Grand Rapids, Michigan – – In a step toward sustainability and energy resilience, Kids’ Food Basket, in collaboration with Michaels Energy and with a rebate from Consumers Energy, has successfully installed a cutting-edge thermal energy storage system in its walk-in freezer. At the center of this innovation is IceRack™, Michaels Energy’s proprietary thermal energy storage solution. By storing cooling energy during off-peak hours, IceRack™ enables the freezer to maintain low temperatures more efficiently—while dramatically reducing energy use during costly mid-day peak periods. Since this solution is manufactured in the US, Kids’ Food Basket can take advantage of the Investment Tax…
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Newsroom & Updates
From the latest news to awards, check out what's happening at Michaels Energy.
From the KJ Show The KJ Show offers a mix of breaking news and practical advice on how the energy industry affects the consumer. During this fast-paced show, Dr. Katherine Johnson combines weekly energy updates with conversations with leaders in the energy efficiency community. Today's episode covers a discussion on electrification. Electrification sounds like a good idea. Everything is powered using carbon-free sources, such as wind, solar, and hydro. But electrification isn't practical for everyone or every jurisdiction. In fact, some governments are rethinking their electrification policy as they weigh the costs against the benefits. On today's show, Jeff Ihnen,…
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From The Green Insider Podcast Episode 260 is coming to you from our podcast lounge at the Commodities People conference, Energy Trading Week Americas in The Woodlands, TX. Stan Nabozny from Michaels Energy joined us again to tell us about the Department of Energy’s ITAC Program. This grant can provide up to $300,000 for a project. Learn how Michaels Energy is only one of 12 providers in the US that can provide audits to satisfy the application for this grant. More details about the ITAC The Industrial Training and Assessment Centers (ITAC) Program, established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), offers in-depth energy assessments to small and medium-sized manufacturing…
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From Inc: When Jeffrey Ihnen was growing up on a farm in Minnesota, the country faced a reckoning in the form of the 1973 oil crisis. That event marked an early inflection point for the U.S. and its shift toward energy conservation, and for Ihnen, it was the beginning of a lifelong interest in sustainability. Read the rest of the article here.
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From the Green Insider Podcast Stan Nabozny, the Thermal Energy Consulting Director from Michaels Energy, is a name that’s becoming increasingly synonymous with innovation and sustainability in the energy sector. His recent appearance on The Green Insider podcast has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among those passionate about energy efficiency and the future of thermal energy management. At Michaels Energy, Stan and his team are at the forefront of integrating thermal energy systems with the electricity grid and natural gas pipeline supplies. Their approach is not just about reducing energy costs; it’s about enhancing grid resiliency and promoting a healthier planet. With solutions…
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Unlock Efficiency, Sustainability, and Profitability in Your Industrial Operations We are excited to announce that we have been qualified by the U.S. Department of Energy as a provider of Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC)-equivalent assessments! The IACs have performed no-cost technical energy assessments for small- and medium-sized manufacturers for over 45 years. Now, through the IAC Implementation Grants Program, recipients of assessments from qualified assessors like us can apply for grants of up to $300,000 (with a one-to-one match) each application round to implement assessment project recommendations. When your facility wastes energy, you're impacting more than just the environment; you're also…
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For the 2nd year in a row, Michaels Energy participated in the Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces program and in turn earned the title. This program measures a wide range of research-validated workplace factors that impact employee engagement and satisfaction. Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces fosters a workplace where employees are willing to go above and beyond in their work, advocate for the organization and intend to stay into the future. In 2025, 79 of Michaels employees completed the survey. The average of their responses creates our organization's Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces score. Scores can range from 0-100 with 100 being the…
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In 2025, the Michaels Energy team earned the Hermes Gold Creative Award for the Simplifying Energy Efficiency Opportunity Flashcards. The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media. Hermes Creative Awards is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). For more information, visit Hermes Creative Awards.
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In 2025, the Michaels Energy team earned the Hermes Platinum Creative Award for the Living Our Values (LOV) Program. The LOV program is our monthly recognition program, where employees can nominate their coworkers for going above and beyond our values. The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media. Hermes Creative Awards is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). For more information, visit Hermes Creative Awards.
