Efficient Reading: Monthly Digest of Insights Shared by Your Peers in the Energy Central Energy Efficiency Group – January 27, 2022

Programs promoting energy efficiency for utility customers, for grid infrastructure, and wherever it else applies in the utility business is one of the truest win-win operations in the sector. Customers always strive to find ways to reduce energy use and thus bills, and utilities see increased efficiency as a cost-efficient and quick pathway to ensuring supply and demand remain in striking distance of each other without the costly headache of new generation. New technological solutions and innovative leadership continues to open new energy efficiency doors, so the Energy Efficiency Group on Energy Central seeks to keep you fully and completely informed.

FERC may make older cities a boat load of money

Doug Houseman

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/ee/ferc-may-make-older-cities-boat-load-money

When regulatory bodies incentivize and even pay for energy efficiency, Doug Houseman posits how this may create an odd situation where the demolition of a building may be seen as the ultimate energy efficiency measure: taking a building and its potential for energy consumption off the grid entirely. That obviously isn’t the intent of energy efficiency regulation but highlights the need for careful deliberation and language selection in this world—definitely read Doug’s full thoughts and let him know if you agree or disagree.

Catastrophic Bronx Apartment Fire Connects Energy Efficiency with Social Justice

Mitchell Beer

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/ee/catastrophic-bronx-apartment-fire-connects-energy-efficiency-social-justice   

Another article that highlights a connection to energy efficiency that typically goes undiscussed is the relation between efficiency with safety and social justice, as tied in with the story of a catastrophic apartment fire in New York that was sparked by a space heater—the connection goes, if the building had better energy efficient heating and insulation that such a space heater and its potential hazards wouldn’t have been needed. It’s an area of energy efficiency in buildings you don’t often hear about, but perhaps this is the start of that narrative becoming part of the conversation.

Are You Satisfied are You with the Margin Performance of Your Energy Efficiency Proposals?

Curt Monhart

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/ee/are-you-satisfied-are-you-margin-performance-your-energy-efficiency-proposals

Energy efficiency proposals and implementations bring inherent value to every part of the supply chain, but this article highlights that increases in energy efficiency bring perhaps more value than you would think and those stakeholders are not necessarily getting their just compensation for implementing them, particularly in the commercial sector. Curt of E3 Prime Environments can explain much better than I can, so I invite you to the link above to read further.

Is Decoupling Economic Growth from Carbon Emissions Possible?

S, EHSAN MARASHI

Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/ee/decoupling-economic-growth-carbon-emissions-possible

Finally, we have an intriguing perspective shared by S. Ehhsan Marashi about the inherent correlation we’ve come to expect between economic growth and carbon emissions, one of the tough root causes of growing climate change. Could we develop a future where these two factors were decoupled and we find economic prosperity that doesn’t come with more climate challenges? Well energy efficiency will certainly be a part of that story—so head to the above link to read the rest of it.

This wraps up another edition of ‘Efficient Reading.’ Check back in this spot in four weeks to see what submissions have captured the attention of our community. And if you think there are stories I’m missing—let me know in the comments, or better yet submit an article on those stories so it can be included in the next issue. Make sure you don’t miss out on these shared insights in the future.

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