VIC Households to be Hit with January 1 Electricity Price Rise – Bills to Increase by at Least 10%, According to Ben Freund of GoSwitch.com.au


Australia (PRWEB) December 19, 2011

Victorian households already struggling with rising cost of living pressures now need to budget extra dollars for their electricity bills, courtesy of new pricing coming into effect on January 1, 2012.

Electricity prices for Victorian households are expected to rise by at least 10% across the board, with some areas slugged more than others, says Ben Freund, CEO of leading price comparison website GoSwitch.com.au.

?We really aren?t seeing any substantial justification for these price increases, with ?network costs? blamed once again. Wholesale electricity prices have been subdued compared to previous years; it?s almost as if it is simply becoming an annual ritual.

According to Freund, many households are not even aware that the changes are coming.

?Every Victorian household is now facing a substantial increase in the price of a basic necessity. Our concern is that many people don?t know about the price increases and will get a nasty shock when they receive their next bill and realise it is substantially more than they budgeted for.

?A big part of these price rises is also an increase to the supply charge, the cost of simply connecting. In some areas of Victoria this will mean an additional $ 100 of charges per year, which consumers simply cannot avoid.

?What households need to know is that there are two main ways you can rein in your electricity bill. The first is to make sure you pay the least amount per kilowatt you can, and the second is to try and use as few kilowatts as possible.

?One in three Victorian households continues to remain on the default plan for their area, which is often the most expensive. The average household could save up to $ 400 by switching to a cheaper electricity suppliers plan at GoSwitch.com.au.

?Being smart with your energy usage can also have major impact. Simple changes like closing windows and curtains during the day, drying clothes on the line instead of using the clothes dryer and turning on the fan instead of the air conditioner are great ways to cut down your kilowatts over summer,? said Freund.

http://www.GoSwitch.com.au allows consumers to compare electricity and gas plans across retailers by typing in just a few details from their last energy bill. The website is free to use, and also details hundreds of simple energy saving tips households can use to reduce their usage this summer ? including an easy to use GoSwitch Power Diet Plan.

To compare, switch and save on electricity and gas visit http://www.GoSwitch.com.au

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Verigreen Energy and Light Solutions, LLC Rebrands as EnergySherlock?

Ashburn, VA (PRWEB) November 22, 2011

Verigreen Energy and Light Solutions LLC, a leading energy conservation management (ECM) company that serves small and medium-sized businesses, today announced the launch of its new operating brand, EnergySherlock. The company?s full suite of ECM products and services achieve dramatic savings for customers in quick-serve and full service restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, government contractors, and local governments. A three-step approach detects and solves operating inefficiencies with a customized energy conservation plan and then saves money by implementing best-in-class technologies and measuring results.

?We provide an array of energy conservation strategies and technologies, including products and services designed to improve operational performance while reducing energy consumption, waste, pollution and operating expenses,? explains Tim Reichert, CEO. ?Today, EnergySherlock is poised to deliver a unique blend of energy management resources that are specific to small and medium-sized businesses. This market sector typically works on thin margins in a very competitive landscape, and these companies deserve to benefit from every business advantage available.?

The primary focus for clean energy, sometimes referred to as Cleantech technologies, remains directed toward the development of renewable resources. Yet, the industry is several years away from making a big enough contribution to impact the American power grid. Individual business owners need to implement their own energy conservation initiatives to remain competitive.

?Most business owners don?t have the expertise to develop and implement a comprehensive approach to managing energy as a strategic asset. EnergySherlock helps customers take advantage of new energy tax laws, negotiate with utilities, and optimize and monitor energy systems performance. We offer an easy way for customers to dramatically improve the bottom line without raising prices or making cuts that hurt them operationally,? concludes Reichert.

A recent statement by Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on Economic Trends, underscores the need for business owners to bridge the gap between better utilization of existing power sources and the development of new ones. ?The key to survival in the next 30 years is not labor costs. It?s energy costs.? Rifkin predicts that current economic conditions will force a major shift in how power is managed domestically.

Commercial buildings use 39% of the total energy consumed in the United States. Approximately 70% of that electricity is used to power HVAC and lighting systems. The most cost-effective facilities management strategies start with energy audits and end with the implementation of building automation services and other energy conservation measures that are appropriate for each situation. These initiatives provide perpetual cost savings and a rapid return on investment (ROI). In addition to an attractive ROI, most EnergySherlock customers experience cost-neutral implementations resulting from tax benefits, refunds, and other savings discovered during the energy audit.

