FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I save any significant amount of money with a broker??
A: Indeed you will Energy isn't easy any more. A lot of
people are completely unaware that they've have made less than optimal choices. We'll give you some examples.
Q: Can I negotiate prices on my own?
A: You can. But you won't beat our best deal. We hear this all the time:
"I'll just get three quotes and go with the best one." A lot of people
have used that strategy to successfully negotiate a very, very bad
price. There are several reasons why:
They didn't know what to ask for. There are many different
plans available, and it's vital to pick the plan that works best for
your energy use profile. Get this wrong, and no price is the right
price.
Energy bids aren't like bidding on E-Bay. Each provider has
their own rules and requirements. It's a lot of work...more so if you
don't know the industry. A lot of learning is involved if you don't have
the experience. Get it wrong and you won't get a bid back, which is
time wasted. Get the timing wrong and your bids won't come back at the
same time. Auditing and coordinating bids takes the work of several
trained staff with years of experience...and our staff is very good at
what they do. Many people who don't use New Breed end up giving up after
the first or second offer.
We bring thousands of customers to the table. Providers work
harder for us because they want to stay in our competitive pool.
You're just one customer.
This is all we do. We've got the time to play providers off each
other and grind them down. You've got a different business to run.
We know what we're being offered, and which "best deal" really is
the best. You'll never see an apples-to-apples comparison, so you need
to know how to compare an apple to an orange.
Q: Why does it take so much work to get a better price?
A: Because that's how competitive markets work. Energy is very much like
the "Priceline" model you've seen for hotel rooms and airline flights.
The energy market is a lot like the hospitality and airline industries.
Highly competitive. Fairly low margins. Everyone wants as many customers
as possible, and at the same time everyone wants to make as much money
as they can off of each customer. They'll take as much as they can get
right up to the point that they'll take what they can get.
They start at a rate that makes what is, for them, a reasonable profit.
Then they put up a wall to discourage you from trying to get a better
deal. Most people settle, because it's not worth the time and effort,
and because they don't know what to do next.
But for New Breed, that's where we go to work. If they have to,
providers will trim margins down to the bone to keep a customer from
going somewhere else. To make this happen, you've got to know how to
make them trim. You've got to know who's willing to bid aggressively for
new customers. You've got to know where the markets are going, so you
know when is the optimal time to send contracts out for bids. These are
all things we know.
Q: If the provider pays you, how do I know you're working for me, not
them?
A: YOU are our customer. The final deal is the same whether our fee is
considered to come from the provider or as part of a "shared savings"
plan with you. Many of our customers choose the latter approach for
accounting reasons. It's all the same to us...and more importantly, all
the same to you. Just numbers on a page.
In the end, the proof is in the savings. If we don't keep getting people
better deals than they can get on their own, they won't come back. The
providers may end up footing the bill, but they don't need us. It's the
customers looking to save who need us. The fact that providers pay for
the privilege of giving you a great deal just makes the savings that
much sweeter.
Q: Why would the provider want to pay you?
A: Because we bring them new customers. Yes, their margins are really,
really low for customers they get through New Breed. But they still make
some profit, and they don't have to spend any money on advertising or
marketing, so it works out for everyone. We're big fans of win-win
scenarios.
Q: What is the risk to me?
A: It costs you nothing to start. If we send you out
to bid and you don't like any of the deals we can offer you, you are under no obligation.
Q: What's the "at worst" risk?
A: Every energy plan is, to some extent, a gamble. Remember, energy is a
commodity now. It's traded on an open market, like stocks, options and
pork bellies. And it's a highly volatile market.
Your energy plan will be based on either a "locked in" price, which
avoids market fluctuation, or a "market based" price which rises with
the highs and dips with the lows. It might be locked, variable, or a
hybrid of the two with all sorts of hedges and options which we can
teach you.
In a volatile market, every choice involves a certain amount of risk on
your part. "Locked" prices make you look like a genius when prices go
up...less so if they move lower. Variable prices go with the flow, and
can make for a wild ride. We can't prevent this risk, but we can explain
it to you, and help you make the informed choice that will allow you to
sleep easy at night.
You probably weren't aware of these risks before. That's because you
weren't aware that you had the opportunity to save before. Ignorance, in
this case, is NOT bliss.
Q: What if something happens to my new provider?
A: The worst that can happen is you end up back where you started. In
the early days of deregulation, providers did sometimes go out of
business. Their customers were picked up by the local utility's
"provider of choice," usually at the same price they were paying before
they came to us. Then we started again to find them a new, better deal.
We thoroughly assess providers before we add them to our pool of
bidders, so this has not been an issue to New Breed customers in quite a
while. We don't work with providers we don't trust. We're choosy.
Q: Could I ever lose service?
A: No. That simply doesn't happen. The utilities are required to keep
delivering energy to you as long as you're able to pay a bill. It's
simply a question of who is billing you.
Q: Who IS billing me if I choose a different provider?
A: You might have one bill; you might have two. The utility still takes
care of delivering your energy, and will continue to bill you. Your
provider might send you a separate bill, or might bill you through the
utility. Separate billing doesn't affect your price in any way.
Deregulation split your energy into two components: the energy itself,
which has multiple providers, and the delivery, which the utilities
still control. The utility serves everyone, regardless of provider.
By the way, no matter who your provider is, the price you pay to the
utility for delivery is always the same. We get you your savings on the
energy itself. Mixing energy prices with utility prices under an arcane
set of fees, tariffs and charges is one of the ways providers disguise
their "true" price.
Q: Will I notice any difference in service?
A: No. We assist you through all the necessary paperwork so the bills
come from the right place. The energy never stops flowing.
