Question: How Do You Build Successful Customer Engagement for Efficiency or Distributed Energy Programs? Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits Answer: Energy efficiency and distributed energy incentive programs, along with technical assistance programs, have not only been driving forces for utility resource acquisition, but have also helped transform the market for efficient equipment, emerging technologies, and distributed … Read more
Question: What energy efficiency measures often have the shortest payback, including potential rebates? Valerie Eacret, ERS, for Zondits Answer: Here are a few measures with quick paybacks from projects recently crossing our desks: Compressed air setpoint – Frequently we find that the pressure in compressed air systems is set much higher than necessary. While extensive … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits For the past few years Ohio’s energy future has been in the balance. Backed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the fossil fuel industry, Ohio legislators introduced bills in 2014 that would freeze renewable and energy efficiency standards in the state for two years while lawmakers studied the … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits This week, President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by signing an executive order instructing the EPA to reverse the Obama-era Clean Power Plan (CPP). The Trump administration believes that the CPP, which aimed to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, negatively impacts the growth of the coal industry. However, … Read more
Daniel Pidgeon, ERS, for Zondits The Energy Star program was launched by the EPA and DOE in 1992 to promote energy-efficient household appliances, lighting, heating systems, air conditioners, and other such items. The program is completely voluntary, and both manufacturers and consumers enjoy the benefits. By setting an international standard for energy-efficiency, this program has … Read more
Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits The well-known ENERGY STAR program for labeling energy-efficient products is in jeopardy, as the Trump administration looks to cut it from the budget. This potential elimination joins a growing list of presidential plans that critics say will increase risk to the environment. The Republican president has already pledged to do … Read more
Data Centers: Energy Efficiency and Maintenance ASHRAE, September 13, 2016 A newly published energy standard for data centers features a performance-based approach that is more flexible and accommodating of innovative changes that rapidly occur in design, construction and operations in that industry. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 90.4-2016, Energy Standard for Data Centers, establishes the minimum energy-efficiency requirements … Read more
Trump freezes EPA grants while California plans to slash emissions ARS Technica, January 24, 2017 With the swearing in of a new administration, the federal government and California, the most populous state in the union and the only state currently allowed to set emissions standards different from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), seem set to … Read more
Trump’s regulatory freeze halts four Obama rules aimed at promoting greater energy efficiency The Washington Post, January 21, 2017 Nearly simultaneously with President Trump’s oath of office Friday, the White House website shifted to remove climate change related content from the Obama administration and supplant it with a new statement of Trump’s energy policy — one focused, it said, reducing … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits Clean energy is not the sole province of the federal government. Although the Obama administration included energy efficiency and clean energy in its platform, it is unclear how the new Trump administration will treat these policy issues. Given the uncertainty of federal initiatives going forward, it is now more than … Read more