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If You Live Almost Anywhere in California, This Service Could Make You $300

You probably already know that doing this will help you save on your electric bill. But did you know it could also bank you up to $300 per year?

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By
Katie Overmonds
-
February 14, 2018

To put it plainly, making money is now as easy as the flip of a switch.

If you are a PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E customer, you’re eligible to sign up for OhmConnect - a service that will pay you up to $300 per year.

All you have to do? Unplug. 

Turn off the computer and other energy-sucking appliances for an hour. Leave the dishes. Turn your lights out. Take the powered-down time to unwind at home or if you’ve got errands to run outside the house, now is the time.

You probably already know that doing this will help you save on your electric bill. But did you know it could also bank you up to $300 per year?

How does it work?

OhmConnect is a free service that will pay you to help save when the energy grid gets stressed. Instead of turning on another power plant, the OhmConnect community gets into action and saves as much energy as it can. These earning periods are called #OhmHours and during this time, your job is to simply use less energy.

Go outside. Take the dog for a walk. Or take the kids to the park. If you can successfully reduce your energy usage, OhmConnect will send you payments!

If you have a utility account with PG&E, SDG&E or Southern California Edison, you are likely eligible. Go grab a copy of your latest bill!

Here’s how to try OhmConnect:

1. Sign up for OhmConnect and sync it with your online utility account through PG&E, SDG&E or Southern California Edison. You must have an online account with one of these electric companies to qualify. You can only get paid when you connect your online utility account, so this is an important step.

2. Receive energy usage notifications during “OhmHours” — high-energy-consumption hours that trigger dirty power plants to activate in order to support the overtaxed grid. This typically occurs once or twice a week in the afternoons or evenings via email or text message.

3. Head outside or at least turn the TV off until the OhmHour is up. Heck, you can even play mobile phone games during this hour — just resist plugging in any new electronics.

4. Profit! OhmConnect rewards you with cash for not contributing to the high demand that prompts unclean power sources to turn on.

This all works because the California electricity market (or California ISO) pays OhmConnect to help them avoid turning on an expensive, dirty power plant. The company then passes a large portion of those payments on to you.

California resident Julie Waltz Madziarczyk started as a skeptic of the OhmConnect app but quickly became a super-user after regular participation in OhmHours has earned her family of three nearly $1000 in less than a year.

"Not only am I making extra cash with OhmConnect, but by powering down, I'm also not incurring any costs from my utility during that time either. I'm making money and saving money at the same time, which my husband and I can both really get behind."

OhmHours only occur a couple of times a week, and in addition to earning money, it’s likely you’ll see a reduction in your power bill each month, too. Not to mention the benefits of getting some sunshine.

Happy earning!

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