Employee Profile: Peter Kuhn

November 12, 2024/in From the Blog /by starkravingingboston

RENEW’s Employee Profile series highlights our team members who make us great. This month we interviewed our intelligent and hardworking Project Engineer, Peter Kuhn.

Q: How long have you worked for RENEW Energy Partners?

A: Since June 2023

Q: What sort of work do you do for the company?

A: I work with the business development team to create initial financial models so that we can explore viable options to maximize customer value and decarbonization potential. I also work with the engineering side of the house on projects that are further down the pipeline.

Q: Where are you from? What is one aspect that you enjoyed about the place where you grew up?

A: I grew up in Asheville, NC. While it’s currently famous for flooding, back in 2000, we got a write-up in Rolling Stoneabout a guy known around town for hanging out wearing nothing but a thong. He ran for mayor on a platform of legalizing marijuana, which gives you an idea of the kind of place it was back then.

Q: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy in your daily life? How do you relax?

A: I like racing bicycles of all kinds, and occasionally doing triathlons—although I generally consider running to be a bad idea. I also enjoy rejuvenating old European cars that probably don’t deserve it.

Q: Have you ever worked in another field? What was it, and why?

A: I walked dogs and cleaned cat cages when I was a kid because my parents were veterinarians, and the commute and pay were decent. It beat working retail.

Q: What is one fun fact about you?

A: I have two of the world’s loudest children.

Q: Why is sustainability/decarbonization important to you? How did you get started in this career/field?

A: A large part of my network after grad school was involved in clean energy companies. I think that climate change is the most challenging issue of our time and something that must be solved if we want to ensure a bright future for our kids, future generations, and the non-Americans of the world.

Q: What sustainability practices have you seen that have surprised and/or excited you?

A: I think some of the most interesting green energy ideas are also some of the simplest. For example, there’s a company building an energy storage facility in China that’s just a massive building full of weights. When they want to store energy, they pick up the weights. When they want to release it to the grid, they put them down again.

Q: Why do you choose to work with RENEW?

A: I believe in the mission, but the best reason to work here is the people and the culture, which have a big impact on how fulfilling it is to go to work every day.

Q: What are you most excited about for the future of the energy industry?

A: There seems to be an increasing amount of political will to solve the problems that are facing us. Technologically we seem to be making a lot of progress, but that only helps if we have the will to implement it.

To be continued next month. We are lucky to be growing our team with exemplary individuals. The previous RENEW employee profile featured John Luleich.

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. For more information contact us today!

A Collaborative Approach to Decarbonizing the Supply Chain: Partnering for Greater Impact

November 1, 2024/in From the Blog /by starkravingingboston

Understanding Scope 3: The Challenge Beyond Direct Emissions:

Many organizations are now committing to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), taking responsibility not only for reducing their direct emissions but also for the broader, often more complex emissions that occur across their value chains. These emissions, known as Scope 3, frequently make up the majority of a company’s carbon footprint. On average, supply chain emissions are 11.4 times larger than a company’s direct emissions, according to research from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the Science Based Targets initiative.

Breaking down Barriers: Engaging Suppliers and Competitors:
Throughout 2024, Renew Energy Partners (RENEW) has actively participated in numerous events and working groups focused on Scope 3 emissions reduction. Traditional competitive barriers are giving way to a shared challenge: reducing Scope 3 emissions. Achieving sustainability targets, particularly those involving Scope 3, demands an unprecedented level of collaboration.

Companies are not only collaborating with their suppliers to share insights on reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions but are also working with competitors, exchanging strategies to accelerate progress. While there is optimism surrounding these efforts, many companies remain hesitant. Their concerns often center around the internal buy-in needed to organize and execute such ambitious projects. This hesitation largely stems from the challenge of balancing a profit-driven mindset with a planet-centric strategy. Achieving Scope 3 targets requires shifting away from traditional business models to focus on long-term environmental responsibility, recognizing the return on investment over time.

RENEW’s Collaborative Success: The Honda North America Partnership
At RENEW, we partner with companies and their supply chains to reduce carbon emissions and achieve profit targets. A key example is our collaboration with Honda North America on their Green Excellence Framework, which guides suppliers toward meeting Honda’s Triple ZERO 2050 Vision—net zero product emissions, 100% carbon-free energy, 100% sustainable materials with zero water intake and zero waste output. Honda leads the way by providing suppliers with access to trusted collaborators and service providers who support them in making meaningful progress on their Supplier Sustainability Scorecard.

Empowering Suppliers for a Low-Carbon Future
When companies work closely with their suppliers—whether by sharing resources, technical expertise, or co-investing in greener technologies—they empower their suppliers to adopt sustainable practices more effectively. This collaborative approach accelerates progress and strengthens relationships across the supply chain, building a foundation to meet the challenges of a low-carbon future.

