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This is a departure from our typical technology post, but it's still a vital part of any energy efficient project. I'm talking about utility rates. On average, utility rates typically rise 6-8 percent annually. At a time of record high fuel prices, historic environmental challenges, and industrial structural change, the nation's demand for reliable electric […]

The Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure has been busy. The 13 subcommittee members are examining how incentives for energy efficiency can fit into tax reform. The current tax code already includes energy efficiency incentives, but "the hearing examined how those incentives could be adjusted to work better in a reformed tax code." Other […]

Thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy, commercial buildings in Kansas City, Missouri have a unique opportunity to save even more on lighting retrofits. The EnergyWorks program provides technical assistance to cities, counties, nonprofit, public, and private sector entities to improve the energy efficiency and operating costs of existing commercial and public buildings. The program […]

The KCP&L rebates aren’t going to last forever. In fact, they may not be available next year. Rebates for the state of Kansas are no longer available, but the ones for Missouri customers are. If you have considered updating your lighting system in the past, now is the time to do it. And if the […]

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are more prevalent in lighting retrofits, especially as many companies are looking to their utilities to provide rebates. The rebates offer a large energy savings that takes reduces upfront costs. “Utilities across the country show limited prescriptive rebate support for LED lighting,” found a report by Groom Energy and GTM research. […]

Small and medium businesses are missing out on big energy savings. With energy costs rising 6-8 percent annually, businesses are quoting “energy costs as their biggest expense behind real estate and labor.” A report by the Center for an Urban Future found that one big opportunity for small businesses to reduce costs has gone ignored: becoming […]

While the U.S. does not rank very high in the global race for green buildings, it doesn’t mean we aren’t. In fact, Lux Research found that venture capitalists have invested more than $4 billion in the race to build greener buildings, and “they are now looking at new innovative technologies to further develop this space,” […]

A new study found that the U.S. does not rank on green building policy. Lux Research recently ranked the countries with the best green building markets including Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Australia, and the U.K. The United States did not make the grade, according to the Boston-based firm that compiled the report. Their findings were based […]

The Missouri Public Service Commission approved one of the most aggressive energy efficiency plans in the state. Under the plan, Ameren, which serves 1.2 million electric and 127,000 natural gas customers in eastern and central Missouri, will invest $147 million over three years. The company will fund several programs that seek to reduce electricity use […]