Flexin’ on the Grid
At 5:37 PM on September 6th, California Governor Gavin Newsom took to Twitter to help prevent an impending blackout. The Tweet read: “CALIFORNIA: We’re now in a Flex Alert... Here’s what to do until 9pm tonight: [...]
What’s the Deal with Cement and Steel – and How the Inflation Reduction Act Can Help
“We make four billion tons a year of cement, which translates into about thirty million tons of concrete. That’s almost ten thousand pounds of concrete being poured every year for every human being on the [...]
Microgrids: A Macro Opportunity for Tribal Electrification
An underlying assumption in many building decarbonization roadmaps is access to reliable, relatively cheap electricity. After all, the United States is an industrialized, developed country, so access to basic household needs like lighting and heating [...]
Breaking Down the Inflation Reduction Act for the Built Environment
Yesterday, the United States Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and made history by authorizing the largest federal investment in U.S. climate action on record. Despite its tumultuous journey to the Senate floor, this groundbreaking [...]
Get Amped for Virtual Power Plants
This month, Texas has been hit by an especially brutal heat wave. To avoid a blackout or total grid shutdown, ERCOT urged Texans to conserve energy in their homes as the state’s power grid was [...]
I Want to Electrify… But Can I?
Let’s imagine you just bought a house. It’s 2,500 square feet and has a great view – it even has a little front patio! Unfortunately, it has a fossil fuel boiler in the basement and [...]
Now We’re Cooking with… Electromagnetism!
There is perhaps no household appliance more contentious than stoves. For decades, venerated chefs and casual home cooks alike have weighed in on whether gas or electricity is the superior option for sautéing garlic or [...]
The Best Defense is a Good… Heat Pump?
We’re only part of the way through June and it’s already a huge month for heat pumps. Maybe even the biggest yet. On June 6th, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to rapidly [...]
Green Building Standards 101
You may have come across terms like net zero, zero net energy, or Passive House and wondered: what's the difference and why are they important? Today, I’ll walk you through each one and explain [...]
Something Old, Something New – District Heating in the 21st Century
Geothermal district heating (GDH) might sound like some modern technological marvel. However, this is far from the case. Almost 700 years ago in the volcanic Auvergne region of France, denizens of Chaudes-Aigues used wooden pipes [...]