Nate Bender

Residential Decarbonization - Influencing Consumers Before Decision Points: https://j.mp/2Iww1Qe It will be critical for reaching decarbonization and electrification goals to reach decision makers at key points in the life of a home and its critical energy-consuming systems. Clearly, stock turnover through new home construction is an obvious and effective decision point. But this won’t work of course for existing buildings. It’s not enough to reach consumers at the point of turnover – they need to be informed and ready to make more informed purchase decisions prior to equipment replacement, whether due to failure or retrofit/renovation decisions. Put plainly, clocks start ticking on inefficient technology decisions. Whole buildings might be replaced every 20, 40 or 50 years, with major renovations at intervals in between. Heating systems are replaced every 15-30 years. Building appliances might be replaced ever 15-30 years. If consumers are not ready with a plan, they might make quick decisions as equipment fails, and then these decisions and the added carbon they cause are locked in until the next inflection point. When a heater fails mid-winter, how many homeowners calmly call the HVAC company and ask for the most sustainable option? Thanks @MassCEC for researching how people make #energy decisions! #climatechange #carbon #decarbonization #electrification #cleanenergy #sustainability #greenbuilding #energyeffiency #weatherization #energy #homeenergy #consumers #home #homes #building #buildings #maintenance #repairs #retrofit

Residential Decarbonization - Influencing Consumers Before Decision Points: https://j.mp/2Iww1Qe It will be critical for reaching decarbonization and electrification goals to reach decision makers at key points in the life of a home and its critical energy-consuming systems. Clearly, stock turnover through new home construction is an obvious and effective decision point. But this won’t work of course for existing buildings. It’s not enough to reach consumers at the point of turnover – they need to be informed and ready to make more informed purchase decisions prior to equipment replacement, whether due to failure or retrofit/renovation decisions. Put plainly, clocks start ticking on inefficient technology decisions. Whole buildings might be replaced every 20, 40 or 50 years, with major renovations at intervals in between. Heating systems are replaced every 15-30 years. Building appliances might be replaced ever 15-30 years. If consumers are not ready with a plan, they might make quick decisions as equipment fails, and then these decisions and the added carbon they cause are locked in until the next inflection point. When a heater fails mid-winter, how many homeowners calmly call the HVAC company and ask for the most sustainable option? Thanks @MassCEC for researching how people make #energy decisions! #climatechange #carbon #decarbonization #electrification #cleanenergy #sustainability #greenbuilding #energyeffiency #weatherization #energy #homeenergy #consumers #home #homes #building #buildings #maintenance #repairs #retrofit

Residential Decarbonization - Influencing Consumers Before Decision Points: https://j.mp/2Iww1Qe It will be critical for reaching decarbonization and electrification goals to reach decision makers at key points in the life of a home and its critical energy-consuming systems. Clearly, stock turnover through new home construction is an obvious and effective decision point. But this won’t work of course for existing buildings. It’s not enough to reach consumers at the point of turnover – they need to be informed and ready to make more informed purchase decisions prior to equipment replacement, whether due to failure or retrofit/renovation decisions. Put plainly, clocks start ticking on inefficient technology decisions. Whole buildings might be replaced every 20, 40 or 50 years, with major renovations at intervals in between. Heating systems are replaced every 15-30 years. Building appliances might be replaced ever 15-30 years. If consumers are not ready with a plan, they might make quick decisions as equipment fails, and then these decisions and the added carbon they cause are locked in until the next inflection point. When a heater fails mid-winter, how many homeowners calmly call the HVAC company and ask for the most sustainable option? Thanks @MassCEC for researching how people make #energy decisions! #climatechange #carbon #decarbonization #electrification #cleanenergy #sustainability #greenbuilding #energyeffiency #weatherization #energy #homeenergy #consumers #home #homes #building #buildings #maintenance #repairs #retrofit

