Skip to main content
Monthly Archives

July 2014

Why Is Electricity Use Flat? – A Different Look

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant, Government, Utility Stuff 3 Comments
As readers of this blog are sure to know, electricity consumption growth has leveled out and essentially disappeared in recent years. This is celebrated, but I say, beware of what you wish for – kind of like winning the lottery. It may seem wonderful until reality and the unintended consequences set in. But I want to do a deeper dive into why energy consumption in buildings, in particular electricity, is on the fall. As ACEEE reported back in February of this year, Why is Electricity Use No Longer Growing, efficiency is a significant contributing factor. I agree. But I also…
Read More

Michaels Energy Named a Hot Firm for Third Consecutive Year

By News, Uncategorized No Comments
Michaels Energy Named a Hot Firm for Third Consecutive Year La Crosse, WI - July 25, 2014 - Michaels Energy was named a "Hot Firm" on The ZweigWhite Hot Firm List for the third consecutive year. The ZweigWhite 2014 Hot Firm List recognizes the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting firms in an industry of over 100,000 firms. These firms have demonstrated their ability to grow and prosper and have outperformed the economy and competitors to become leaders in their chosen fields. "Proactively supporting our clients in achieving cost-effective energy savings is what defines us as consulting professionals,"…
Read More

DC Circuit’s Smackdown of FERC re Demand Response

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant One Comment
I’ve written dozens of proposals, and I’ve read dozens and dozens of requests for proposals from all sorts of entities including states, local governments, private corporations, and of course, utilities.  With this comes scope of work requested, required proposal content, rules, terms and conditions, and due dates.  I always consider content of the RFP to mean what it says, and if it isn’t clear what it means, either ask a question via the process detailed in the RFP, or ignore it and work it out later, or it is a minor thing – irrelevant in the big picture. Enter the…
Read More

Major Tom to Ground Control – Enough Already

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant One Comment
I think the time when we pine for simpler days may be just around the corner.  The rage in recent years has been smart grid and more recently, smart home controllers and learning thermostats.  The problems with these things are multiple. They are too complex. Who wants to be tethered to their coffee pot, stereo, and porch light 24/7? They may even result in greater peak demand and energy use than “back in the day”. On a related note, everyone knows about the hazards of using a cell phone for talking, texting, checking email and the weather forecast while driving. …
Read More

Misunderstood Uranium – Boogeyman and Small Boxes

By Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant 4 Comments
If we are to get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we must put down the mud balls, enjoy some sacred-cow burgers, burn the little boxes in which we confine ourselves, and maybe have a little counseling about that boogeyman under the bed. This post first addresses the little boxes and may assuage fear of the boogeyman. A major step in the right direction is a rebirth of nuclear power as discussed in a recent post, The Nuclear Option. One thing is for sure, if you find yourself in any sort of reader comment and chat session, there is apparently…
Read More