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In 2025, the Michaels Energy team earned the Hermes Honorable Mention Creative Award for our Company Booth Display. The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media. Hermes Creative Awards is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). For more information, visit Hermes Creative Awards.
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Our social media campaign, Let's Name Our Mascot, was awarded the dotCOMM Gold award in 2025. DotCOMM is an international competition honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. The competition is unique in that it reflects the role of creatives in the dynamic web that is transforming how we market and communicate products and services. DotCOMM Awards’ categories are the elements of the web’s evolving tools. Interactivity, content, design, social media, video, apps, blogs and influencers are all important components of digital public relations, marketing and advertising campaigns. To learn more, visit dotCOMM Awards.
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Energy Rant, a blog written weekly by our CEO Jeff Ihnen, was awarded the dotCOMM Platinum award in 2025 for his blog series on Data Centers and AI. DotCOMM is an international competition honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. The competition is unique in that it reflects the role of creatives in the dynamic web that is transforming how we market and communicate products and services. DotCOMM Awards’ categories are the elements of the web’s evolving tools. Interactivity, content, design, social media, video, apps, blogs and influencers are all important components of digital public relations, marketing and advertising…
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Michaels Energy's 2024 Holiday Calendar earned an Award of Excellence from the Society of Marketing Professional Services - Wisconsin Chapter. The SMPS Wisconsin Red Granite & Marketing Communications Awards reinforce the Chapter’s mission to support the advancement and achievements of marketing and business development professionals in the AEC industry. As the official state rock of Wisconsin, red granite was selected because of its vibrant hues and significant presence in Wisconsin's geological formations and economy. Much like the red granite, the program celebrates the industry's brightest trailblazers who raise the bar on performance and excellence. This bi-annual competition is the longest-standing,…
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Michaels Energy was awarded a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in the United States in 2023. In 2023, Michaels achieved nearly 425% growth in revenue and 339% growth in staff compared to 2020! They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2023. - For more information, visit Inc 5000 list. Rank: 1,598 24 in Energy 15 in Wisconsin
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Energy Rant, a blog written weekly by our CEO Jeff Ihnen, was awarded the dotCOMM Gold award in 2024. DotCOMM is an international competition honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. The competition is unique in that it reflects the role of creatives in the dynamic web that is transforming how we market and communicate products and services. DotCOMM Awards’ categories are the elements of the web’s evolving tools. Interactivity, content, design, social media, video, apps, blogs and influencers are all important components of digital public relations, marketing and advertising campaigns. To learn more, visit dotCOMM Awards.
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In 2024, the Michaels Energy team earned the Hermes Gold Creative Award for the 2024 karaoke mashup calendar. The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media. Hermes Creative Awards is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). For more information, visit Hermes Creative Awards.
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A LEED credential denotes proficiency in today’s sustainable design, construction and operations standards. Not only do we have engineers on staff with this certification, we’ve also helped many of our clients earn this certification. In addition, our very own headquarters office in La Crosse Wisconsin, located in the Doerflinger office building, received a Gold LEED certification. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Green Building Council.
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The veteran-owned business must be officially verified by the Department of Veteran Affairs as a VOSB. As of 2018, the VOSB certification places Michaels Energy on a respected list of veteran-owned businesses that are government approved providers of high quality products and services and added to the Veteran business database. Veteran-owned businesses must meet a comprehensive list of business requirements and quality criteria, as well as undergo a rigorous examination and verification process to earn this prestigious VOSB certification. To be eligible, applicants must be a small business, as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration; must be at least…
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Associations & Memberships
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
American Association of Blacks in Energy
Association of Energy Service Professionals
Association of Women in Water, Environment, and Energy
Iowa Association for Energy Efficiency
Florida Healthcare Engineering Association
International Facilities Management Association
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
National Association of College & University Business Officers
Central, Eastern, Southern, Western
New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium
North American SEM Collaborative
Peak Load Management Alliance
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
Virginia Energy Efficiency Council
