by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 18, 2025 | Energy Rant
This week, Rant readers get a threefer on 1) self-inflicted opposing policies, 2) common sense versus uncommon senselessness, and FOOD! Consumers and taxpayers have paid about $50 billion in subsidies to the ethanol industry over the last 40-plus years. Why? Because...
by Jeff Ihnen | May 6, 2025 | Energy Rant
To update readers on my 2025 harbingers posted on January 7, the title nails one thing: “2025 in One Word: DOWZH,”. Declaration: Victory. Some Fans Turn on Their Man One result is the schism between Elon Musk and his Tesla-buying fan base. However, I will...
by Jeff Ihnen | Jan 8, 2024 | Energy Rant
I was going to skip predictions for 2024, but due to popular demand, I’ll throw some chicken bones at the tarot card enthusiasts. Like other things in my life, I don’t make safe bets or set goals of high probability. If my guesses aren’t 50% wrong, I’m not...
by Jeff Ihnen | Aug 21, 2023 | Energy Rant
Last week Michaels Energy delivered a webinar, Achieving Grid Resiliency with Thermal Energy Storage. There are about 70 gigawatts of refrigeration load in the United States frozen storage and chilled-water HVAC systems alone. That 70 GW does not include distributors...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 25, 2023 | Energy Rant
This week I’m repackaging recent news on electric vehicle (EV) developments – market, technical, and utility impacts. I like to look at scale (macro) rather than ubiquitous siloed micro thinking. Is it realistic to scale rare earth mineral mining, battery...