led light bulb Archives - Michaels Energy

Feb 26

Powering Lives at Lowest, Convenient Cost

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Rant No Comments

I spent last week at the Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) National Conference in New Orleans. Our industry is in transition once again. Substantial changes are on the horizon. Let’s recap some highlights and lowlights in the utility and demand side management industries the past few decades. As nuclear power was going to be too cheap to meter in the 1970s, the oil embargo, Jimmy Carter sweater speech, and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident resulted in a radically different direction for our energy future. On the heels of the above, and the global cooling threat (check out the…

Mar 24

Love0

Customer Engagement – Beyond Beaver Pelts

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments

Last week I discussed behavior programs but in the larger sense, the fact that energy efficiency programs have traditionally treated people like animals. They are treated like animals because they are essentially tricked into buying energy efficient appliances and doohickeys in exchange for cash rewards. With some program exceptions, like custom efficiency and retrocommissioning, customers are not provided with information to make informed decisions. Technology and innovation move much faster outside the utility program space. For example, nearly all credit cards provide some sort of cash back or other perks that can be equated to dollars. I leverage my “free”…