Questions? 
We are here to help. 
Send us a chat message or email us at hi@evolvemyenergy.com.
Questions? 
We are here to help. 
Send us a message on Facebook Messenger or email us at hi@evolvemyenergy.com.
Questions? We are here to help. 
Send us a message on Facebook Messenger or email us at hi@evolvemyenergy.com.

WHOLESALE
ELECTRICITY

  • How does Evolve Energy reduce my cost for electricity?

    Evolve lowers your costs in a few different ways. First, we offer wholesale power pricing with no markup, so you’re not paying a middleman. 


    Second, we give you visibility and control over real-time price shifts. Historically, Texans have been on fixed-rate plans, where the only way to reduce your electricity costs was to reduce the amount of electricity you use in total. With Evolve, you can reduce costs by shifting your energy use to the lower-priced times of day and get real-time cost savings. 


    Finally, if you’ve connected your smart devices, we can automatically help you optimize your energy usage without having to lift a finger. Our AI will adjust your peak usage into the lowest-price times, so you pay less for the electricity you use.


  • What kind of plans does Evolve Energy offer?

    We have no contracts, no termination fees, and only one plan: $10 per month subscription plus the wholesale rate for your electricity, straight from the grid with no markup. 


    For more information on additional fees, see the "What fees does Evolve Energy charge?" section below under payment questions.

     


  • What is real-time wholesale power pricing?

    Wholesale electricity prices change every 5 minutes in Texas based on supply and demand. During low-demand times, these 5-minute intervals can be very low cost or even free! 


    For the past two years in Houston and Dallas, we have seen wholesale rates are cheaper than fixed rate plans 96% of the time — but historically, only the largest customers and corporations had access to these lower prices. 


    Wholesale pricing is cheaper. We cut out the middleman and give you the ability to purchase your electricity directly without a markup. 


  • Should I be concerned about price spikes?

    97-98% of the time, your electricity with Evolve is cheaper than a fixed-rate plan. We help you know when those higher-price surges are coming to you can reduce your usage. 


    Combining the power of your smart thermostat and other connected devices, we can also automatically reduce your usage during the highest priced or highest carbon times. These things help insulate you from price spikes and maintain your lower cost. 


    In addition, we will be launching proprietary products that allow you even further protection against price spikes. Stay tuned for exciting product updates! 


  • Is electricity through Evolve Energy “green”?

    Yes, it is! Our AI-powered tech shifts your electricity usage to times of the day when more wind and solar electricity is powering the grid. This enables you to reduce your carbon footprint without changing your total energy usage. 


    In addition, we purchase renewable energy credits on your behalf to offset those times when “dirty” energy is unavoidable to ensure your electricity is 100% renewably sourced. 


  • How does Evolve Energy work with my solar panels?

    Evolve Energy is able to pay you back in real time using the wholesale rate for any overage that your panels produce and sell back to the grid - this is called net metering. The credit generated goes into your Evolve Energy account. Most customers leave the credit in their account for future electricity use, but we'll even mail you a check for the overage. It really is that easy.

BECOMING  A
CUSTOMER

  • Can I be your customer?

    We service all deregulated areas of Texas. If you aren’t sure your area is deregulated,  click here to enter your zip code and find out if Evolve Energy is available in your area. 

  • What if I’m on a contract with another provider?

    Contracts are a pain, which is why we don’t have them. 


    If you are with a different provider, check the terms of your current contract to see if there is a penalty to switch. If not, once our app is live, you can download our app to sign up for service! It so, click here and we'll send you a reminder when your contract is up with your current company.

  • Do I need to know my smart meter number or ESIID in order to enroll?

    Nope, we like to keep things easy. We will look this up for you automatically from your service address when you sign up. 

CONNECTING
SMART  DEVICES

  • Why should I connect my smart devices?

    We monitor carbon impact and power prices that change constantly. Our app gives you unparalleled insight into how your usage impacts these things so you can make changes manually as you like. 


    We can make even it simpler. By setting your preferences in our app and connecting your devices, you put our machine learning and AI to work automatically making adjustments so you pay less and leave a smaller carbon footprint. 


  • What kinds of devices can Evolve Energy help me manage?

    Right now in our we support Ecobee and Honeywell smart thermostats. In the coming weeks we will launch support for Nest and other smart devices. 


    We are constantly adding additional devices, so check back often to see what we’ve been up to. 


  • Which devices will Evolve be adding?

    We’re constantly rolling out new devices – smart plugs, EVs, appliances, etc. If there is a device in your home that you want us to prioritize, send us a note to hi@evolvemyenergy.com. 

  • What about Plug in Vehicles (PEV)?

    If you have an electric car or plug-in hybrid, we will soon be able to help you charge your car when wholesale electricity is cheapest or when there is a surplus of green energy flowing into the grid. 


    Electric cars and plug-in hybrids can plug into a standard 110 outlet, though typical charging time using this method can be as much as 13 hours depending on your vehicle. Fast-charging at home using a 240-volt charging station cuts your charging time by more than half. Visit the CenterPoint Energy website for more information on fast charging and PEV's.


  • What is a smart meter?