Residential Decarbonization - Influencing Consumers Before Decision Points: https://j.mp/2Iww1Qe It will be critical for reaching decarbonization and electrification goals to reach decision makers at key points in the life of a home and its critical energy-consuming systems. Clearly, stock turnover through new home construction is an obvious and effective decision point. But this won’t work of course for existing buildings. It’s not enough to reach consumers at the point of turnover – they need to be informed and ready to make more informed purchase decisions prior to equipment replacement, whether due to failure or retrofit/renovation decisions. Put plainly, clocks start ticking on inefficient technology decisions. Whole buildings might be replaced every 20, 40 or 50 years, with major renovations at intervals in between. Heating systems are replaced every 15-30 years. Building appliances might be replaced ever 15-30 years. If consumers are not ready with a plan, they might make quick decisions as equipment fails, and then these decisions and the added carbon they cause are locked in until the next inflection point. When a heater fails mid-winter, how many homeowners calmly call the HVAC company and ask for the most sustainable option? Thanks @MassCEC for researching how people make #energy decisions! #climatechange #carbon #decarbonization #electrification #cleanenergy #sustainability #greenbuilding #energyeffiency #weatherization #energy #homeenergy #consumers #home #homes #building #buildings #maintenance #repairs #retrofit

Really interesting interview with Sheldon Kimber discussing how Intersect Power built out 2GW of generation/battery in 3 years and then a lot more since by focusing on a few large sites. I find his point on rejecting the 'Cancer of Pipeline' traditions of the industry really interesting - wasting capital on land and connections that don't get built out or provide the actual returns to investors. Definitely worth a listen for a different point of view to the approaches discussed publically by UK industry leaders. https://lnkd.in/eyFT23yb

Some really insightful analysis from TSE in the past few days looking at the real cost of power (https://lnkd.in/euYsGdVC) and the real cost of EV's (https://lnkd.in/eDVCSsMp) I'm inclined to believe what TSE say as they look closely at the data and don't mindlessly follow the "prescribed" mantra. The question we all need to be asking ourselves is why would anyone be happy to pay a premium for energy? And what happens to economies with ever increasing energy prices. For example, the flip side would be the US, a great example of what happens to an economy which has low energy prices and has energy security! Hi energy costs will drive energy intense business out of the UK. It's already happening! Taking this, combined with the past two government's policies for "windfall tax" raids on the UK's indigenous oil and gas producers (They both seemed to be fine with excessive profits in the financial sector!). This is a recipe for a failing economy, not today or tomorrow but metaphorically "the day after". The UK economy and our "children" will need energy security, low energy costs and strong profitable businesses i.e. not those being supported by government policy and subsidies. for insight into that point reference anything from Milton Friedman! https://lnkd.in/eyd9pRGY.

The Hidden Costs of Thermal Plant Retirements: Grid Impacts and Consumer Consequences The accelerating retirement of thermal power plants, particularly nuclear and coal facilities, represents one of the most significant transformations in the U.S. electricity sector's history. While these retirements often appear beneficial from environmental and short-term economic perspectives, they create complex challenges for grid stability, reliability, and consumer costs. This article examines the comprehensive impacts of this transformation. Scale of Retirements and Current Trajectory: The pace of thermal plant retirements has reached unprecedented levels: Over 100 GW of coal capacity retired between 2010-2023 , while another 40 GW of coal retirements have been announced through 2030, along with 12 nuclear units retired since 2013. Multiple nuclear plants face economic pressure despite life extensions, and nearly 25% of existing thermal capacity is expected to retire by 2032. Geographic Concentration Retirements cluster in specific regions, creating localized challenges: PJM faces 40 GW of potential thermal retirements by 2030, while MISO projects 30 GW of coal retirements in the next decade. The Eastern seaboard is seeing concentrated nuclear closures and coal-heavy regions are experiencing rapid transformation. Rural areas have been disproportionately affected. Critical System Impacts and Grid Stability Effects: Thermal plant retirements affect fundamental grid stability mechanisms: such as 1. Frequency Response: the loss of mechanical inertia from rotating generators and reduced natural frequency stability. 2. Voltage Support: reduction in steady-state voltage control and decreased reactive power resources have weakened the system's strength. So, there are increased voltage stability risks and higher remedial action costs. 3. System Restoration: fewer black start capable units have reduced restoration options, resulting in longer potential recovery times and higher black start service costs. Capacity and Resource Adequacy: The loss of firm capacity presents several challenges: 1. It reduces weather-independent generation and fuel security, increasing reliance on just-in-time resources like gas pipelines to manage the intermittency of solar and wind energy. 2. reliability metrics show declining reserve margins, higher loss-of-load probability, and more frequent emergency operations, diminishing operational flexibility and increasing vulnerability to weather impacts. The Economic Impacts of Thermal Plant Retirements include: 1. Replacement Costs: new power generation infrastructure, grid expansion, and storage systems. 2. Market Impacts: higher capacity prices, increased energy price volatility, rising ancillary service costs, with more scarcity pricing and hedging expenses.