As a small business owner and building science instructor, I know first hand the affordability and un-tapped potential of base-load reduction. Energy efficiency and conservation are an absolute key ingredient for a sustainable energy portfolio. As an energy auditor and efficiency consultant for many years, I have validated the powerful national and international statistics of efficiency first. For every dollar we spend on efficiency, we are saving $4-6 of production costs! The cheapest energy is the energy not used or produced, and this can easily be achieved without being left cold and in the dark! There is an abundance of energy, and we need to develop smarter energy use policies and strategies to maximize our energy resources. Michigan is poised to become a global leader in energy efficiency and renewable energy production, and I hope to be a part of this transition towards a sustainable energy network. As an Energy Optimization Partner with most of Michigan's major utility companies, I cannot be anything but excited about the leadership role Michigan can play in the new energy paradigm that is emerging. The numbers are all there - our aging energy infrastructure is at a cross-roads. And when we compare Efficiency and Renewable energy with new Fossil fuel based energy, Efficiency and Renewables come out on top, hands down! I hope to bring my knowledge and passion to the table and to shed light on these time tested solutions so that we can feel confident that we, as users of energy, are investing wisely in our future energy portfolio to keep energy affordable, clean, and abundantly available. For full disclosure, all views expressed on this page are those of Ric Evans solely, and do not necessarily represent the views held by any organizations, businesses or companies that Ric may work for, consult with, or be involved with in any capacity. Ric owns and operates www.ParadigmEnergyServices.com, is on the Board of Directors for Great Lakes Energy Cooperative www.gtlakes.com, is on the Board of Directors for ISLAND - the Institute for Sustainable Living, Art & Natural Design www.ArtMeetsEarth.org, and is an occasional instructor at Northwestern Michigan College www.NMC.edu
Please join me on this exciting path towards the future of clean, affordable, reliable energy - it will be an interesting ride indeed!
