by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 4, 2020 | Energy Rant
In this week’s Energy Rant, we’re covering part three of good, perfect, and real carbon targets. In Part I of this series, we examined how various storage technologies work, their pluses, and minuses. In Part II, we put numbers to generation and storage...
by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 28, 2020 | Energy Rant
In this week’s Energy Rant, we’re covering part two of good, perfect, and real carbon targets. Last week we looked at grid-scale energy storage options for a couple of them, namely hydrogen and flywheels; I asked, “What could go wrong?” To be fair, my...
by Jessica Wagner | Oct 26, 2020 | The Big Why
One of the most difficult jobs that evaluators have is estimating attribution of savings to energy efficiency programs. Trying to put a numeric counterfactual value on a complex decision-making process is extremely challenging! I think it is this difficulty that makes...
by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 21, 2020 | Energy Rant
I recently delivered an electrification presentation for Wisconsin Public Utility Institute’s Energy Utility Basics course. While introducing myself, I said, “I’m an engineer, and I can’t help it.” I also said the answer to the question, “Can we ___?” is...
by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 14, 2020 | Energy Rant
Way back in April, I had generated a list of non-energy benefits of the COVID. One was the lack of traffic. That made driving easier and running a little safer with less hassle. Second, my, uh, wellness trainer stopped making trips to Europe, so rather than being gone...
by Jeff Ihnen | Oct 7, 2020 | Energy Rant
Last week in Thermal Storage for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEBs), I introduced the importance of phase changes from solid to liquid to vapor, and the reverse, to our modern world. Benefits include heating, cooling, and refrigeration for all types of uses,...
by Jeff Ihnen | Sep 30, 2020 | Energy Rant
Aside from efficiency being a core component of my thermos-fluids courses in engineering school, phase changes were also captivating to me. Phase changes from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to vapor (steam) have been used for hundreds of years, and more recently, the...
by Jessica Wagner | Sep 29, 2020 | The Big Why
Welcome to the reboot of the Big Why of Evaluation. In these posts, I hope to explore new ideas and different perspectives in research and evaluation in the energy sector. We will tackle both large and small issues and learn together along the way. If you have any...
by Jeff Ihnen | Sep 23, 2020 | Energy Rant
The batteries are coming! Maybe. I recently participated in an EPA-sponsored webinar to explore the results of a couple of case studies of lithium-ion batteries used to shave and shape building electrical loads. The technology is more nascent or even embryonic than I...
by Jeff Ihnen | Sep 16, 2020 | Energy Rant
Distributed, independent, economical, efficient, reliable, resilient, flexible, adaptable, technical, clean, redundant, modern, profitable, renewable ready, and doh, smart! What is this? A microgrid? No, it’s Michaels Energy. We’re back[1]. The Rant is back, and we’re...
