Skip to main content
search
All Posts By

Jeff Ihnen

Mar 17
Love0

Behavior Programs – Woof!

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant 2 Comments
I always like it when things converge to demonstrate points I make, after I make them.  Back in August, based on an article that consumers don’t trust savings from home energy audits, I said one reason for this is our industry has treated consumers and customers, in general, like animals.  Boiled down in simplest terms, customers get a “dumb” award for implementing some type of energy efficient measure.  A dumb award is something you give animals to do tricks or to get them to do what you want them to do.  They don’t know why.  All they know is, if…
Read More
Mar 10
Love0

Energy Efficiency Challenge – A Felonious Case of Acne

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments
Last week I read AESP Board Chair, Sara Van de Grift’s monthly letter/email to AESPers (if you are not a subscriber, get with it: aesp.org).  She describes diminishing opportunities for energy efficiency due to the industry’s addiction to widget-based programs {my phrase), but that there are still opportunities with homes and commercial and industrial facilities operation, and of course a few widgets here and there, like the Nest thermostat.  She ends by asking, “Are you up to the challenge” ?Hell yeah!  I’m also thinking that capturing savings isn’t the challenge in my view.  The challenge is convincing stakeholders, particularly governors…
Read More
Mar 03
Love0

Decoupling – A Love Story

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Utility Stuff 2 Comments
Perhaps I am naïve, but to be more effective it seems interveners would do well to understand motives of profit-driven enterprises and their customers.  Consider, for example, this recent article in Midwest Energy News lamenting CenterPoint Energy’s withdrawal from decoupling.  You may recall a post I made eons ago where I described the perverse impact of decoupling on prices for consumers.  Allow me to recap. Utilities have fixed cost of hardware and labor to deliver energy to customers – poles, wires, pipes, transformers, compressors, trucks, etc.  This stuff makes up the rate base and fixed cost of energy delivery.  They…
Read More
Feb 24
Love0

Large Industrials Opting Out of Programs – A Retread Story

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Utility Stuff One Comment
A few years ago, I was reading an article on road-transportation taxes, of which the taxes on fuel are a huge portion.  One trucking company rep whined about the disproportionate taxes they had to pay.  First of all, he’s not paying any taxes anyway.  His customers are.  It’s built into the fuel price across the board for him and all his competitors.  But secondly, a loaded truck exerts about 20,000 pounds of force on the road per axle, while my cars exert about 1500 pounds of force per axle.  So Mr. Trucker, we are paying all your taxes for the…
Read More
Feb 17
Love0

Free Rider – Philosophical Jujitsu

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments
Last week I was reading this article about how corporate energy saving and sustainability goals might shake up the utility business.  The crux of the article is that widespread execution of corporate sustainability plans would drive a downward spiral of energy demand that would threaten the utility industry.  One reader commented that these corporate programs must be accounted for when determining utility program attribution, or free ridership.Free ridership plus attribution equals unity, as in 1.00.  Savings are either attributable to the program, or not (a free rider).  For reference, see definitions of these things and other amazing, stunning facts you…
Read More
Feb 10
Love0

Love Thy Backup Punter, Or Pay Dearly – The Unloved Exhaust Fan

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments
Everyone reading this blog is at least a stage 1 energy geek.  A stage 1 energy geek will notice the type of light bulbs used in their hotel room and complain that the place isn’t green enough.  A stage 2 would file a complaint if the cleaning crew takes the used bath towel that is clearly hung up to dry for the next shower.  A stage 3 will appreciate the guest room occupancy-sensing thermostat.  A stage 4 will browse the web for hotels with satisfactorily green features, before booking.  A stage 5 will actually bring their own artisanal bar of…
Read More
Feb 03
Love0

Google Buys Nest – Say, What’s In Your Underwear Drawer?

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant 2 Comments
At last week’s AESP National Conference in San Diego, Meg Matt, AESP CEO, joked in her opening remarks that AESP was acquired by Google.  Others at the conference asked that with the purchase of Nest, is Google getting into the energy efficiency business?  At the risk of cliché, my answer is literally, “I don’t think so.” After the acquisition announcement, I opined to a couple colleagues that Google is the new Microsoft, and that when it came to Google’s SWOT, Google just buys all the WOT.  This doesn’t always go well.  Google purchased Motorola to battle Apple’s dominance in software…
Read More
Jan 27
Love0

Nest Thermostat – A Bird in the Hand

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant 4 Comments
Six or seven years ago, without knowing more about the Nest thermostat, I would have commented something to the effect that, “It’s a stupid thermostat.  How brilliant could it possibly be?”  Once I got my hands on an iPhone, I could see what the deserved hype was about.  I expected something similar from Nest since it was developed by a former Apple guy, who I later found out led the development of the first 18 generations of the iPod and 3 generations of the iPhone.  I wanted to try the Nest out myself because: (1) I’m a stage 5 energy…
Read More
Jan 20
Love0

Utility Reference RIP – Thank You Litigious Loser

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Utility Stuff No Comments
In case you are new to this blog, or somehow haven't noticed, I tread where no mortals tread, through the valley of the shadow of death.  I discuss the all important bowels of the industry, and this week I have the crown jewel of a very unfortunate reality that is counterproductive and really harmful to the industry.  In fact, it is not only harmful to the industry, it is crippling the entire society.  Whoa!  Ok, what is it?  It is political correctness and our society of hyper-litigious losers.  We can't find or use utility references - people who will give…
Read More
Jan 13
Love0

Wind Chill – Baah – In Yo Face

By Energy Rant, Uncategorized No Comments
We just experienced the longest and coldest snap of winter weather in many years.  Here in southwest Wisconsin, the element that made this snap different from any I can remember since I’ve lived here for the past 18 years was the combination of wind and cold temperatures for an extended period of time.  And of course that means wind chill.  Some people think wind chill is a bunch of malarkey.  I think they all live south of the Mason Dixon line.  Having grown up in wind ally, Minnesota, I have a tremendous respect for the forces of nature: winter cold,…
Read More

All things energy. That’s our jam.

We talk a lot about energy – from the serious to the satirical.

All things energy. That’s our jam.

We talk a lot about energy – from the serious to the satirical.

Subscribe for Expert Insights
Close Menu