Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast

Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast interviews Brandi McManus, energy services manager for TAC, which provides energy, building automation and security solutions. She discusses how legislation, including the Kyoto Protocol, affects how businesses view energy efficiency in the US. Even though the US hasn't yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol, global emission standards are influencing all US businesses that hope to be competitive in the future market. Businesses now recognize that their customers are demanding sustainable practices. McManus describes California’s leading-edge energy efficiency legislation, as well as voluntary cap-and-trade programs in the US designed to reduce greenhouse gases.

Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast interviews Aaron Nelson--project director for the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado and a U.S. Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional--about how building owners can save money and attract clientele by following the LEED energy guidelines. He explains how building owners receive LEED ratings and how LEED certification helps promote business. In LEED-certified buildings, energy consumption is reduced, emissions are lowered, and, often, the value of the building increases. What’s more, potential tenants are attracted to LEED buildings.

Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast Interviews David Brewster, president and co-founder of EnerNOC Inc. He explains that up to 10% of the capacity of US power plants and transmission infrastructure is used solely to provide energy during peak (high-demand) periods that occur 1% of the time. Demand-response programs like EnerNOC’s collect loads from hundreds of different facilities and network them together to help meet peak demand and to avoid construction of new power plants. “We can shave off those peak demand periods and eliminate the need to build all that infrastructure,” Brewster says. Customers who implement demand-response programs reduce their non-essential use of electricity to help make the electric grid more efficient and cut carbon emissions. Brewster provides some background about demand response and EnerNOC.

Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast interviews Bob Hinkle, vice president of MMA Renewable Ventures' Energy Efficiency Business Unit, about how businesses can take advantage of energy efficiency incentives offered by state and local governments and utilities. He also describes technical assistance programs offered by the U.S. Department of Energy—including lists of service providers land financing opportunities.

The Ukraine has one of the most inefficient and environmentally polluting economies in the world. Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast interviews Ken Bossong, co-director of the Ukrainian-American Environmental Association about how U.S. businesses can use the mechanisms in the Kyoto Protocol to invest in energy efficiency projects and help clean up the environment. He also tells how businesses can take part in carbon credit trading with The Ukraine. The World Bank estimates that the Ukraine’s carbon credits could be worth as much as $17 billion.

Energy Efficiency Markets Podcast interviews Brandi McManus, energy services manager for TAC, which provides energy, building automation and security solutions. Today’s topic: EE has moved out of the boiler room and into the board room. What is the board room looking for in terms of EE? Brandi addresses both the financial and social issues that are so important to companies implementing EE today.

Just sitting in port, ships use 10-11 megawatts of electricity—enough to service 10,000 homes. When they’re running, they use 40-95 MW of electricity. New technologies allow cruise lines, ferries and others to cut ships’ energy use by 8-15%, and in some cases, by as much as 20%. Bob Fesmire, media relations manager for ABB Inc. explains how. He also talks about energy efficiency trends in general.

Energy Efficiency Markets interviews Matt Heinz, senior director of marketing for Verdiem, Seattle, a PC power management company. He tells us that energy usage in the commercial sector is expected to increase 75 % by 2030. Information Technology (IT) energy consumption alone is expected to double by 2021. What's more, the typical personal computer wastes 2/3 of the energy it consumes. What are solutions?

Energy Efficiency Markets interviews Carol Mulholland, a principal consultant at PA Consulting Group, based in Arlington, Va. who has been working in energy efficiency for 20 years. She explains how Duke Energy’s new “Save A Watt” program--recently approved by the North Carolina Utilities Commission—helps overcome a major obstacle to implementing energy efficiency.

Longtime energy writer Elisa Wood explains how businesses can make money taking part in Energy Efficiency programs. She explains the economic and societal benefits of "demand response" programs.