Learn more about how RENEW is doing its part in decarbonizing the supply chain

Strategies to Fund Decarbonization Roadmaps

December 7, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

This article explores methods to fund and implement net zero roadmaps while considering both environmental objectives and financial limitations. By understanding these strategies, stakeholders can effectively drive the transition to a low-carbon economy.

What is the status of the decarbonization roadmaps in today’s landscape?

More than a third of the world’s largest 2,000 publicly listed companies have established net zero goals to some extent according to the Net Zero Tracker. Sixty-five percent of these companies, however, are not meeting the minimum reporting standards that are currently in place.

Additionally, just over 1% of these companies have a thorough decarbonization plan in place to achieve their net zero goals. The existing disparity between objectives and implementation poses a significant threat to achieving a sustainable future.

Before exploring funding options for your decarbonization plans, we recommend reviewing our comprehensive guide on achieving decarbonization targets. This manual provides a comprehensive approach for reducing carbon emissions in your company’s buildings.

Defining Decarbonization Targets

To succeed in a decarbonized future, companies must carefully assess their current position and define their desired outcomes. By recognizing the gap between these two, organizations can develop strategies that align with their goals and accommodate various scenarios.

Implementing these roadmaps enhances competitiveness and sustainability. In contrast to short-term factors, roadmaps focus on long-term advantages. It is important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for every company. To thrive in a rapidly changing landscape for decarbonization, organizations must adopt comprehensive strategies tailored to their specific objectives and requirements.

RENEW Energy Partners works closely with companies at any stage of their decarbonization process. If your company requires an energy audit, RENEW can provide a thorough evaluation of your energy needs without any risk or cost to you.

Effective Collaboration Drives Successful Implementation of Decarbonization Roadmaps

To achieve a successful implementation of decarbonization roadmap, close collaboration among key teams is imperative. The following three teams must work in concert:

Executive Leadership Team: A company’s leadership team is focused on strategic direction and managing what can be competing priorities. The leadership team leads and sets the tone for the organization’s commitment to sustainability.
Sustainability and ESG Team: This team shoulders the responsibility of formulating, managing, and executing the decarbonization roadmap. Collaboration with various departments, including operations, finance, and supply chain, is fundamental to effectively implementing sustainable practices.
Finance Team: We know the CFO and colleagues manage budget allocation and a limited capital budget. The finance team assesses the feasibility of decarbonization projects, as well as funding options.

Renew’s approach fosters collaboration between these three teams to synchronize the company’s financial resources, strategic vision, and sustainability objectives. Implementing a decarbonization strategy in an organization is difficult without committed leaders, a skilled sustainability team, and a knowledgeable finance team.

Exploring funding options for decarbonization initiatives

Decarbonization funding demands a well-thought-out strategy harmonizing environmental objectives with available financial resources. The approach to securing funds can vary based on the specific nature of the project in need of financing.

Consider building retrofit ventures that often require substantial investments reaching into the millions of dollars. Fortunately, a variety of funding avenues exist for such initiatives, widely embraced across industries. These include Energy Service Agreements (ESA), Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE).

Understanding different financial mechanisms and identifying decarbonization technologies needing funding is crucial for decision-makers, policymakers, and businesses. In the following sections, we will explore how to effectively fund the journey to the Net Zero future.

Internal Reallocation of Resources

Begin by examining your organization’s existing budget and operational expenses. Identify areas where we can reallocate funds to support decarbonization efforts. This could mean using money from less important projects, departments with extra funds, or cutting unnecessary expenses without affecting important tasks.

Green Bonds and Sustainability-Linked Financing

Green bonds are fixed-income financial instruments specifically designed to fund environmentally friendly projects. They enable organizations to raise capital from investors interested in supporting sustainable initiatives. Sustainability-linked financing, on the other hand, ties interest rates or terms to the achievement of sustainability goals, aligning financial incentives with environmental targets.

Government Grants and Subsidies

Many governments offer grants, subsidies, and incentives for projects that contribute to emissions reductions and sustainability. Research available options and apply for relevant funding programs that align with your decarbonization roadmap. These programs often vary by region and sector, so thorough research is key.

Utility Rebates

Many utility companies offer rebates for energy-efficiency upgrade projects. These rebates can be used to offset the cost of purchasing and installing energy-efficient systems, such as high-efficiency HVAC systems, lighting upgrades, and insulation improvements. These projects help reduce both energy consumption as well as carbon emissions.

Carbon Offsetting and Emission Reduction Credits

Participate in carbon offset programs or trading schemes where you can earn emission reduction credits for your sustainability efforts. These credits can be sold to other organizations seeking to offset their own carbon emissions, providing an additional revenue stream.

