Retracting my previous statements

Oh dear, my appalling math skills have let me down again. Basically when I wrote about switching to wind power recently I said it was cheaper to go direct to Community Energy than to go through ConEd. However now I've done the math, I think I was wrong. Here's my new reckoning, in answer to an email received via the Bowery Babes email group list as to whether NYC peeps are better off going direct to Community Energy or through ConEd:

"From the research I've done I think it's a pretty close run thing but in the long run you're probably slightly better off staying with ConEd and switching to their wind power option. Your alternative is to go direct to community energy, which is the company which supplies ConEd with wind power, but ConEd offers a good deal with them.

Basically, if you go direct to Community Energy, they charge $2.50 per block of 100 KwH (min 2 blocks) and if you go through ConEd they charge 2 cents 50 per KwH - i.e. exactly the same. Both charges are on top of your current electricity charge as renewable energy is more expensive.

However ConEd also offers a $25 sign-up rebate and NY state taxes are waived once you've signed up (this might also be true going direct to Community Energy but am sure would be a pain to organize). You also pay for exactly what you use with ConEd as opposed to having to buy blocks which might be innaccurate.

So from what I know, which of course is not loads, it seems ConEd might be cheaper over the long term (when I wrote my blog on this I actually thought the opposite - but think I was wrong). Community Energy are very nice and easy to deal with, though!"

Sorry. Repeat after me, 2+2=4, 4+4=8....