20% of state electricity needs in the second quarter of 2011, with 4,000 megawatts of installed wind farm capacity.

In terms of total generation, the top wind power state is Texas, with 9,000 megawatts of installed capacity. Of course, Texas has a lot more people than Iowa, so wind power accounts for a lower percentage of its electric needs.

After the 2008 financial crash, the wind power industry, along with a lot of the economy, declined. However, it’s now on the upsurge. According the American Wind Energy Association, “7,354 megawatts of new capacity was under construction nationally by July 1, more than at any time since the third quarter of 2008.”

(Information for this article provided by Care2 newsletter and Brian Merchant, a Treehugger blogger.)

For information on how you can use your electricity more efficiently and save money, click on my tips.

Kim Hopkins

CEO, The Electric Connection

Click here to visit our website.

There’s an old saying that goes, “A good man is hard to find.”  Thankfully, that doesn’t have to be the case when you’re selecting a Dallas Electrician to perform electrical repair.  By selecting a licensed electrician, you can be assured that you’re going to receive competent, safe, superior service.  So how can you find out if the electrician you’re considering is licensed?

Anyone who performs electrical work in Texas must be licensed, whether it’s general electric repair or specialty electric jobs.  There are various types of electrician’s licenses, including:

There are also different licenses for businesses, which require the inclusion of various levels of electricians, as well as liability insurance.  When an electrical business is licensed, they will display their license number on vehicles and websites.  This is perhaps the best way to find out whether the electrician you want to hire is licensed or not.  Thanks to the internet, it’s easy to look up a specific company and find their license number.  Your electrician should have his business’ license number displayed on his vehicle as well.  Be sure to look for a Texas Electrical Contractor License (TECL) number on the work truck or car. For example, our TECL number is listed right on our homepage and on all of our vehicles, so everyone who visits will know we’re a licensed, insured electrician Dallas residents can depend on.

Hiring a licensed electrician means that your home will be as safe as possible.  All licensed electricians are required to attend continuing education courses, so they have the most up-to-date information to service their clients.  So, the next time you need a Texas electrician, do a Google search or visit the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to find a properly licensed electrician who will do the job right.

Over the last several years, it has become more and more common to see solar panels on the roofs of houses in any given neighborhood across the United States. Although this technology has been around in a form very similar to its current state, why is it just now starting to catch on so widely? There are naturally a number of reasons why, including increased accessibility, government subsidies and rising fossil fuel prices. If you’re thinking about installing solar panels on your home, here are a few reasons why 2013 may be the year for you.

If you have been on the fence about solar power, take some time to browse through our resources (Read More). We specialize in options such as solar leasing, which can make solar panels a reality for almost anyone.

With the arrival of spring and all the new beginnings it offers, we think it’s the perfect time to inspect your major household appliances and ensure they’re working properly and efficiently. Homeowners often dread the thought of spring cleaning, but because of the potential savings that come with efficient appliances, not to mention the added peace of mind, this may become your new favorite task!

By Clarissa Allison | August 28th, 2015

If you are a homeowner considering outdoor lighting, then you have probably heard about solar landscape lighting. In addition to being environmentally friendly, light emitting diode which prevents the battery’s current from flowing back through the solar cell during the night. The battery charges during the daytime, and will meet its maximum charge before dusk. A photovoltaic cell then changes the sun’s light into electricity. Although environmental factors affect the performance of solar lights they will work outdoors throughout most of the year.

Many solar lights are self-sustaining, or “stand-alone” systems. These convert sunlight into electricity during the day, store the electricity in batteries, and draw from the batteries to power light fixtures after dusk.

Self-contained solar lights often have panels built right into the light fixtures. Solar lighting systems with panels separate from fixture assemblies, however, allow for only the panels to be placed in the sun, not the lights themselves.