Funding decarbonization roadmaps requires a creative and multi-faceted approach. Organizations must explore a combination of strategies that align with their specific goals, resources, and market conditions.

Funding Net Zero Roadmaps with RENEW’s Master Service Agreement

Renew Energy Partner’s Master Service Agreement (MSA) is a fully funded service agreement for improving and decarbonizing the built environment.

The MSA is a comprehensive contract that covers the legal aspects of the agreement between RENEW and the customer. It also includes specific Project Addenda that allow for scalability in energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. This contract is much more flexible and modular compared to traditional funding options, making it an ideal solution for decarbonization plans.

The MSA might have an Energy Service Agreement (ESA) for energy-efficient upgrades such as lighting, HVAC, or smart energy controls. It could also have a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for on-site clean power like solar + storage or combined heat and power (CHP).
It is a funding solution that enables owners to decarbonize their buildings today, without making an investment.
Just like a utility expense, an MSA can achieve off-balance sheet treatment and be treated like any other operating expense, tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor in order to determine if this is an aspect of the MSA that you can take advantage of.
An MSA takes the financial and project implementation burden from the building owner. Building owners pay a monthly amount that is less than the total saved, so from day one there are savings applied to the bottom line.

Overall, the MSA provides a sustainable funding solution that streamlines decarbonization efforts while providing immediate cost savings for building owners. By treating the MSA as off-balance sheet, companies can decarbonize while simultaneously freeing up capital for non-energy related projects.

Conclusion

By understanding these funding strategies, building stakeholders can lower energy bills, avoid impending tariffs, improve their company’s image, and fund the transition to a Net Zero future. If you are looking to find the best way to fund decarbonization initiatives, consider contacting RENEW Energy Partners today.

Employee Profile: John Luleich

November 30, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW’s Employee Profile series highlights our team members who make us great. This month we interviewed our intelligent and hardworking VP of Project and Asset Management, John Luleich.

Q: How long have you worked for RENEW Energy Partners?

A: Since January 2023.

Q: What sort of work do you do for the company?

A: VP of Project and Asset Management. I am responsible for managing active projects and long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) of Renew’s assets, focusing on optimizing operating efficiencies and maximizing carbon reduction.

Q: Where are you from? What is one aspect that you enjoyed about the place that you grew up?

A: Rockport, MA. Rockport is a small coastal town on the North Shore of Massachusetts where I grew up with access to beaches, fishing, and cliff jumping at the local granite quarries.

Q: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy in your daily life? How do you relax?

A: I enjoy boating, kayaking, scuba diving, and in the winter, I enjoy skiing.

Q: Have you ever worked in another field? What was it and why?

A: United States Navy Nuclear Power. I left college after my first year and spent 10 years in the Navy before going back to school and completing my Engineering degree.

Q: What is one fun fact about you?

A: While in the Navy, I went to school and received a B.S. in Human Resources Management. After leaving the Navy, I went back to school and received my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology which was better suited to my career path.

Q: Why is sustainability/decarbonization important to you? How did you get started in this career/field?

A: Climate change is impacting everyone, and we have the means to do something about it. I have always had an interest in energy efficiency measures, but while working in manufacturing, the facilities group was always competing for capital with the manufacturing needs. Here at Renew, energy and decarbonization are our core investments.

Q: What sustainability practices have you seen that have surprised and/or excited you?

A: I recently had the opportunity to visit the construction site of a district geothermal pilot project being installed by a local gas utility. To learn how multiple gas utility companies are piloting district geothermal as an option to replace their natural gas business is exciting.

Q: Why do you choose to work with RENEW?

A: I worked with RENEW as the customer during the design, construction and commissioning of a Combined Cooling Heating & Power plant with a Battery Energy Storage microgrid, and the experience working with RENEW was terrific. When the opportunity presented itself to join the RENEW team, I had no reservations.

Q: What are you most excited about for the future of the energy industry?

A: I’m excited about new technological advances in the energy industry and the ability scale up systems to have a greater impact in reducing emissions.

To be continued next month. We are lucky to be growing our team with exemplary individuals. The previous RENEW employee profile featured Emily Robertson.

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. For more information contact us today!

Decarbonizing buildings with geothermal energy heat pumps 

October 20, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy-saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. We install many different technologies to make your buildings more efficient and reduce your energy bill. One strategy for significant savings is upgrading your HVAC systems to use geothermal energy.

What is geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy that takes advantage of the temperature difference between the air outside and deep underground. Underground temperatures are more stable than above ground. This effect is exaggerated the deeper you go, with underground temperature stabilizing at about 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) 30 feet under the ground all year. Moving heat from the ground in the winter and to the ground in the summer can dramatically reduce the energy required to meet a building’s heating and cooling needs year-round.

