by Jeff Ihnen | May 4, 2015 | Energy Rant
Energy efficiency gets a bad rap, but I shall attempt to slap some sense into efficiency deadbeats. I will start by beating the simple-payback-is-bad dead horse one more time. It may giddyup and run as a result. I am quite certain that one of the things that make...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 27, 2015 | Energy Rant
I imagine the EPA is working feverishly on their final ruling for the Clean Power Plan (proposed under the Clean Air Act), due this June. Meanwhile, many states and one prominent company, Murray Energy, are digging in to do legal battle for decades to come,...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 20, 2015 | Energy Rant
About two years ago, I wrote Duct Leakage Chaff, which explained that residential duct leakage is a mole hill, a red herring, a boogeyman. I recently reviewed a report[1] that nails my assertions from June 2013. The program evaluation (residential HVAC tune-up) was...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 13, 2015 | Energy Rant
Last week I discussed the need to simplify energy codes to disallow the variable air volume systems that (1) 95% of design and construction professionals don’t understand from an energy perspective, or (2) require constant babysitting by the other 5%. This week the...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 6, 2015 | Energy Rant
In January, I wrote about code compliance and that while energy codes keep ratcheting down energy intensity in theory, reality is misery. That post was a thinly veiled advertisement for my AESP National Conference session in the Lion’s Lair, and that presentation can...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 1, 2015 | Energy Rant
The source of this week’s post about the utility of the future is this Utility Dive article about Pacific Gas and Electric’s proposed incentives for electric vehicles. The article made me think of this: liberals think big business is evil and conservatives think big...
by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 23, 2015 | Energy Rant
This article, Americans could pay more for clean energy. But will they really?, from Utility Dive reminds me of my own life experiences with squirrelly people. They talk a good game, but where is the action? It also reminds me of the folly in precise net-to-gross,...
by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 17, 2015 | Energy Rant
As we march along with the nation’s rather massive build-out of renewable energy resources, questions emerge for how to fill the gaps when the sun sets and the wind stops blowing – i.e., when it’s nice to be outdoors, especially in the summer. So there you have it –...
by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 9, 2015 | Energy Rant
Recently, Utility Dive released its report, 2015 State of the Electric Utility – a compendium of utility company prognosticative surveys. Findings include: Utilities will move away from vertical integration – see last week’s Utility 2.0. The biggest opportunities are...
by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 2, 2015 | Energy Rant
A lot of people have subscribed to the Energy Rant in recent weeks, so I think a little re-introduction is in order. Last week, the post was entitled Gamification; from a Non-Gamer. That was unusually peaceful and friendly because I really have no beef with that...
