by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 27, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
This year was a blowout for tomato production at the Ihnen household. Enough tomatoes were planted such that if a tomato plague blighted the Ihnen ranch, wiping out 90% of the crop, there would still be plenty for onsite production. What to do[1]? We visited the...
by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 6, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Back in May I wrote that we need to explain the benefits of energy efficiency in simple terms – like our mothers would understand. In that I explained that utilities serve a public benefit, like roads. Since the dawn of energy efficiency, there have been cost...
by Jeff Ihnen | Sep 29, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Last week, I mentioned that having a diversified fleet of power generating plants is a smart strategy for any utility; specifically, diversity by fuel source. The recent natural gas bonanza cut loose with the perfection of hydraulic fracturing and mind-blowing...
by Jeff Ihnen | Sep 15, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Readers of this blog may think I’m a cynical, frumpy coot because I’m frequently noting the negative aspects of approaches, programs, technologies, and evaluation. I feel obligated to do it because I’m a licensed professional engineer in half a dozen, or so, states. ...
by Jeff Ihnen | Aug 25, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
I spent last week at ACEEE’s Summer Study for Buildings, and one topic area I maximumly followed was energy codes and code compliance. In past years, I would rank codes and standards second to the bottom, just above lighting for my priorities. The reason for my...
by Jeff Ihnen | Aug 11, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
This week’s post is brought to you by AESP’s 2014 Summer Conference, which went off last week in San Francisco. I was speaking with a lifelong esteemed consultant from the Bay Area during the opening reception, and his disclosure was that regulators in a certain...