Significant progress has been made in over the last decade in reducing electricity use in buildings and installing renewable sources of electricity such as on-site solar, but the same has not been true of building heating and cooling systems which typically center on oil or natural gas fired boilers. RENEW Energy Partners can fund installation of geothermal heat pumps as an energy-saving retrofit and as a part of new construction, and thereby reduce reliance on fossil fuels on site, reduce energy costs, and reduce a building’s carbon footprint.

What are geothermal energy heat pumps?

Just as an air-source heat pump moves heat through the air from the inside to the outside in summer and from the outside to the inside in winter, a ground-source heat pump uses the heat from the Earth instead of the air. Because the temperature underground is a constant 50F, fluctuating much less than air temperatures, geothermal heat pumps can more efficiently heat and cool buildings than their air-source counterparts.

In colder climates, it is common to incorporate an electric heat source to provide supplementary or backup capacity. Heat pumps can be more environmentally friendly since they do not burn fossil fuels like oil or gas furnaces. Because these systems utilize that constant 50F heat from the earth they may also consume less energy than boilers or furnaces to provide the same heat, lowering a building’s energy cost.

Water Source Geothermal Heat Pumps (WSHP)

While ground-sourced heat pumps are what most people think of when they think of geothermal, water-source geothermal heat pumps are equally useful. They use bodies of water as a heat sink or source. This is often groundwater beneath the earth’s crust but can also be from a nearby body of water.

Types of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems:

Ground Loop Systems

Geothermal heating and cooling systems can be categorized into two types: open loop and closed loop. Open loop systems interact directly with the water source, whereas closed loop systems interface with the water source via a loop of coils of plastic tubing connecting in and out of the building. While closed loop systems tend to be the most common, the system choice depends on factors such as climate, soil conditions, available land, and installation costs. All buildings can utilize these systems, but they are especially cost effective when performing large retrofits for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings.

Open Loop Systems

Open loop systems in geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems use well or surface body water as the heat exchange fluid. The water circulates directly through the GHP system and then returns to the ground through a well, recharge well, or surface discharge.

Closed Loop Systems

Closed-loop geothermal heat pump systems, commonly used in geothermal heating and cooling, circulate an antifreeze solution through an internal plastic tubing circuit buried in the ground or submerged in water. The heat exchanger plays a vital role in transferring heat between the refrigerant in the heat pump and the antifreeze solution. Another type of closed-loop system called direct exchange, uses copper tubing buried in the ground without a heat exchanger. The three types of closed loop systems are horizontal, vertical, and pond/lake.

Horizontal Systems

The horizontal loop system is the most cost-effective installation for geothermal systems, particularly in residential settings. The most common layouts involve using two pipes buried at different depths or side-by-side in a trench. This requires a shallower dig but requires more land relative to its capacity.

Vertical Systems

Large commercial buildings and schools often have land as a constraint. Vertical systems help bypass these limitations by using shallow soil while minimizing disruption to existing landscaping. Dig costs can be significantly higher than a horizontal system.

Pond/Lake Systems

These systems could be the most affordable option if a system has access to a body of water. A supply line pipe is run underground from the building to the water and coiled into circles at least eight feet under the surface to prevent freezing. The coils should only be placed in a water source that meets minimum volume, depth, and quality requirements.

Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems combine different geothermal resources or a geothermal resource with outdoor air (such as a cooling tower). They are a viable technological option for meeting cooling needs greater than heating needs.

How can the use of Geothermal Heat Pumps reduce carbon emissions?

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) can significantly reduce carbon emissions by utilizing the Earth’s natural heat. Specifically:

High Efficiency

Efficiency is a major strength of geothermal systems. These systems transfer heat between the building and the ground, which requires less energy than traditional HVAC systems. This increased efficiency leads to reduced energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on HVAC upgrades using heat pumps, see our blog post on the future of HVAC retrofits.

Renewable Energy Source

Geothermal heat pumps provide a renewable energy source for heating and cooling systems. Unlike fossil fuel-based systems, these pumps extract heat from the Earth’s core, continuously generating heat through natural processes. This ensures a consistent and sustainable energy supply for the heat pump.

Lower Electricity Demand

Since geothermal heat pumps require less energy to operate than conventional HVAC systems, they can help reduce the overall electricity demand of a building. Lower electricity consumption means fewer emissions from power plants, especially if the electricity is generated from fossil fuels.

No Combustion Emissions

Geothermal heat pumps do not burn any fuel to produce heat. Instead, they use electricity to facilitate heat transfer. This absence of combustion emissions eliminates the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other harmful pollutants associated with traditional heating systems, such as gas or oil furnaces.

Heat Recovery

Geothermal exchange systems can recover waste heat from cooling processes and utilize it for other purposes, such as water heating. This improves their energy efficiency and reduces their reliance on additional energy sources.

