Why Cottage became Public Grid

We changed our name because “Cottage” felt too small for what we wanted to build. It was a comforting name, but a cottage is only one home. As we grew, we saw that a better energy system comes from a network of people, not one home at a time.^⁠[7]

The name is about all of us, the public. When it comes to climate change, we could each stay in our own cottage, or we could stand together on one big public grid. We picked the grid, and the name followed.

That idea still guides what we do. We believe everyone should have a fair price for electricity and an easy way to use cleaner energy. As our About page puts it, “One home can help, and a whole community can change things.”^⁠[1]

Only the name and the look changed. The company and the way the service works are the same as before.

Your power still comes from your local utility, over the same wires.^⁠[2] We work on the account and billing side, and you keep paying your utility the same way you always have.^⁠[2] If you’re curious, here’s how electricity gets from the power plant to your home.

If you had a Cottage account, start by signing in with the same email you used before. If that doesn’t work, our support team can help you get back in.

1. Go to publicgrid.energy/sign-in

   Open the sign-in page. You can also tap “Sign In” at the top of any page on our site.^⁠[6]

2. Enter the email you signed up with

   Then use your password, or choose “Sign in with one-time code.”^⁠[6]

3. Check your email if you picked a code

   If we have an account with that email, we’ll send you a one-time passcode.^⁠[6]

4. Contact support if you’re still stuck

   Visit our help center or email [email protected], and we’ll help you sort it out.^⁠[3,5]

Public Grid is free software that sits between you and your utility account.^⁠[2] We look for better rates, local programs and cleaner energy options that won’t cost you more, and we help you track your usage.^⁠[2] If you’re moving soon, we can also set up electricity at your new place.