The company has launched a new website to coincide with the introduction of the EnergySherlock brand. The site provides the information businesses need to start reducing energy consumption, improving their carbon footprint, and minimizing utility bills by combining advanced monitoring techniques with energy efficient lighting and equipment.

About EnergySherlock?

EnergySherlock, an energy conservation management company, offers hardware and software products and services that enable small and medium-sized businesses to dramatically reduce energy consumption and related costs. EnergySherlock specializes in delivering solutions to quick-serve and full service restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, government contracting, and local governments. The company?s expertise includes energy audits, conservation and management plans, device monitoring services, energy procurement, advanced interior and exterior lighting technologies, and facilities management services. EnergySherlock is headquartered in Ashburn, VA. For more information, contact info(at)EnergySherlock(dot)com, or visit http://www.energysherlock.com. Detect. Solve. Save.

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Ciralight Global Surpasses 100 Dealers Globally


Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

Ciralight Global Inc., (OTCBB:CGHA), clean technology manufacturer of its patented solar powered Ciralight SunTracker? Daylighting Systems, extends its worldwide reach through its growing international Distributor and Dealer Network, which now encompasses the United States, Canada, Europe, parts of the Middle East, the Caribbean, Central and South America and significant areas of Asia.

Jeff Brain, President and CEO of Ciralight, said, ?We are pleased to announce we have recently surpassed our near term goal of having at least 100 dealers and distributors of our SunTracker? Daylighting Systems. We are well on our way to meeting our goal of creating a global network of dealers and distributors on every continent who are actively promoting Ciralight SunTrackers? and bring our solar powered natural lighting system to people throughout the world.?

Ciralight has established Ciralight Europe as a distributor for Europe and Ciralight SunTrackers? are now available for sale in all of the 29 EU as well as other non-EU countries in Europe. These countries include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovak Republic, Latvia, Belarus, Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Georgia.

Ciralight has also established dealer and distributor agreements in Australia, as well as Central and South America, including the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico. In Asia, Ciralight is represented in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Turkey. In addition, Ciralight is in the process of setting up distribution in Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Algeria. Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are also active sales areas for Ciralight in the Caribbean.

Ciralight recently announced that it entered an agreement with ABM Industries, a Fortune 1000, NYSE listed company with over $ 3.5 billion in annual sales to sell Ciralight?s SunTrackers? as a part of their Energy Division. ABM is one of the largest Facility Services contractors in the United States and Canada, with over 96,000 employees and 240 offices.

Ciralight SunTrackers? are a solar powered lighting solution. SunTrackers?use GPS technology and mirrors to drive natural light into buildings and provide abundant, free, lighting for buildings and schools. SunTrackers? allow buildings to turn off their electric lights for up to 10 hours a day resulting in significant energy savings of 40-80%. SunTrackers? are solar powered and so do not require the use of any electric power. They are an excellent solution for countries where electric power is expensive, or not widely available.

In addition to the significant energy cost savings, studies show the benefits of natural light like that from SunTrackers? include increased worker productivity, fewer absenteeism and worker comp claims, increased sales in retail businesses, higher scores in schools and are better for the environment.

A partial list of businesses using SunTrackers include: Whole Foods, Walgreens, West Marine, Staples, Ace Hardware, Google, LG, Boeing, Caterpillar, Johnson & Johnson, Fresh & Easy, Giant Foods, Market of Choice, IKEA, Frito Lay, The Columbus Zoo, Eaton Corp, Firestone, Office Depot, Disney Studios, Sky Harbor Airport (Phoenix, AZ), San Francisco Airport, as well as numerous cities and school districts.

About Ciralight Global

Ciralight Global, Inc., headquartered in Corona, California, was created to bring natural solar daylighting indoors using our patented “Smart skylight” technology that utilizes a GPS unit that tracks the sun and a lens and mirror design to direct the natural light produced from the sun at a level of intensity and clarity that makes electric lighting unnecessary during daylight hours. The result is a free green natural light source during daylight hours, which will save energy, lower utility bills, improve customer and employee satisfaction and enhance performance in schools, factories and businesses that use the system. Now with the worldwide movement toward natural sources of energy and supporting a greener planet, Ciralight Global, Inc. is moving forward to make Solar Daylighting a construction industry staple and help millions of people experience healthier, less expensive, and energy saving lighting, naturally. Ciralight Global, Inc. is the undisputed leader in the daylighting revolution.

