With energy efficiency, of course! A couple of weeks ago, we showed you how Southern Company “squirrels” the energy efficiency debate. One of our fantastic readers sent us an ad from the New Yorker, in which Southern Company tries to persuade its customers in New York City that it is promoting energy efficiency by selling [...]
‘Squirreling’ is banned at the World Schools Debating Championships. What, you don’t know what squirreling is? Or what it has to do with energy efficiency? Well, today is your lucky day! According to those who set the rules for debate competitions, squirreling is the unreasonable redefinition of a term in debate in favor of the team [...]
On Tuesday, December 18, President Obama signed bipartisan legislation that should drive modest advances in energy efficiency by modifying appliance efficiency standards and boosting efficiency efforts by industry and the federal government. The bill, HR 6582, amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. It’s a great reminder that some energy issues can see progress [...]
Some of America’s best-known retailers are looking bright when it comes to solar energy. And showing that low costs and high growth go hand-in-hand with solar. Leading the pack in solar energy among retailers is none other than Walmart, whose solar PV panels pack almost as much punch as the entire installed capacity of solar [...]
Last week, I wrote about the implications of the Duke-Progress merger on Florida energy efficiency programs. And while Duke’s programs in the Carolinas are better than in Florida, they are by no means “best practice” programs. Fortunately, we’ve got a settlement for that! Late last year, we worked with several allies to reach a settlement covering several [...]
Several weeks ago, I wrote about how the struggle for the future of utilities is reflected in the continuing drama of the Duke – Progress utility merger. I wrote on the occasion of a North Carolina investigation into the closure of the merger. With the drama of a CEO switch receding into yesterday’s news (perhaps), attention is [...]
Recently, Michael Noble of Fresh Energy offered a terrific post out about how renewable energy growth has far outpaced what everyone thought possible over the past decade or so. He’s writing from a Minnesota perspective: How wrong we were to think that a $2 billion renewable energy investment would be ambitious. Today, the region supports [...]
“Congressman Inglis has a unique and important point of view — that free enterprise is the best answer to our nation’s intertwined energy and climate challenges,” says Ed Maibach, director of the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication (4C), in remarks at the launch of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative. I wrote an extended exploration of the call [...]
Much of yesterday’s utility commission hearing seemed to focus on the personal story of Bill Johnson and his experience during the Duke – Progress merger. The dramatic testimony was likened by one person in attendance to “divorce court.” The North Carolina Utilities Commission seemed interested in both the personal interactions of Duke and Progress leadership, [...]
In his book The Climate War, Eric Pooley described Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers as a “silver-tongued devil.” Today, we may find out if former Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson agrees. After being ousted as the CEO of the newly merged Duke Energy, Johnson will testify before the North Carolina Utilities Commission which has been the [...]
