Energy Rant blog written by Jeff Ihnen

Energy Rant

Cut through the fluff with candid, expert takes on energy policy, programs, and industry trends. Written by our CEO, Jeff Ihnen, the Energy Rant is a blog that challenges assumptions, questions status quos, and delivers sharp insights with just the right dose of irreverence.

The End of the Energy Rant: See You Down the Road

The End of the Energy Rant: See You Down the Road

After seventeen years and 815 editions of the Energy Rant, I am suspending my campaign, as politicians like to ...
Laws of Thermodynamics Vote Present

Laws of Thermodynamics Vote Present

When I read Yahoo's assessment of Utility Dive's article describing the American Council for an Energy-Efficient ...
The Peril In Layers of Customer Experience

The Peril In Layers of Customer Experience

I’m going off-road this week for a tale of customer experience with an acceptable, but not great, ending. My ...
Price Caps and the Electricity Doom Loop

Price Caps and the Electricity Doom Loop

I have written in the last three or four years, at least seven times, that you have a free market or you do not, ...
The Tyranny of Physics and the Limits of Efficiency

The Tyranny of Physics and the Limits of Efficiency

Since I recently dedicated four Energy Rant posts to heat recovery from industrial facilities, including data ...
When Sustainability Has a Definition Problem and Consistency Sucks

When Sustainability Has a Definition Problem and Consistency Sucks

This week's Energy Rant is brought to you by guest writer Jessica Wagner, Director of Marketing at Michaels. ...
FERC – Easier Said than Settled

FERC – Easier Said than Settled

Powering AI Background Last week, I described the advantages of data centers bringing their own behind-the-meter ...
Can Data Centers Bring Their Own Power Without Raising Rates?

Can Data Centers Bring Their Own Power Without Raising Rates?

Leading off with a semi-joke, a couple of weeks ago, I saw this amusing yet serious post from the Trump Department ...
Women Leaders, Data Center Warnings, and a Trillionaire

Women Leaders, Data Center Warnings, and a Trillionaire

2026 Mid America Regulatory Conference Women Leaders Reporting from the annual Mid America Regulatory Conference ...
Picks, Shovels, and AI – Buy Results, not Hype

Picks, Shovels, and AI – Buy Results, not Hype

Who's making money on AI? So far, it's like the gold rush when the makers of picks, shovels, and blue jeans made ...
Digital Twins, AI, and the Last 10%

Digital Twins, AI, and the Last 10%

Here in our tenth and final Rant on the top ten industrial energy-saving foci, I assess and summarize ...
The Cascade Effect: Stop Paying for Heat You’re Already Making

The Cascade Effect: Stop Paying for Heat You’re Already Making

This week, we wrap up thermal integration in industrial processes. Thermal integration, also known as pinch ...
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