by Jeff Ihnen | May 5, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
If energy efficiency programs are considered and measured to be a good thing in some states, why are they not good for all, or nearly all, states? Even the utilities we work with in Minnesota and Iowa with programs since the mid 1980s believe in energy efficiency for...
by Michaels Energy | Mar 10, 2014 | The Big Why
“Baseline” is an incredibly important term in energy efficiency evaluation. It is thrown around often in many different contexts. So what does it mean? Michaels Energy is currently conducting several baseline studies, but when describing these studies to others, I...
by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 3, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Perhaps I am naïve, but to be more effective it seems interveners would do well to understand motives of profit-driven enterprises and their customers. Consider, for example, this recent article in Midwest Energy News lamenting CenterPoint Energy’s withdrawal from...
by Jeff Ihnen | Dec 9, 2013 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
When I first started working at Michaels, still in my 20s, my workdays usually ended around 5:15, and since I was allergic to rolling out of bed before 6:00 AM, I would run after work in La Crosse. I started running the trails of Hixon Forest, a very nice park on the...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 18, 2013 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Recently I have been preparing a presentation on a broad array of energy efficiency issues for executives and facility managers of large commercial and industrial facilities. I was wisely advised by the utility product manager to keep it engaging and interactive. I...
