I thought of Yogi Berra as I was reading a recent article in The New York Times by Erica Gies titled "Doing More While Using Less Power" (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/business/global/02iht-rensave.html?scp=2&sq=energy%20efficiency&st=cse).
When I started my energy career at The International Institute for Energy Conservation in 1990, we committed many resources to proving that a nickel invested in energy efficiency was worth a dime invested in generation (another oblique Yogi reference... a nickel ain't worth a dime anymore). The Times article from September 2, 2010 rehashes a several-decades old discussion about the benefits of investment in energy efficiency as compared to investment in power plants. In fact, the State of California (as the article notes) has achieved significant efficiency improvements over the past several decades-- decoupling growth in energy demand from population and economic growth. It works. And yet, the article goes on to discuss all of the barriers to achieving the efficiency improvements that are technically available to the United States within the next 10-20 years.
I, for one, have grown weary of talking about this and not seeing it happen. I am a person of action. And yet, I haven't been particularly effective at understanding and implementing energy efficiency measures. And I am a so-called energy professional. One reason people haven't done it, in my opinion, is that it is not fun or sexy. It saves dimes, and dollars that accumulate over time. There is no huge gigantic lightening bolt that strikes when you screw a compact fluorescent light bulb in to a socket. We need a technology that enables and then reinforces energy efficiency behavior in an easy, fun way. I don't have the answer yet, but I am looking...
The Megawatt Hour is a subscription service that helps businesses procure and manage power. Transactions are simple, decisions are hard. The Megawatt Hour puts customers in charge of energy and power costs.