    Smart meters record and store your energy data in 15-minute intervals. Your energy data is then shared back to Evolve to ensure you only pay for the actual electricity you use. 


    Traditional electric meters only measured your total electricity usage. Modern smart meters are installed at almost every house in Texas and show when electricity was used, allowing us to use that information to optimize your energy based on the real-time wholesale rates and real-time carbon data. We use that information to help you save money and carbon automatically. 



  • How does Evolve Energy access my smart meter data?

    Evolve gets your smart meter data from the Transmission and Distribution Service Provider in our area (like CenterPoint in Houston or Oncor in Dallas) via Smart Meter Texas. This is the same information the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) receives from the transfer and distribution services providers. 

  • Can I access my own smart meter data?

    Yes, you can access your smart meter data through the Smart Meter Texas website at https://www.smartmetertexas.com. You can find monthly, daily, and 15-minute breakdowns of your energy data recorded by the smart meter at your home for the past 24 months. 

  • How do I set my preferences on my devices? Can I change them?

    You’ll always have full visibility into your energy use and control over your settings. When you first set up your account with us, we’ll ask you for your preferences regarding cost, carbon, and comfort. We can update those preferences at any time to change how our technology adjusts your usage. 

PAYMENT
QUESTIONS

  • What fees does Evolve Energy charge?

    In addition to real-time wholesale rate state tax, we charge: 


    $10/month Evolve Energy subscription – Your subscription gives you access to wholesale electricity and enables you to use our app to automatically manage your usage. This is billed monthly on the anniversary of your start date. Your monthly subscription is the only way Evolve Energy makes money.


    TDSP Delivery Charges – Every home has a Transmission Distribution Service Provider (TDSP) who charges a fee to read your meter and maintain the meter and the power lines. The TDSP in Houston is CenterPoint and in Dallas is Oncor. The fees they charge us also include one-time fees like disconnections, meter tampering, and special meter reads. Evolve passes through these fees to customers without any markup – you pay what we pay. 


    Ancillary Services – These cover a group of minimal charges associated with purchasing wholesale electricity and passed through at cost. 


    Billing Fee – A billing fee of $0.07 per day to cover third party fees for operational costs associated with billing, EDI and other cloud technologies to bill your Evolve Energy account. 


    Wholesale Market Fee – This pass through cost is $0.002 per kWh and gives us the ability to provide wholesale power to residential customers and provide our customers renewable energy credits. 

  • Will I receive a monthly bill from Evolve Energy?

    Evolve Energy has replaced your traditional monthly bill with a Daily Balance Summary that provides detailed information on your actual electricity usage for the prior day and week, along with an estimate of the remaining days your current balance will cover. Along with these daily communications, your current balance is available 24/7 on the Evolve Energy app!

  • How do I add funds to my Evolve Energy pay as you go account?

    We offer multiple easy ways to add funds to your available balance: 

    • Pay through the Evolve Energy app.
    • Log in to your account at online (coming soon) and pay with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check.
    • Email us at any time at help@evolvemyenergy.com and we will respond within 24 business hours. 
    • Call customer service at 844.386.5832 between 9am-5pm CT Mon-Fri or 10am-2pm Sat. 

    Evolve Energy accepts all major credit cards, ACH, and check by phone. We do not accept cash or mailed checks. 

  • Is a minimum balance required when I begin my Evolve Energy pay as you go account?

    Yes. To launch your account, the starting payment is $75. Once your balance dips to $25, we automatically top it back up to $75 or your preferred amount. We know no one likes bills, so we have automated our system to make your life easier.

  • What if there are insufficient funds in my bank account to cover the payment?

    Mistakes happen. We get it. We do process a $35 returned payment charge to your Evolve Energy account if funds are insufficient to cover the online payment. A great way to avoid this is to add an additional form of payment on your account, so your balance doesn’t fall below the $25 minimum.

  • How will I keep track of my Evolve Energy pay as you go balance?

    In our app, your daily balance summary will be updated including your current account balance and detailed information on the prior week’s electricity usage. You can also sign up for daily account balance alerts via email or text message. 

  • Will I be notified when my Evolve Energy pay as you go balance gets low?

    Yes. You can choose to receive a low balance notification via email, push notification, or text message when your account balance contains only enough funds to cover seven days or less of estimated electricity usage. These notifications will continue until your account balance is increased to an amount equal to or greater than the estimated cost of more than seven days of electricity usage. Please note, we try our best to estimate how many days you have left, but this is only an estimate. 

  • What happens if my account balance drops below $10?

    To continue operating your account and providing electricity, we need your account to maintain a minimum balance of $10 at any given time. If the balance falls below $10, your electricity service may be disconnected for non-payment to bring your account balance up to $75 or more. We recommend maintaining a balance sufficient to cover at least 14 days of estimated electricity usage.

  • How is my electricity restored after a service disconnection?

    To restore electricity service on an account that has been disconnected for non-payment, you will need to make a payment that brings your account balance to $75 or more. Reconnects are performed Monday through Friday 9am-5pm CT Mon-Fri during normal business hours (excluding holidays). 

CUSTOMER
RESOURCES