Long Lifespan

Geothermal heat pumps generally have a longer lifespan than traditional HVAC systems. Their underground components can last for decades in areas that aren’t tectonically active, reducing the need for frequent replacements and associated manufacturing emissions.

Grid Independence

In some cases, geothermal heat pumps can be used in off-grid or remote locations where connecting to a centralized power grid might be difficult or environmentally damaging. They can mitigate the environmental impact of extending power infrastructure to these areas by operating independently.

What are the financial benefits of using geothermal energy for building owners?

Reduced Energy Costs

Geothermal heat pumps are energy-efficient and can greatly reduce the energy used for heating and cooling. Building owners implementing this energy retrofit can expect to see savings in energy costs, with noticeable results within a few years. The exact amount of savings will vary depending on factors such as the size and location of the building, as well as energy prices. However, it is common for building owners to experience significant reductions in utility bills.

Enhanced Property Value

Retrofitting commercial buildings to implement geothermal energy heat pumps may increase property value and market appeal. Energy-efficient and sustainable features can attract potential buyers or tenants, creating a competitive advantage in the real estate market.

Access to Incentives and Tax Benefits

Many governments and local authorities offer incentives and tax benefits to encourage the adoption of renewable energy for building decarbonization, including geothermal. Building owners may be eligible for grants, tax credits, or other financial incentives to offset the initial installation costs and improve the financial viability of the geothermal energy project. For instance, the Department of Energy has announced $13 Million to support geothermal heating and cooling in communities.

Positive Public Image

Renewable energy technologies like geothermal can enhance a building owner’s reputation and brand image. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible practices can resonate positively with customers, stakeholders, and the broader community.

No matter how you decide to implement energy efficiency measures in your building, these kinds of projects require funding. To fund an energy efficiency project for your building(s), RENEW Energy Partners offers an energy service agreement (ESA). The Energy Service Agreement:

It may be treated as an off-balance sheet transaction. In that case, you do not own or carry the asset on your balance sheet (consult your tax advisor to evaluate your options).
RENEW provides preventive and corrective maintenance in the service agreement.
Your payment to RENEW will be based on the energy savings confirmed once the system is operational.

The RENEW Energy Service Agreement allows businesses to focus on what they do best while ensuring that their facilities are performing at their peak with brand-new and high-efficiency equipment. In this current climate of cost control and resource allocation, the energy service agreement is the perfect solution to help businesses meet sustainability goals and keep facilities in top condition. Reach out to RENEW and talk to us about financing your energy-saving retrofits today.

Sources: DOE

Intern Spotlight: Minh Mai

September 28, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW’s Intern Spotlight series highlights the excellent members of our internship program. This month we interviewed our ambitious and thoughtful market communications intern, Minh Mai.

Q: How long have you worked for RENEW Energy Partners?

A: I have been with RENEW Energy Partners for almost three months.

Q: What sort of work do you do for the company?

A: I am a market communications intern. My role is to assist the marketing team in creating material for client use and to help educate our audience on energy efficiency via targeted blog posts.

Q: Where are you from? What is one aspect you enjoyed about where you grew up?

A: I am from Boston! Although I love many things about this city, I immensely like the diversity of communities and its proximity to other states. For instance, on a good day, you can catch a train down to NYC for $30 or a flight for $50. Also, if you have a car, you can quickly drive up to Maine or down to the Cape for the beaches!

Q: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy in your daily life? How do you relax?

A: Outside work, I love to hike and explore new things alone or with friends. Blue Hills Reservation, near Boston, is one of my favorite places for simple hikes.

Q: Why is sustainability/decarbonization important to you? How did you get started in this career/field?

A: For me, sustainability and decarbonization go hand in hand. It is extremely significant to me because I have seen it affect my community. For instance, when I first moved to Boston, we would have constant snowstorms and multiple inches of fluffy white snow. Nowadays, this has changed significantly. We have high temperatures in the nineties in summer and very low snowfall in winter.

Q: What sustainability practices have you seen that have surprised and/or excited you?

A: I find it interesting how sustainability can be approached multifacetedly. For instance, we can modify how we live and spend our money to align with our social goals. I have personally switched to using bar soap and wool balls to try and combat single-use plastics, but these changes can only go so far. Real change should come from government regulation and corporations being environmentally responsible in their business practices. One way they can do this is through an environmentally conscious supply chain. Nevertheless, these innovations are expensive, and I am excited to see that firms like RENEW are trying to provide funding for these projects.

Q: Why do you choose to work with RENEW?

