Jeff Ihnen, Author at Michaels Energy

Nov 04

Federal Fuel Mileage Con Job

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government No Comments

A few weeks back I lampooned the federal government’s desire to implement energy efficiency policy, and in particular, Shaheen Portman. You can view the key elements of that in that post, but one thing mysteriously missing is automobile mileage – the crown jewel of federal energy efficiency regulations. Why is this? I don’t know, but one thing I can explain is how these regulations are as modern as building codes for ancient pyramids. Nobody knows why pyramids were ever built, but I’m sure it involved male instincts prior to the development of calculus. For example, put a guy in charge of…

Oct 28

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Retrocommissioning Bodies and Buildings

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments

This week’s post is brought to you by my Mom and Shaq O’Neal for lessons in retrocommissioning, solving problems, and fixing stuff for lasting effects. Last week, October 20, I did the Des Moines IMT Marathon. This was my first marathon in 19 years, and sparing the boredom, a reasonable target is qualifying for Boston. They make it easier for old codgers like me by handicapping times for age and associated decrepitness. At the finish line, what goes through my mind? (1) How was the experience, which totally depends on Boston qualification because if I don’t make that, it means…

Oct 21

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Energy Studies – Leading and Planning, Not Chasing

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments

Surprisingly, to me that is, it has been a long time since I wrote, or ranted, about the virtues and ignorance of those who think energy studies – audits, feasibility studies, assessments, - are a waste of time and money. This is your lucky day because I have a large, multi-year evaluation of a NYSERDA audit program that proves my point. The classic Neanderthal mindset is that doing energy studies for end users is a waste of money as they simply serve as shelf and desk clutter, and get tossed when the owner of the study moves to a different…

Oct 14

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Governors Crush Shaheen-Portman

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government 5 Comments

This week’s post is brought to you by the National Resources Defense Council. Yes indeed; states are leading the way in energy efficiency and considering the bumbling federal government that can’t get anything done or come close to living within its means, supporters of Shaheen-Portman in our industry should think long and hard or short and easy about what they wish for. Most states have a genuine interest in the well being of their citizens across the entire state. They balance their budgets, sometimes by force (law), and this is also the expectation of state governments and citizens alike. Expectations…

Oct 07

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Retrocommissioning Attribution – Roosters and Sunrises

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant One Comment

This week, or last week I should say, I spent considerable time researching for my upcoming paper, “Know-How and the Incessant Energy Diet”, to be featured at AESP’s National Conference in San Diego – get your tickets and reserve your seat today. In doing so, I read a few evaluation reports for retrocommissioning (RCx) – the program of choice for the paper. When I arrived at the attribution section, as in, what are the savings attributable to the program, I scoffed at the findings. For a refresher on terminology, refer to recent post Energy Program Evaluation Asylum. I didn’t scoff…

Sep 30

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Outcomes Rather than Energy Codes – One Piece at a Time

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant One Comment

A couple weeks ago in Building Energy Codes - A Blutonian D-, I explained how many/all states are sailing forth with increasingly stringent energy codes, and based on anecdotal and personal experience, I have no doubt that with a million dollars we could demonstrate the results are abysmal. Utilities and program administrators do not want to be energy code enforcers, but why not make code “enforcement” part of a meaningful portfolio? I like to use allegories and metaphors to explain these abstract concepts. Think of code compliance as a recipe (as in cooking) compliance. Know any bad cooks? Cooking delicious meals…

Sep 23

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Threat to Electric Utilities – Pass the Lemonade

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments

Nothing lasts forever, or in some cases, even a couple years. The race to displace current products and services of any stripe is rather obvious, except there will never be a replacement for the McDonald’s hamburger, and running shoes haven’t improved in 20 years. In recent weeks, I have seen perhaps a half dozen articles regarding growing threat to electric utilities. In the most recent article I’ve seen on the subject from The Wall Street Journal, Nick Akins, Chief Executive with AEP, sums it up cleverly and succinctly: “Am I going to just sit here and take it and ultimately…

Sep 16

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Building Energy Codes – A Blutonian D-

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant 4 Comments

Building energy codes and the legal age for buying and consuming alcoholic beverages have something in common. If you read this blog regularly, you probably know what it is. In case you are new, I will explain. I’ve been off the college campus scene for about a quarter century, so I can’t speak for students today. However, back in the day it seems we started classes on Thursday and Friday, received our syllabi, joked around a while, and then immediately launched into a three day weekend for Labor Day. The regents must have been young or dumb because that does…

Sep 09

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National Energy Use and Efficiency

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant No Comments

Okay boys and girls; this week features a slice of energy geek heaven spawned by this human/America whapping article from Clean Technica. The basis for the article, and this post, is Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s (LLNL) annual national energy use and efficiency chart to the left. Clean Technica laments that the country was more efficient in 1970 than it is today. In 1970, the analysis indicates we were slightly more efficient than 50%, but in 2012 we were only 39% efficient. Hold on. This does not tell the entire story. I will demonstrate with a bunch of nerd analysis that we…

Sep 03

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Utilities: A Formula for Contraction

By Jeff Ihnen Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Utility Stuff 3 Comments

In the Energy Rant, I cover subjects I know well, subjects I don’t know well but can analyze with bookends and say, “that will never fly”, and things I don’t know well. It takes viscera, and that’s what I’m covering this week – not bowels, but utility rates impacted by energy efficiency. Utilities are in business to make money, like every other business. Let’s establish that making money or being profitable means revenue exceeds costs. Costs consist of long-term capital-intensive investments in poles, wires, and power plants; and operating costs including pesky employees, coal, natural gas, uranium, U.S. mail, trucks,…

Federal Fuel Mileage Con Job

Retrocommissioning Bodies and Buildings

Energy Studies – Leading and Planning, Not Chasing

Governors Crush Shaheen-Portman

Retrocommissioning Attribution – Roosters and Sunrises

Outcomes Rather than Energy Codes – One Piece at a Time

Building Energy Codes – A Blutonian D-

National Energy Use and Efficiency

Utilities: A Formula for Contraction

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