White Pine Energy -FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.   What does White Pine Energy Do?

A.   White Pine manages energy risk and energy procurement for its clients.

Q.   What if Energy is a small component of my overall expense structure?... Is it still worth having White Pine explore my energy management?

A.   Perhaps.  Unlike other cost saving efforts such as staff reduction or changing suppliers, any energy cost saved goes directly to the bottom line without creating a potentially adverse affect on the company’s production or service delivery capabilities.  If the process is easy and doesn’t require ongoing effort on your part then it may be worth exploring.

Q.   I already have an energy broker who helps me find the lowest price of energy so why would I need White Pine?

A.   White Pine is not an energy broker but rather an independent advisor to you, our client.  While we can procure blocks of energy or secure long-term contracts and likely do so at the best rates in the market, we are better suited to providing ongoing management of your energy costs within the constantly changing markets.  Brokers secure contracts, earn supplier paid commissions/incentives (typically between $1-$8/ MWH) and tend to move on until a new contract is needed.  At White Pine we offer a full array of management services including Energy Price Risk Management, Demand Response Strategies, Market Information, Cost Analysis, Bill Checking, Rate Schedule and Tax Audits, Energy Procurement Management, etc. at a cost that is typically less than the commissions earned by a broker and paid for by the client in their energy prices.

Q.  “Ongoing Management Services” sounds expensive…. How much does it cost to have someone manage my energy costs and is it worth it?

A.  Most consultants charge hourly fees and take a long time to produce results or so it seems to those of us who have employed them!  White Pine operates more like an investment advisor… for those who will benefit from ongoing management, we typically charge a small monthly retainer that is priced based upon the actual work needed to best serve the client.   To give you an idea of costs, our monthly retainers often work out to a modest .5-2% of the annual energy costs…. And yes, the benefit far outweighs the cost!

Q.   So, given that the cost of energy and my usage change by the hour, how do I know if I am benefiting from your service?

A.   We will give you a periodic report showing your costs and what your likely costs would have been absent the actions taken by White Pine on your behalf and we will periodically review your strategy and risk tolerance to ensure that you are gaining the maximum benefit from our services.

Q.  A large part of our energy costs is gas... Can you help me with my gas costs?

A.   Yes, no matter what energy sources or combination thereof you are employing in your business, we can assist you with managing all of them including gas for which we employ an innovative supply procurement and management program.

Q.  What if I decide that the benefits are not worth the cost of ongoing energy management?

A.  No worries, you can cancel the agreement with White Pine anytime you wish with 30 days notice… in fact, if you ever think that you didn’t benefit from our services, just don’t pay us… it is that simple. 

Q.  What does it cost me to find out if White Pine can help us?

A. It costs you nothing to explore how we might help you manage your risk and costs associated with energy.  Before we meet, it is helpful to secure a signed Authorization Form, a copy of the front page from each of your utility account bills and a copy of any energy contracts you might currently have in place for all properties so that we can collect the data and evaluate the opportunities available to you.  There is no obligation and if there is no benefit to engaging White Pine, we will tell you so and provide you with alternate strategies.