A: In researching how I wanted to spend my summer, I knew I wanted to impact my community in a positive way. I also wanted to explore the finance field and new ways to approach sustainability. I am majoring in Business and Political Science at Northeastern University, and when I read about the business model of RENEW, I was immediately sold on the vision. In short, RENEW’s business model is: 1) providing funds for companies to go green, 2) modeling and engineering a tailored solution for the partnering businesses, and 3) maintaining and monitoring the project. The best part… I love that RENEW does not base its income on a fixed rate but solely on the savings they provide.

What are you most excited about for the future of the energy industry?

A: What I am excited about most about the energy industry in the future is that, at this rate, I would be able to see the impact of these investments in my lifetime and be a part of seeing how the world could be.

To be continued next month. We are lucky to be growing our team with exemplary individuals. Last month’s employee profile featured Emily Robertson.

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. For more information contact us today!

Emily Robertson - Business Development Lead, RENEW Energy Parnters - Photo by Ben Gebo Photography bengebo.com

Employee Profile: Emily Robertson

August 17, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW’s Employee Profile series highlights our team members who make us great. This month we interviewed our talented and knowledgeable business development lead, Emily Robertson.

Q: How long have you worked for RENEW Energy Partners?

A: I have been with Renew since May 2023.

Q: What sort of work do you do for the company?

A: I am a Business Development Lead. Regionally, I am focused on projects in the South since I am based out of Saint Augustine, FL. In terms of markets/verticals, I am focusing on Microgrids nationally. Much of my focus is on bringing in channel partners who are doing Microgrid work so that we can provide the funding piece to deploy projects with those partners.

Q: Where are you from? What is one aspect that you enjoyed about the place that you grew up?

A: I am born and raised in Western, NY. I grew up in a suburb of Rochester, NY and my family also has a summer house in Northern NY on a small lake. I absolutely love NY in the summertime – being on the water, seeing gardens in bloom. I loved being exposed to a lot of outdoor activities because of growing up there. Skiing (downhill and x country), sledding, snowshoeing in the winter and waterskiing, kayaking, canoeing, camping in the summers – I loved it all. I believe that exposure to outdoor activities is part of why I am so passionate about taking care of our environment.

Q: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy in your daily life? How do you relax?

A: I have a few hobbies. I am active – training for a triathlon – so I spend my time outside of work running, biking, swimming. I also love hiking and camping as well as gardening. When I am being sedentary, I am either reading a book – historical fiction – or watching TV – I love watching sports or crime dramas.

Q: What is one fun fact about you?

A: I have a Border Collie named Huevos Rancheros. When my husband and I had just moved in together our kids (I have two, he has two) really wanted a dog! We were at breakfast, and they were begging again, and my husband was looking at the menu and said “Ok, we’ll get a dog, but if we do, we have to name it Huevos Rancheros!” They all chimed in agreement and then when we finally got a dog a couple of months later, they couldn’t believe that we were holding them to it. He’s famous in our neighborhood and I sound ridiculous calling for him to come inside.

Q: Why is sustainability/decarbonization important to you? How did you get started in this career/field?

A: I stumbled into the Energy/Sustainability/Decarbonization field. I started my career in marketing and communications. I started in Non-Profit, then moved to a local company doing web development, and then serendipitously ended up in a job with marketing for a distributed energy resources firm. I was there for almost 8 years and moved into various roles during that time. That was my introduction to the energy industry, and my passion for energy and sustainability grew from there.

It wasn’t until COVID when it really triggered in me how important decarbonization was. As we all hunkered down in our homes, I saw images of the skies before and after lockdown. It really was eye-opening for me to visibly see change to our environment through making changes in our behaviors and use of resources. Before that, I knew it was important, but it seemed like such a huge problem that it would be impossible to influence and change.

Q: What sustainability practices have you seen that have surprised and/or excited you?

A: I love seeing the growth of the microgrid market. For both decarbonization and resiliency, it makes so much sense and seeing that take hold has been exciting to see.

Q: Why do you choose to work with RENEW?

A: The number one reason I work with RENEW is because of the people. We are a small but growing team. The very clear mission and vision as well as the support and encouragement from everyone on the team as we work to achieve decarbonization goals together inspires me every day.

Q: What are you most excited about for the future of the energy industry?

A: I am very interested in hydrogen and what role it is going to play in the energy transition. As hydrogen hubs are implemented and tax credits come into play for production of hydrogen, it will be exciting to see how that plays into our net zero future.

To be continued next month. We are lucky to be growing our team with exemplary individuals. Last month’s featured employee profile included Aurora Fernandez. If you are interested in joining RENEW, you can find our current career opportunities here.

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. For more information contact us today!

Renew Energy Partners and Buildings IOT Partner to Expedite Building Decarbonization Through a Tech-enabled, Fully Funded Solution

July 18, 2023/in From the Blog, In the News /by renew

BOSTON, July 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Renew Energy Partners (RENEW) and Buildings IOT announced today a partnership to expedite the decarbonization of buildings and the deployment of property technology, analytics, and controls in the built environment. Buildings IOT’s intelligent building management platform, onPoint, will enhance and expedite RENEW’s mission to decarbonize the built environment. Through this partnership, onPoint will be delivered as a service to property owners and all RENEW customers.

