April 2012 - Michaels Energy

Apr 30

Better than Doritos

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Investments, Tax Stuff No Comments

Last week we looked at the financial benefits of energy efficiency as compared to the stock market. I’m going to take this a few steps further, as forewarned last week.In both cases we start with the $39,000 investment and the stock market simply grows at its long-term average of 7.5% (Dow Jones Industrials). Obviously, a smooth appreciation of your investment is not the case and if you don’t have a strong stomach, you should avoid equities. Why is it called the Dow Jones Industrial Average anyway? It’s full of service companies, banks, and retailers. It includes Microsoft, but not Apple,…

Apr 24

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Expensive and Big Does Not Equal Efficient

By Michaels Energy Briefs

In order to have an efficient project, it will take better initial investment. Research will show that these investments should pay for themselves over the life of the process.

Apr 23

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Facility Management, Taliban Style

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government, Investments 2 Comments

Possibly the greatest thing about energy efficiency is there is no limit to learning. In what other occupation can engineers work with social scientists, urban planners, economists and 16th century Mongolian art majors? Last week I attended a presentation by Christopher Russell, energy efficiency and finance swami, or is it guru? The higher ranking one. Or maybe I should just call him Colonel Russell. His presentation started with the tale of two college campus facility managers, Doug and Dave as I recall, with names changed to protect the guilty. I’ll call them Dick and Harry for double protection. It doesn’t…

Apr 16

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3 and Out

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government, Tax Stuff, Utility Stuff No Comments

The New Scientist published an article by an economist saying that now is the perfect time to implement “long-overdue environmental regulations requiring US power plants to reduce emissions of mercury, arsenic and other toxic metals”. And the added cost will be a boon to the economy. That’s what the textbooks say, so it must be right! As the article states in one place, yes, retrofitting power plants will create jobs somewhere, and the higher cost will be passed on to consumers. Do they equally offset on a macroeconomic level? I severely doubt it but no one can prove that. In…

Apr 12

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