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Case Study: How a CAISO Aerospace & Defense Portfolio Saved $3.1M by Moving from Retail Supply to Direct Access
A 10-site aerospace & defense portfolio in CAISO moved from retail supply to Direct Access, saving $3.1M annually — roughly 8% of total energy spend. A Pilot Energy co-managed engagement case study.
Capacity Markets Explained: What They Are and Why They Affect Your Bill
Capacity markets pay generators to be available during peak demand. For C&I buyers, the capacity tag is often the largest controllable cost they aren't managing. How PJM, NYISO, ISO-NE, and ERCOT differ.
What to Do When Your Energy Contract Is Expiring
Start evaluating 6-12 months before expiration. Waiting until the last minute eliminates leverage, limits options, and almost always costs more. A step-by-step guide to running a competitive renewal process.
Energy Procurement Strategy for a 5 MW Manufacturing Facility
A 5 MW facility should use layered procurement: start indexed, hedge in 20-25% tranches at favorable pricing, keep 20-30% flexible. Saves $150K-$300K annually vs. a single-day fixed lock or unmanaged index.
Fixed vs. Indexed Energy Pricing: Should You Lock In or Stay Flexible in 2026?
Fixed pricing protects your budget; indexed gives you access to lower prices when the market cooperates. For most C&I buyers in 2026, the right answer is a hybrid — hedge 50–70% at fixed rates and leave the rest indexed.
When Does a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Actually Make Sense?
PPAs are overused. A power purchase agreement makes sense when your organization has large, stable load, a long-term planning horizon, and a strategic sustainability mandate — but many mid-sized buyers are better served by flexible retail procurement.
How Middle East Geopolitics Could Reshape Global Energy Prices in Q2 2026
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20% of global petroleum and over 20% of LNG. How escalating Middle East tensions affect global energy prices — and what commercial energy buyers should watch.
Coordinated at Scale: $50M Annual Energy Savings Across 1,500+ Retail Food & Drug Sites
A national retail food and drug chain spending $350-400M annually consolidated fragmented procurement, renewables, regulatory navigation, and emerging tech under a coordinated co-managed engagement — delivering ~13% annual savings.
Budget Season Playbook: How to Reduce Energy Cost Surprises in 2026
Energy budgets miss because they treat last year's number as the baseline. A playbook for scenario-based budgeting, quarterly reviews, and the contingency buffers that absorb surprises without breaking the plan.
Hedging 101: Managing Risk in a Volatile Energy Market
Energy hedging is how commercial and industrial buyers protect against price swings. A plain-English walkthrough of futures, options, swaps, layered hedging — and how much of your load to actually hedge.
Community Choice at Scale: $100M+ in Lifetime Savings for a 200k-Account Ohio CCA Program
An Ohio Community Choice Aggregation program serving 200,000+ accounts in PJM territory worked with Pilot from program inception. The result over the engagement lifetime: $100M+ in cumulative community savings and a 100% renewable supply portfolio.
AI-Driven Procurement: How Energy Buyers Are Using Machine Learning in 2026
AI and machine learning are reshaping energy procurement — invoice processing, predictive forecasting, supplier evaluation, anomaly detection. What works, what doesn't, and why human advocates still own the strategic decisions.
The Unsung Holiday Heroes: Cold Storage and the Energy Behind the Holiday Table
Cold storage facilities power the holiday food supply. Explore why these energy-intensive operations rely on smart energy strategies to succeed.
Energy Budgeting for 2026: How to Strengthen Your Energy Strategy
Explore key energy budgeting steps for 2026, from capacity costs to hedging strategies, and learn what C&I buyers should review before January 1.
Energy Market Outlook for Q1 2026: Key Drivers and What Businesses Should Watch
Explore the Q1 2026 energy outlook, key drivers, and capacity trends in PJM, ERCOT, and MISO—plus what C&I energy buyers should watch as planning begins.
Outsourced at Scale: ~$1M Annual Savings Across 250+ PJM Commercial Real Estate Sites
A 250-site PJM commercial real estate portfolio handed Pilot the entire utility function — power and gas procurement, bill pay, invoice audit, capacity tag management. The result: ~$1M annual savings and an internal team back to running properties.
Grid Reliability and Growing Demand: What Commercial Energy Buyers Need to Know
Demand is climbing — data centers, EVs, industrial electrification — while supply struggles to keep pace. What grid reliability stress means for commercial energy buyers, and how to plan around volatility, capacity costs, and curtailment risk.
Three Utilities, One Engagement: ~$2.3M Annual Savings Across 40+ National Apparel Sites
A national apparel retailer with 40+ store sites handed Pilot a comprehensive utility engagement — power, gas, water, plus renewables advisory. The breadth of scope drove a recovery that single-utility procurement couldn't have reached.
How Businesses Can Plan for Volatile U.S. Energy Markets
Rising demand, LNG exports, and policy shifts are driving energy volatility. Discover strategies to lower energy bills and protect your business.
Another Spike in PJM Capacity Prices: What It Means for Your 2026 Energy Costs
PJM's July 2024 capacity auction cleared at the price cap of $329.17/MW-day — up 22% from the prior year. Auction results are locked in; the impact on your 2026 bill isn't. What changed, what's coming, and what to do about it.
Commercial Energy Buyers On The Front Lines Of Grid Instability
AI is straining the grid and C&I energy buyers are feeling it. Learn how demand shifts are impacting your costs and reliability.
Managing Volatility and Rising Energy Costs with a Smarter Energy Strategy
The era of static once-a-year energy procurement is over. How disciplined buyers absorb persistent volatility — layered hedging, scenario planning, capacity management, demand response — without the budget breaking when prices move.
Preparing for Rising Energy Costs: New PJM Capacity Rates Take Effect June 1
New PJM capacity rates take effect June 1, 2025, impacting energy costs. Learn what it means for your business and how to prepare.
The Future of Energy: How Smart Grids Enhance Efficiency and Sustainability
Smart grids replace one-way electricity delivery with two-way flow, real-time data, and automation. What changes for commercial energy buyers — operationally and economically — as smart grid technology continues to roll out.