RENEW, a leading decarbonization firm, supports commercial and industrial customers in their building upgrades and retrofits by funding, installing, and managing new energy-efficient systems and on-site clean energy projects.

Buildings IOT, a full-service smart building and building automation provider, has developed the leading property technology for commercial buildings. The independent platform can work with any source of data and can deliver energy analytics, fault detection, two-way command and control and building automation.

“Building owners and operators recognize the need to digitize their assets for assessment, monitoring, control, and automation; the dilemma they face is how to pay for valuable software and system upgrades in a real estate finance paradigm that hasn’t budgeted for these capital costs,” said Brian Turner, CEO of Buildings IOT. “The Buildings IOT–RENEW Partnership solves that challenge and unlocks so much potential for any building owner. We’re beyond excited to have found a partner that shares our mission to reduce the impact of the built environment.”

This partnership powerfully aligns RENEW and Buildings IOT to meet customer goals because both firms are technology and vendor agnostic. The partnership is poised to deliver the best solution to a portfolio owner and work with any existing property tech systems. RENEW funds, owns, and operates any commercial decarbonization technology for their customers, just as Building IOT’s platform can work with any source of property tech data. Together, the combined offering delivers valuable and actionable data, at no upfront costs and immediate savings to our customers.

“RENEW believes that this partnership will be transformational for the decarbonization industry, and we are excited to see the future of this relationship, the value we can create for our customers and most importantly the carbon we will reduce from the built environment,” said Charlie Lord, Principal and Co-founder of RENEW.

The long-term vision behind this partnership is to speed decarbonization efforts by delivering faster access to data. This will lead to opportunities for RENEW to deliver Energy Service Agreements (ESAs) that will improve the built environment and reduce their customers’ carbon footprint.

About Renew Energy Partners
Renew Energy Partners is a decarbonization firm that provides turnkey solutions for funding, installing, and managing energy efficiency and on-site clean energy projects by using future savings to fund upgrades and retrofits. The company helps building owners meet regulatory and consumer demands to reduce their carbon footprint while saving money and making their buildings cleaner and more resilient. For more information, visit www.renewep.com.

About Buildings IOT
We are building systems experts. We’re changing the way the built environment understands, reacts, and adapts through technology. Our software and services increase the longevity of building assets, improve the comfort of building occupants and help building owners achieve greater efficiency across North America, Europe, and APAC. We develop and deploy cloud-based building analytics software, we implement complex Integrated Building Management Systems, we design and install controls systems, we maintain building assets and we provide IT managed services.

SOURCE: PR Newswire

The RENEW Energy Service Agreement allows businesses to focus on what they do best, while ensuring that their facilities are performing at their peak with brand new, and high-efficiency equipment. In this current climate of cost control and resource allocation, the energy service agreement is the perfect solution to help businesses meet sustainability goals and keep facilities in top condition. Reach out to RENEW and talk to us about financing your energy saving retrofits today.

Employee Profile: Aurora Fernández

July 14, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW’s blog Employee Profile series highlights our employees who make us great. This month we interviewed our compassionate and analytical business development associate, Aurora Fernández.

Q: How long have you worked for RENEW Energy Partners?

A: I have been with the company since February 2023, so just over six months now.

Q: What sort of work do you do for the company?

A: I am a Business Development Associate; part of my work is to develop and execute strategic marketing programs to generate leads and reach our target audiences. On the other hand, I also work directly with client support, both leading and supporting business development efforts on active projects, as well as engaging in relationship management with our channel partners.

Q: Where are you from? What is one aspect that you enjoyed about the place that you grew up?

A: I am originally from Venezuela but have now lived in the US for many years. One of the main aspects I enjoyed from where I grew up was the sense of family and community. Even outside of my own family, I would always feel like family at my friends’ homes, or with work colleagues, or even sometimes with complete strangers on the street. People in Venezuela may not know you, but will usually treat you as a lifelong buddy; so that is something that I grew up with and I see it as a great quality for handling relationships in my current life.

Q: What activities/hobbies do you enjoy in your daily life? How do you relax?

A: I have multiple hobbies I like. I really enjoy working out as much as I can during the week. In the winter I love to go skiing, it’s a hobby I’ve picked up in the last few years and I truly enjoy how free I feel coming down a steep mountain. I also really enjoy photography; I will sometimes go out on long walks while taking snaps of people on the street. I like to read, and watch shows to relax. I love going to concerts, shows, festivals and dancing my legs off!

Q: Why is sustainability/decarbonization important to you? How did you get started in this career/field?

