Electricity deregulation has enabled large-scale savings, and New England business owners are further cutting energy costs by taking on independent power generation projects, reports Sea Coast Online.

Michael Licata, a New Hampshire energy policy expert, told Sea Coast Online that natural gas price volatility has made electricity costs in the region hard to predict, but deregulation has provided low-cost options for businesses who shop around.

Some of these business owners have sought to supplement these favorable contracts by generating power on-site. Doug Miles installed an 80-panel photovoltaic array and a 35-foot wind turbine at his Volkswagen dealership. He told the news source that tax incentives and government grants helped fund these investments, which are already paying off.

Miles said some customers have mistaken his wind turbine for a sculpture. This reflects the experience of a a Portland, Maine, restaurant owner who recently installed a vertical-axis turbine. He told the Maine Public Broadcasting Network customers often compliment his turbine's unique design.

Other businesses are implementing simpler changes, such as swapping in LED lightbulbs and encouraging workers to turn off computers, copiers and other electrical devices when they are not in use, according to Sea Coast Online.

In the future, New Englanders might be less dependent on natural gas for electricity production. Massachusetts researchers recently began testing hydrokinetic turbines that harness the power of ocean waves and tides, South Coast Today reported.