{"id":1886,"date":"2018-12-20T14:39:29","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T14:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/blog\/winter-electricity-prices-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-08-18T10:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T10:41:29","slug":"why-a-coop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/why-a-coop\/","title":{"rendered":"Why choose a cooperative for your energy needs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Morgan Pitts<\/a> 12\/20\/2018<\/p>\n

The Energy Co-op was founded to leverage the power of community to buy energy differently. Originally, this meant forming a \u201cconsumer\u2019s union\u201d wherein heating oil consumers negotiated with oil suppliers as a group. An individual consumer has little leverage over energy suppliers or ability to negotiate. By forming a cooperative, the founders of The Energy Co-op were able to use the power of their community to get reliable, transparent pricing on heating oil and to avoid predatory practices.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to today and The Energy Co-op has grown and added new services, specifically, renewable electricity and renewable natural gas. In many respects, we function like any other renewable electricity or gas supplier. But, unlike any other energy supplier in the Delaware Valley, we are a cooperatively-governed organization. We don\u2019t have shareholders and exist purely to serve our membership.<\/p>\n

This means that when you sign up to receive clean electricity, renewable natural gas, or home heating oil from The Energy Co-op, you become a member-owner. You have the right to know how the organization operates and a say in that operation every year at our Annual Member Meeting (AMM), held in the spring.<\/p>\n

Between AMMs, members (defined as anyone who has utilized at least one of the Co-op\u2019s services within the past year) are welcome to schedule an appointment to visit the Co-op\u2019s offices (conveniently located in Center City Philadelphia), meet with staff, and view the organization\u2019s records. (You\u2019re also welcome to just drop by, but appointments are appreciated!)<\/p>\n

If you want to know more about the rates you\u2019re paying for clean electricity or renewable natural gas, take a deep dive into how the Co-op is sourcing energy or learn more about the specific supply agreement between the Co-op and the oil supplier keeping your house warm this winter, you\u2019re welcome to do so.<\/p>\n

This is a degree of transparency that no other energy supplier allows their customers, and it is what makes the Co-op unique. To many in the energy industry, it would be revolutionary. To us, it\u2019s just how we do business.<\/p>\n

If you want to know about how we are incorporated and governed, check out our bylaws here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Co-ops are member-owned, democratic organizations accountable only to those they serve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8636,"featured_media":1888,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0},"categories":[117],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy choose a cooperative for your energy needs? - The Energy Coop<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/why-a-coop\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why choose a cooperative for your energy needs? - The Energy Coop\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Co-ops are member-owned, democratic organizations accountable only to those they serve.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/why-a-coop\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Energy Coop\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-20T14:39:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-18T10:41:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/danielle-macinnes-66244-unsplash-e1545835449901.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"4311\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1616\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jon_snyder\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jon_snyder\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/why-a-coop\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/why-a-coop\/\",\"name\":\"Why choose a cooperative for your energy needs? 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