Microgrids Knowledge Podcast

Why do Americans invest in energy efficiency? Do they want to combat global warming, make their homes more comfortable, save money or take advantage of tax rebates? A survey of 2,100 Americans by Harris conducted for HomeServeUSA found that their top reason for investing in energy efficiency is to save money,

National Grid has seen big energy efficiency gains in little Rhode Island. In this podcast the utility offers insight into programs that are changing the way its customers in the state use energy.

People who don't understand microgrids--or energy in general--can get their eyes and hands on microgrids with a portable Microgrid Exploration Station created by the Wisconsin Energy Institute.

If you swap energy management teams with another business, just what will you learn? In this podcast Maria Vargas, director of the Better Buildings Challenge, describes what Whole Foods and Hilton Worldwide learned when they swapped energy management teams in San Francisco for three days.

NV Energy wants more efficiency, but regulators in Nevada want less. That's the ironic situation in Nevada. Last July, NV Energy said its residential lighting programs in southern Nevada were so popular -- three times the utility’s initial projections -- that it wanted to add more money to the program mid-year.

Who's doing a good job of creating clear, concise and compelling energy brands? Duke Energy is one of them, says the CEO of Larsen Energy Branding--likely the first CEO in the world to get a Ph.D in energy branding. He describes what companies are doing wrong.

A recent survey by Mach Energy found that building owners think they need building management systems before they can implement energy management measures, says Mach Energy president Jon Moeller in this podcast (click on the player above to listen). Responding to the survey from Mach Energy were about 800 building professionals.

In this podcast, Patty Durand, executive director of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative, shares the results of a study that categorizes consumers in terms of how they use--or avoid--smart grid applications. The most recent version of the study includes in-depth, on-camera interviews with consumers.

Energy harvesting can power the many sensors that are associated with the Internet of Things, says Terry Pennisi CEO of Jennova in this interview. When there's energy available as the result of fans or motors running, this energy can be harvested to power things like sensors that send data to the Internet, he explains.

Energy-harvesting sensors that are made of fabric and eliminate the need for batteries in some applications are the focus of this podcast interview with Keith McMillen, CEO and founder of BeBop Sensors.

Smart microgrids are reliable and efficient, and GE says it has the ability to leverage its experience and expertise to make them even more so.

The Rocky Mountain Institute is studying the value of microgrids after earthquakes in San Francisco, focusing on creating a network of microgrids that would protect critical resources and serve as emergency centers.

Like a lot of budget-minded energy users, higher education institutions like the idea of paying no up-front energy efficiency measure costs. Scott McCormick, president and CEO of Building IQ, describes this and other energy trends in higher education.

The potential for cyber attacks on the power grid is very real, especially with the advent of electronic devices that send information about assets that supply energy to the grid.

Energy efficient motors can cut energy costs by 50% to 80% compared to older technologies. Even better, they can do that at the same cost as motors that use old-style technologies, says PJ Piper, president and CEO of QM Power in this podcast interview.