May 2, 2019
One of the most common questions we hear from our more technical customers is “shouldn’t I worry about inverter clipping?” In a word, no. But of course, while I sometimes try to keep it at that, a simple “no” rarely resolves the question. First, let’s focus on what inverter clipping is; the graph below will… Read the entire post »
August 13, 2018
The MassSolar website has an intriguing analysis on its blog today about the Vogtle nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Georgia, where new units are under construction. A higher than anticipated cost for the project has just been announced, pushing the total price to $18.4 billion. Our friends at MassSolar ask: “How much electricity could you generate… Read the entire post »
February 22, 2018
Did you know investor owned electric utilities (IOUs) including Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, and Liberty Utilities don’t make money on the generation of electricity? I know that sounds strange, but it’s generally true. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, utilities in New England produced or generated electricity, and delivered it to homes and businesses.… Read the entire post »
August 10, 2017
I am an O.C.E. The term, coined by Kip Andersen, stands for “Obsessive Compulsive Environmentalist”. As an O.C.E., I’m always looking for more ways to recycle. Seriously, it physically pains me to throw things away. For almost a year now I’ve been recycling plastic film. But many people don’t know that this kind of plastic… Read the entire post »
August 8, 2017
Rhode Island residential customers of National Grid are facing a $27 per month increase in electric bills starting October 1, under a proposed rate hike submitted by National Grid recently.* A Providence Journal article on this news stated bills would go up about $17 on average. But that’s based on monthly electricity use of 500… Read the entire post »
July 26, 2017
Solar is simple compared to many technologies, but having a system installed does require learning about a few pieces of equipment. Let me de-mystify the components of a typical solar electric system. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy: Back to Basics: Energy Explained Back to Basics: Energy Efficiency Explained Back to… Read the entire post »
June 26, 2017
Last Friday, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued a monumental order: effective September 1, the state will lift its Net Metering cap. If you aren’t familiar with the ongoing saga of net metering in America you might be wondering, why is this so exciting? Net Metering is the policy under which the utilities… Read the entire post »
June 15, 2017
America was founded by people standing up for what they believe in, and that characteristic continues to define us today. So even though there were many heavy hearts on June 1st when the President pulled America out of the Paris Climate Accord, there are reasons to be hopeful. State and city governments, private companies and… Read the entire post »
May 12, 2017
If you’ve been reading this week’s blog series on Ductless Mini-Splits, I hope you’re convinced Mini-Splits are the way to go. But maybe they’re just not right for you due to timing, needs or money. There are other ways you can decrease your home’s cooling requirements to save money, help the Earth and be more… Read the entire post »
May 11, 2017
(This is the third in a series of three mini-split articles I’m posting this week.) I conclude my series on Ductless Mini-Splits with a quick word on efficiency. It’s the high efficiency of Mini-Splits that helps the planet — you’re using less power to cool your home. And if you power your Mini-Splits with solar,… Read the entire post »
I started writing The Energy Miser in 2011 because I like to analyze energy issues and pontificate about my findings. Got a topic you want me to cover? Let me know.