Q: Why do you audit my bills? Do utilities and providers make mistakes?
A: All the time. But not when we double-check. For some customers, this
has resulted in substantial savings. Think YOU can spot the mistakes in
an energy bill?
Q: Once I'm with a new provider, do I stay with them?
A: If they keep offering the best deal. Energy contracts are generally
1-3 years, although in the current economy 2 years is the maximum most
providers will offer. When the time comes to renew your contract, we
send it out to bid again. Best deal always wins. We don't play favorites
with any of our providers.
Q: How hard is it to get started?
A: Easy and painless. All we need are a few basic facts and a few old
bills. The more old bills you can find, the better we can assess your
energy needs. We can send an agent for a face-to-face or do everything
through phone calls and e-mail.
You'll need to sign an LOA (Letter Of Authorization), which enables us
to bid on your behalf. The LOA is not a contract and does not oblige you
to do anything. It merely authorizes us to act as your agent.
Providers will run a credit check before they make an offer to
you...this would be the case whether or not you go through New Breed. As
you know, credit is very tight in the United States under the current
economy. NOW would be a very good time to make sure you have the
necessary records and information. Call us and we'll explain what you
need to do to have that information ready.
Q: What do I have to do after I give you my information?
A: Be ready to make a decision...quickly. Be aware: the energy market is
highly volatile and the energy industry moves fast. Offers,
particularly good ones, don't stay on the table for very long. So you
need to be ready to react fast. All it takes is a "yes" and a signature.
Q: Does New Breed offer other services?
A: Beyond energy procurement, we also offer a full energy
management plan, as well as entry into green energy.
NEW BREED TELECOM and NEW BREED HOSTING provides:Voice, Data, Internet, Web Hosting. Internet marketing and Cloud solutions.
We also sponsor a site dedicated to providing resources, information and solutions to people looking to live OFF GRID LIVE OFF GRID.NET
NEW BREED ENERGY MARKETS
Natural Gas - Electricity - Green Energy - Renewable Energy - Carbon Credits - Energy Credits
Benefit from our Energy Consulting firm's expertise in cost reduction.
We are highly qualified to manage all your energy needs.
SERVICES:
We will review all existing energy contracts, utility bills as well as supply/pricing options
We will solicit offers from multiple energy suppliers, saving significantly on your electric and natural gas expenses. We will evaluate your specific needs and make recommendations choosing from many competitive offers. we can offer longer terms with either fixed price or indexed energy quotes.
- NATIONWIDE AVAILABILITY AND SERVICE
We work in all deregulated energy markets with access to over 150 energy suppliers.
We Purchase Natural Gas, Electricity for:
* Commercial & Industrial Companies
* Manufacturing Companies
* Hospitals
* Hotels, Entertainment & Gaming
* Governments (Federal-State-County-City)
* Water & School Districts
* Mobile Home Parks (master metered)
* Agricultural Operations
* Both Large and Small Businesses
* Property Management Companies
With all types of accounts:
* Single site or multiple sites,
* Single meter or multiple metered,
* Single state or multiple states,
* Privately held or publicly owned.
ENERGY AGGREGATION
Some commercial and industrial energy loads are considered too small for energy suppliers to bid on competitively.
Aggregation is a procurement strategy in which the energy loads of multiple end-user customers are combined resulting in lower rates than any of the individual users could get independently.
Aggregation is optimal when all of the users in the group have similar load profiles. New Breed Energy can advise if aggregation is a beneficial strategy for a particular business or group.
Energy Efficiency Studies
Green Building Energy Efficiency Tax Deductions (Section 179D)
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 added section 179D to the Internal Revenue Code. Section 179D permits a deduction for the costs of installing certain energy efficient building systems in commercial buildings.
To claim the deduction, a taxpayer must obtain a certification of energy savings. The certification process must be performed by a qualified firm or individual that performed an on-site inspection of the building. The energy savings must be calculated using qualified software from the Treasury Department’s list of certified software programs.Staff includes engineers that are qualified and certified to perform Green Building studies.
Green Building 179D Energy Efficiency Tax Deductions
A tax deduction is available for improving the energy efficiency of existing commercial buildings or designing high efficiency into new buildings. Investments that appreciably reduce the heating, cooling, water heating, and interior lighting energy cost of new or existing commercial buildings are eligible for a tax deduction.
Overview of Green Building Study Process
* Review specifications and determine if building qualifies
* Site visit
* Certified engineer performs the energy modeling and analysis
* The study is completed and turned over to the building owner and their financial adviser.
Audit Support
As with many tax incentives, there is a chance for an IRS audit. In the event of an audit, fees for a study include predetermined hours of audit support. We feel comfortable in providing audit support because our engineers are experienced and follow all the rules and regulations as required by the IRS. In addition we feel our studies will withstand IRS scrutiny because we follow the methodologies recommended by the IRS.
The Next Step
If you are a building owner or a CPA firm with clients that you think might qualify, let our certified engineering professionals help you determine if you can take advantage of this great tax incentive and if so, maximize your deductions.
NEW BREED ENERGY offers a full energy
management plan, as well as entry into green energy.
NEW BREED TELECOM is a Master Agent for Major Carriers of Voice, Data and Internet including Wireless Services for Business
NEW BREED HOSTING Provides Web Hosting, Internet marketing and Cloud Solutions.
LIVE OFF GRID.NET
NEW BREED NETWORKS sponsors a site dedicated to providing resources, information and solutions to people looking to LIVE OFF GRID
NY SOLAR POWER.NET Find Pre-Qualified Solar Contractors in your area