Forward-Looking Statements Any statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical matters are forward-looking statements. Ciralight Global, Inc. disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable expectations of Ciralight Global, Inc. as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The information discussed in this release is subject to various risks and uncertainties, results of operations or financial condition, national and international government regulations and the risks associated with doing business across borders and territories, and such other risks and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in Ciralight Global, Inc.’s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact information:

Michael Selsman: 310-553-5732 – ms(at)publiccommunications(dot)biz (media relations)

Jeff Brain: 877-520-5005 Ext 130 – jeffbrain(at)ciralightglobal(dot)com (business relations)

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What Guitar Is At The Top of Everyone’s Christmas List This Year?


Canoga Park, CA (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

OnlyFactoryDirect.com now carrying new You Rock Guitar designed by Inspired Instruments, one of the hottest electric guitars, game controllers, and MIDI device of the season.

In the past 5 years or so there has been a huge influx of popular video games focused on ?virtually living the dream? and promising to transform teens into the next ?Guitar Hero?. This insurgence of guitar based gaming has done a great job of reintroducing real guitar driven music to the modern music market and has introduced countless young potential shredders to some classic music that they may have never been exposed to otherwise. The drawback to these games is that they never really focused on true musicianship or had anything to do with even closely simulating actual guitar playing as pressing colored buttons has absolutely zero benefit to learning notes, pitch, fingering etc. But a little company called Inspired Instruments wants to change all of that with the new You Rock Guitar!

The You Rock Guitar is a fully functional game controller that features real feel and playability using real strings to pick and a touch sensitive fret board complete with simulated strings, fret markers, etc., all created in a way that makes gaming much more like actually jamming! Impressive right, but that?s not all! The You Rock guitar is MUCH more than just a game controller (which in hindsight is really the least impressive function this little sucker packs), it?s a fully functional instrument that can be used with an amp, headphones, a computer, a mobile device, and even works as a midi controller. The You Rock boasts 25 sound presets for guitar, an additional 50 guitar synth presets, 25 jam tracks with ?You Rock Modes? for learning scales etc., 50 built-in drum tracks, 65 alternate tunings with open space to save your own, 100 customizable parameters and presets, multiple play modes, removable neck for travel or storage, multi-directional whammy bar, game controls, and the ability to interchange headstock designs.

Overall a very impressive little unit! The tracking is fast so for recording with midi alone this is a great tool for the recording guitarist. The preset sounds are decent and have a vast array of tones and effects making this a great axe for practicing or jamming anywhere. The removable neck makes it easy to toss in a backpack and take anywhere (even on a plane). You Rock comes complete with chord and scale charts and some other beginner guitarist training tools and the ease and versatility of connectivity to so many different applications makes this a piece of gear that everyone in the house will enjoy, even dad.

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Form 1099-B 2011: W2Mate.Com Announces 1099-B Software for 2012 Tax Season


Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

W2 Mate software launched new IRS filing solution that covers all the 1099-B printing and electronic reporting needs of brokers, barter exchanges, businesses, CPAs, and tax professionals. The 1099-B software provides all the capabilities users need to create, process, prepare, import, print, and E-File IRS 1099-B Forms -Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions.

The new 1099-B software saves users time and money by printing 1099-B recipient copies on regular white paper. The state of the art program makes electronic filing of 1099 broker and barter exchange forms as simple as uploading a file to a website. Thanks to its powerful import wizard, this 1099-B program can remap 1099 data stored inside different accounting packages into 1099-B forms. W2 Mate can import data from Sage Peachtree, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage DacEasy, Microsoft Dynamics, excel sheets and many other sources.

W2 Mate (W2Mate.com) presents a great alternative to US tax professionals, brokers, and barter exchanges looking for a more convenient, simple and affordable way to prepare IRS 1099-B tax forms. W2 Mate 2011 enhances user experience with attractive new features that make 1099 and W-2 processing easy and stress-free.

Major changes and updates to form 1099B were introduced by the IRS for 2011. New boxes have been added for reporting the date of acquisition, cost or other basis, amount of loss disallowed due to a wash sale, and whether the gain or loss is short-term or long-term. Other boxes on the form have been moved or renumbered. All these changes are supported by W2 Mate software.

