Energy Exchange

Bringing The Pope’s Climate Encyclical to Life, a Church at a Time

By Nancy Buzby / Published: June 23, 2015

Last week’s papal encyclical on climate change galvanized those of us who already see responsible stewardship for the earth as both a moral mandate and business imperative. In the 184-page document, Pope Francis calls for a sweeping overhaul of political, economic, and individual practices to halt the degradation of the environment and protect our planet for the long term.

The pope’s sweeping vision is sure to prompt churches, people of faith, and a whole range of organizations to rethink their actions with regard to use of energy, water, and other natural resources. But already, religious organizations have been working quietly and steadily to effectively manage their environmental impact, in keeping with the established theological tradition of moral economic development and use of resources.

Take Gene Murphy of Prescott, Arizona, as a prime example of someone sitting at the intersection of religion, sustainability, and business. As the business manager for the Sacred Heart Parish in the Diocese of Phoenix, Gene has developed scalable solutions for his church and school that could and should be replicated across all churches, schools and relevant organizations. Read More »

Also posted in Climate, Energy Efficiency, Energy Financing, Renewable Energy / Comments are closed

Building Blocks of a True Energy Efficiency Market Now in Place

By EDF Blogs / Published: June 23, 2015

By: Matt Golden, Senior Energy Finance Consultant

The Investor Confidence Project (ICP), an Environmental Defense Fund initiative designed to unlock investment in energy efficiency, announces the launch of the ICP Quality Assurance Credential for companies with the skills, training, and experience to provide independent review of ICP projects.

This last of three key credentials authorizes third-party Credentialed Quality Assurance providers to verify that a project conforms to a set of ICP protocols, as well as certify it as an Investor Ready Energy Efficiency^TM project. The completion of the ICP credentialing system marks a crucial step forward for ICP and the standardization of the commercial and multifamily energy efficiency industry.

Also posted in Energy Efficiency, Energy Financing, Investor Confidence Project / Comments are closed

The Common Goals of the Pope and Clean Energy

By Paul Stinson / Published: June 19, 2015

Pope Francis turned a keen eye toward the environment and the problem of climate change with his encyclical,“Laudato Si” (“Praised Be”), released yesterday. As a clean energy advocate, I’m heartened that Pope Francis recognizes the need to transform our energy system.

He writes not as a scientist or politician, but as a pastor and spiritual leader. He offers moral guidance rooted in an “integral ecology” based on fundamental Catholic teaching about care for all creation. And while we can and should measure, analyze, and debate climate change using the tools of science, we cannot hope to find adequate solutions without a shared moral understanding of what it means to take care of each other and the planet. That’s not just the Pope’s idea, either – that’s the argument of world renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs and others.

A leading voice without political boundaries, the Pope has the ability to reach people who previously could not or would not face the reality of climate change and, ultimately, inspire action. Read More »

Also posted in Climate, General / Comments are closed

Pennsylvania Gives Clean Energy Not One, but Two Boosts

By Dick Munson / Published: June 18, 2015

All industries use acronyms, but anyone who reads this blog can attest the electricity sector seems to have more than its fair share. One of these acronyms – TRC – stands for Total Resource Cost and represents the key means by which utilities measure the cost effectiveness of energy efficiency. Another – DR – is demand response, or a voluntary energy conservation tool that rewards people who use less electricity during times of peak, or high, energy demand.

Getting each of these acronyms – and their associated clean energy resources – right is critical if we are to run our electric grid as efficiently as possible. Fortunately for Pennsylvania’s clean energy economy, the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) last week took a commendable step toward more fairly valuing both energy efficiency and demand response. Read More »

Also posted in Demand Response, Energy Efficiency / Tagged Pennsylvania | Comments are closed

Empowering Pennsylvanians through Increased Energy Data Access

By Dick Munson / Published: June 16, 2015

Source: Green Button

Data may be the most promising and powerful tool to advance energy efficiency, but we’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of its potential. Fortunately, more and more customers across the country are obtaining access to information on their electricity usage and pricing data, and Pennsylvania may be one step closer to harnessing this resource.

EDF and Mission:data – a national coalition of technology companies that advance the use of energy data – recently encouraged the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to empower customers with data in an electronic form. Specifically, we are proposing the PUC adopt the Open Data Access Framework, which clarifies the type of electricity usage data all Pennsylvania customers and authorized third-parties have access to and how the data should be provided. Based on widely-adopted national standards, the Framework can help Pennsylvania effectively utilize and get the most out of its energy data.

Data, technology, and potential savings

Data access is central to customers realizing value from a utility’s investments in advanced energy measurement, and technology can further unlock the potential. But most people do not have the time to become an expert energy analyst simply to identify cost-effective efficiency opportunities. Therefore, most of us will rely on technologies, such as smart thermostats, and third parties to digest and synthesize meter data into actionable steps that increase efficiency, save money, and cut pollution. Read More »

Also posted in Data Access, Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization, Pennsylvania / Comments are closed

America’s Renewables: Increasingly the Low-Cost Option

By Guest Author / Published: June 15, 2015

By: Nancy E. Pfund, Managing Partner of DBL Investors, and Anand Chhabra, former Summer Associate at DBL Investors and current JD/MBA Candidate at Stanford University

Does more renewable energy mean more expensive electricity? In the nation’s debate on energy, few questions are more important to American families and businesses.

Many critics of renewables allege skyrocketing electricity prices and economic crisis, owing to growing reliance on renewables. This commentary has emphasized “exploding electricity prices,” an “attack on any state’s economy,” and “gouging job creators and American families with higher electricity bills.”

Wait, what?

In our report, Renewables Are Driving Up Electricity Prices – Wait What?, we address this concern directly by assessing average retail electricity prices in the U.S., with a particular focus on whether states rely a lot or a little on renewables. What we discovered is that many of the fears espoused by critics of renewable energy are overblown. Read More »

Also posted in Electricity Pricing, Renewable Energy / Comments are closed