Arcadia Power Review: Renewable Energy Without the Hassle

Renewable energy sources accounted for about 12% of total U.S. energy consumption and about 20% of electricity generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The truth is that making use of renewable energy sources is cost prohibitive. Many homeowners can’t afford solar panels and some simply don’t have the option to install them (e.g., condo owners). Renters have no option.

Thanks to a service offered by Arcadia Power, the majority of homeowners will find they can finally use renewable energy without the high installation cost. In fact, no additional hardware is required. In this article, we’ll review how Arcadia Power is able to make renewable energy available to the masses - and potentially help you save some money.

What Happens If I Can't Install Solar Panels?

Not a problem. Arcadia Power sends renewable energy to your home through the existing power lines. That may sound strange but here’s a primer on how it works. Your power company sends electricity to your home through power lines, which are part of the overall national electric grid. Arcadia Power uses those same power lines.

What most people don't realize is that when you pay your power bill, you're paying for both power generation and power transmission. For many, that's the same company, but you can choose who generates your power (in many states). 

Besides your power company, there are other sources of power such as renewable energy that also travels through the same power lines. If you install solar panels on your house and sell electricity back to the power company, you don’t have to set up new power lines — you simply use the existing ones. Renewable energy from other sources works the same way. Electricity from multiple sources travels through the same power lines.

Arcadia Power offers renewable energy by purchasing RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates). By using its RECs, Arcadia Power can then provide renewable energy from various sources to its customers.

How Does Billing Work?

Nothing changes with your existing electric bill. Arcadia Power sits on top of your bill and manages renewable resources.

Here’s what we mean: Your electric bill payment will be redirected to Arcadia Power. Arcadia Power will then pay your electric company. This allows Arcadia Power to better manage renewable resources to your home and provide an accurate reading of renewable vs. existing power mixes at your home.

There are two plans available with Arcadia Power: free and one that charges an extra $0.015 per kWh, which is called the Premium plan. Plan options are as follows:

Premium: 100% Wind Energy, $0.015/kWh

• Price alerts
• Personalized energy dashboard
• Dedicated customer service team
• Start and stop anytime with no contract
• Discounts on home efficiency projects
• Special rates on community solar

2022 Update: The free plan is no longer offered, instead, Arcadia offers 100% of energy matched for $5 per month

Free: 50% Wind Energy, $0.00/kWh

• Price alerts
• Personalized energy dashboard
• Dedicated customer service team
• Start and stop anytime with no contract

One difference you will notice is how soon your bill is paid. Once Arcadia Power receives your bill from the power company, they immediately pay it. This means your bill will be paid a little sooner. With the free plan, you shouldn’t notice any additional charges on top of your electric bill.

Arcadia Power Features and Terminology

There is terminology and some features that you are likely to run across when researching Arcadia Power’s program. Below are explanations for the two most common.

Community Solar Program

This is the name given to the type of service Arcadia Power offers. It benefits those who are not able to install any renewable energy hardware at their home or apartment.

Unlike traditional solar programs, which require the installation of solar panels, community solar programs do not require any long-term contracts, allowing you to cancel at any time. Additionally, there aren’t any up-front costs and the best part is community solar guarantees savings on your utility bills. 

Community solar is only available in certain states, including: CO, MD, IL, ME, RI, NY, MA, NJ. Note that users do not have a choice in which product is available within these states. 

However, Arcadia Power has availability in all 50 states. You can check availability in your area through Arcadia Power by visiting their website.

Customizing Your Renewable Sources

Through the Arcadia Power dashboard, you can customize the type of energy used. The Arcadia Power dashboard allows you to choose wind or solar power. You can adjust usage from 50% of either or 100%, depending on the plan.

There currently isn’t a way to choose where power is sourced.

Arcadia Power is a great option for those who want to use renewable energy for their home but don’t have a viable way to put up solar panels or wind devices. This usually means people living in apartments, condos, or homeowners who can’t afford solar panels.

If you are in a state that is eligible for community solar and sign up, solar energy goes into your local grid and you can increase the demand for local, clean energy. 

Their intuitive dashboard allows you to see how much renewable energy you’ve used. Overall, it’s a very cost-efficient and effective method for using renewable energy.

Final Thoughts

Arcadia Power isn't for everyone. If you honestly don't care about who generates your electricity, and don't have access to price alerts, you can probably skips this for now.

However, if you do want to use renewable energy and that's important to you (even at a slightly higher price), then Arcadia Power is a great solution. Even if you have solar, you still have hours of the day where you use the grid - so take advantage of Arcadia.

If you are in an area that you can get price alerts, this is a potential way to save money on your electric bill every month. You definitely should try this out and see if you can save!