W2 Mate is currently the only W2 and 1099 software that can import 1099 data from Intuit QuickBooks accounting software and map it into 1099-B forms. The W2 1099 software can connect directly to QuickBooks, which makes the import process easy and straightforward.

W2 Mate engineers have developed a unique and exclusive mechanism for importing 1099 data from Microsoft Dynamics and then map it into different types of 1099 forms. For example MS Dynamics users can use W2 Mate to import data stored as 1099-MISC and map it into 1099-B form with one click. Once the forms are imported inside W2 Mate, they can be reported to the IRS on paper or electrically.

W2 Mate is trusted by thousands of businesses and professionals nationwide. A free demo of W2 Mate can be downloaded by visiting http://www.realtaxtools.com/.

Below is a high-level functional breakdown of the W2 Mate software features:


Data import from Sage Peachtree, MS Dynamics, Great Plains, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage DacEasy, Excel and CSV.

Prints 1099 recipient and filer copies on regular white paper.

Unlimited use of W2, 1099-MISC, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-R, W-3, 1096, 1099-S, 1098-T, 1098, 1099-A, 1099-B, 1099-C, 1099-PATR and 1099-OID tax forms.

Unlimited 1099 electronic filing using IRS FIRE System (No per form fees and No data transmission charges).

SSA-approved to print W2 and W3 forms on regular paper including government copies.

Creates employee W2′s as PDF and recipient (vendor) 1099′s as PDF.

Unlimited W2 electronic filing submissions using the EFW2 format.

Employee and recipient information rolls-over from year to year (you don’t have to key in the same information every year).

Prompt, courteous and reliable U.S.-based support through phone, chat or e-mail.

About Real Business Solutions:

Established in 2003, Real Business Solutions is an industry leader in providing small business payroll software, 1099 preparation software and W2 tax software solutions for 2012, 2011, 2010 and before. Real Business Solutions products are used by thousands of businesses, tax professionals, non-profit organization, and government agencies all across America. The Company’s mission has been to provide powerful and great value software solutions coupled with high quality customer service. Through this website small businesses and accounting professionals can find and download software to manage payroll, report payroll taxes, print W2 Forms, Print 1099 Forms, E-File 1099, electronically file W2 forms, print checks and prepare payroll forms like 941, 940, 944, W-2, W-3, California DE-6 , California DE-7 , Texas C-3 , Texas C-4, New York NYS-45, Illinois 941 and Illinois UI-3/40.

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Six easy ways to save money in your small business

Article by Dave Curran

If you operate a small business, then you know how crucial it is to save every penny. With the pressure of running your own business, it can often be easy to overlook areas of wastage and in some cases the drain on your cash flow can get out of hand before you know it.

But don






Ways to Save Electricity

Saving money on your business’ electricity bills is easier than you think and often requires little more effort than simply remembering to switch off electric appliances when you’re done using them. We’ve all left rooms without remembering to turn off the light before, but it’s precisely this sort of thing that makes our energy bills creep up, so it’s time to shake things up and start getting your staff to pay more attention to the power they use.

The key is to get your staff informed about electricity usage and to introduce an idea of group accountability. Just because one person has forgotten to switch off the light in the kitchen doesn’t mean others should ignore it – give everybody a sense of responsibility regarding power use and encourage them to work together towards a single goal, that of saving power. That means that it doesn’t matter who forgot to switch off the power – so long as the power is switched off by someone. Once you’ve introduced this idea, it will be easier to rely on a group rather than an individual to remember important energy saving practices. These practices aren’t restricted to switching off lights, of course! They also include turning off computers and monitors when not in use, filling the kettle to the correct level rather than to the top so it turns off sooner, and other such power saving activities.

You can also save electricity in your business by switching to energy efficient products, like eco-friendly light bulbs which not only use far less power but tend to last for many years longer than ordinary bulbs, and you might even want to see about getting solar panels installed so your business can generate some of its own power from a renewable source. This won’t only benefit your business in terms of energy conservation, but improve its ethical profile from a public viewpoint too.

If your company is looking to save cash, you can also switch to a cheap business electricity supplier who will offer you lower rates than the ones you’re currently paying. The benefit of this is that you will start paying less for exactly the same service, so no sacrifices need to be made.

Saving energy is easy when you know how, and once you’ve got your staff on board you can be sure you’ll find it’s possible to save not just electricity, but also money and the environment too.

Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.






Easy Ways To Save On Your Heating Bill

With the constant increase in the price of fuel and electricity, there is a similar rise in your bills. When it comes to heating and saving, there are many easy ways of saving on you bills. You should first make sure that you have installed efficient heating system with the help of any <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/4323550']);” href=”http://www.heatingtexas.com/” target=”_blank”>Texas Heating</a>company. Apart from that, you can follow that following tips to save easily on your bill.

Install proper home insulation. You should maintain it by properly caulking or weather stripping gaps between doors/windows and the wall. Temporarily sealing the gaps using pieces of clothes is also effective.

Keep all doors and windows closed so that there is minimum heat exchange between the house and the outside. Even when you leave the house, you should ensure that the doors and windows are properly closed and locked so that when you come back, your system doesn’t take much time in warming your home. You should also minimize those activities that require frequent in and out of the house. This keeps your house warm without expending much energy.

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Close the windows at most times to limit the flow of cold air from outside. It is however advised that curtain should be drawn away during sunny days to let sunlight inside so you stay warmer. Manufacturers of heating systems TX suggest that one should use light cloth or plastic curtain during sunny days and thick cloth curtain during rainy or snowy days.

Install independent controls for each room in your house so that you can turn on and off each room separately. You can turn off the system in the rooms where you don’t need thereby saving more. Make sure that the thermostat is working properly. This will ensure proper working of the system and limit continuous operation which is one cause of your electricity and fuel getting wasted. Check your system for errors and get them fixed with the help of <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/4323550']);” href=”http://www.heatingtexas.com/Services.aspx” target=”_blank”>Heating Repair Service</a> providers.

During winters, you should cook your food at home the conventional way i.e. without using microwave. Conventional cooking method adds warmth in the room thereby reducing the workload of your home heating system and hence save on your bills again.

Using heated blankets is also one option to reduce heating system’s operation. Turn down the temperature of the thermostat during sleep by using such blankets to minimize you electricity usage. Wearing warm clothes at all times is also helpful.

If you have unused fireplace, make sure you keep the fireplace door closed. This will check the leakage of warm air through the chimney.

The most important thing you should do to minimize your bills is to perform regular maintenance of your systems either with or without the help of Texas heating service providers. Regular maintenance ensure efficient working of your household systems.

If you perform the above provided tips on how to save more on your bills, you will be able reduce your electricity and other energy consumption and thereby save more on your power bills.

Jhran Rimm is from USA. He is graduate in English from Stanford University. He has 10 years of good experience in Content Writing.He has written many articles and news on many domains. Presently,He is writing mainly for <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/4323550']);” href=”http://www.heatingtexas.com/” target=”_blank”>Heating Systems</a>






An Easy Way to Save Thousands on Your Electric Bill. Spray Foam Insulation.

Article by C.J.Gannon

40 Billion dollars are spent on heating and cooling of buildings in America. This amounts to roughly one-sixth of all electricity.As the Spray foam is applied it expands 120 times its original volume. By doing this it fills all cracks, and spaces between building materials. This forms an air tight seal and moisture barrier that surrounds the home. After the Spray foam is applied drywall is then installed.With the Spray foam there is no need for building wrap which saves you money. The Spray foam eliminates the need for taping, caulking, and spot foaming. Not only is the Spray foam a cheaper option but it also offers a superior performance.Most energy loss in your home is due to air infiltration. Spray foam is the best product to eliminate this. By keeping the air in your home will save you lots of money. Not only is Spray foam is effective in new homes but it works in older homes to. Also, in homes with steel framed, and metal as well.Spray foam has advantages over other common insulation materials. The Spray foam permanently and completely fills and seals all voids. You will get better thermal performance at the same cost as the other products. Fiberglass is perceived to be more of a cheaper option but this not necessary true and also it is not an effective insulation to use for things such as around the studs in your home and pipes as it is ineffective as an insulating in a wall cavity.Spray foam also offers you a healthier solution to those other commonly used insulations. It saves you money on energy cost. Spray foam is great in sealing attics, walls, floors, and heating and AC ducts.Here is the other good thing about Spray foam: you only have to insulate once. So with all this information provided to you is there any other better choice to be made.

C.J.Gannon is a Retired Residential General Contractor and now writes for several construction companies to educate buyers on the process of Spray Foam Insulation .










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