Energy efficiency insiders will want to keep an eye on the New York State Public Service Commission’s proceedings for two reasons. First, it offers a potential 100 megawatts (MW) in business opportunity. Second, wide disagreement exists about what the resource will cost.
President Barack Obama recently pushed for increased energy efficiency in his State of the Union address. His endorsement is a plus, no argument. But it may not be the federal government that drives the industry’s next growth spurt.
To the casual eye, the basement of this city’s Firehouse 9 looks like a jumble of old hydrants, Dr Pepper cartons, rakes and random gear. To specialists in energy efficiency, the 1960s-era building is a mess of a different sort: wasteful hot water heaters for the firefighters’ showers, ancient refrigerators and outdated lights.