A: I got started in this field in Venezuela, right out of college. I worked for an LED lighting and solar energy company that was doing great work, very similar to Renew, but at a much smaller scale and without the financing portion. I learned a lot about the meaning of sustainability during that experience and fell in love with the definition of it; “the ability to be maintained over a long-term period of time”. I see sustainability as finding solutions to sustain life and community, and to avoid depletion or otherwise unnatural endings. So, to me, sustainability is sort of a foundation for all beings that just want to live and thrive alongside each other. In today’s world, we’re bringing this concept into business, where people and nature are the main resources in any sort of industry. We can choose to continue viewing and doing things as we always have; consuming and utilizing until complete exhaustion or take a turn towards sustainability and change processes that will guarantee the ability to sustain over time.

Q: Have you ever worked in another field? What was it and why?

A: I have. I worked for about five years in the legal industry doing marketing and business development. I became a part of the industry while getting on my two feet in New York City after migrating from my country. I especially enjoyed the last year of my time working at law firms since I was able to pivot back into sustainability while working directly in a social impact and pro bono position. It was a great opportunity to learn from incredibly talented people and view business and relationship management from a very different lens than I was used to while on the marketing side.

Q: What sustainability practices have you seen that have surprised and/or excited you?

A: I think the practice of waste-to-energy is something that I have always found incredibly fascinating. I had the opportunity to visit Stockholm in 2022 and found out about how the city’s complete heating system is powered by waste incinerators. They send only 1% of all the city’s trash to landfills, and the rest goes to a central plant for incineration and power generation. Nordic countries need a lot of heat, especially since their winters are so long, so it’s understandable that they would come up with these systems. However, I always scratch my head about why we are not there yet over here on the Western side where we generate SO much waste. The US generates 270 million tons of waste every year and about half of it goes to landfills! What would happen if we burnt it all into energy instead?

Q: Why do you choose to work with RENEW?

A: I choose to work with RENEW because of its people. Absolutely and no doubt that is the reason I choose to be part of the team, and of course because of all the incredible work we do to help clients decarbonize their systems.

Q: What are you most excited about for the future of the energy industry?

A: I’m excited to see how technology develops to make energy more affordable and accessible for people. Energy is the base for everything that we do, we can’t really survive without energy in today’s world, and when you really think about it, energy is the one resource that doesn’t deplete – it just transforms. It’s not like land, minerals, or water, that do end -giving us a completely other set of issues to deal with in the sustainability world- energy is transformed from one source to another. As I mentioned with waste incineration, that is just heat-energy stored and transformed into electricity. It equally happens with solar, hydro, nuclear, and other energy sources. We live in very exciting times for the energy industry, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it and see the technology unravel over the years to come.

To be continued next month. We are lucky to be growing our team with exemplary individuals. Last month’s featured employee profile included Nathan Montgomery. If you are interested in joining RENEW, you can find our current career opportunities here.

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. For more information contact us today!

Thermal energy storage can help you save money and energy by storing heat energy for later use.

How Thermal Energy Storage Helps Save Money and Energy

June 22, 2023/in From the Blog /by renew

RENEW Energy Partners specializes in funding energy saving retrofits for your commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. There are many different technologies we install to make your buildings more efficient and reduce your energy bill. One strategy for significant savings is retrofitting your buildings to house thermal energy storage.

Introduction

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a technology that allows for the capture and release of heat energy. This is used to regulate temperature in a space, or to store energy for future use.

There are many benefits to using thermal energy systems. It helps you save money on your energy bill, and it also helps conserve energy. In some cases, this storage system is used to generate electricity.

If you are looking for a way to save money and conserve energy, then an energy saving retrofit using thermal energy may be the right solution for you.

What is Thermal Energy Storage?

Thermal energy storage is simply the process of capturing and storing heat energy. This is accomplished by having materials absorb and store heat, and then releasing or converting it when needed. This thermal energy is stored in some surprising materials, including water, salt, sand, rocks, and specialized phase-change materials.

One of the most common ways to use Thermal Energy Storage is in a cooling system, where the captured and stored heat is used to reduce the temperature of a space. This method eliminates excess heating or cooling needs due to sudden changes in temperature.

Thermal energy storage is an effective way of conserving energy, as it stores more energy than any other method available. It is often cheaper than using traditional energy sources, such as electricity, which result in major energy cost reductions for businesses.

The Benefits of Thermal Energy Storage

Thermal Energy Storage offers a variety of benefits to individuals, businesses, and governments.

Cost Savings – Thermal energy storage allows for significant energy cost savings over traditional sources of energy. When utilizing the heat energy stored, there is minimal energy waste, leading to higher efficiency of energy use.
Increased Energy Security – Stored thermal energy is frequently used during times of peak demand and unpredictability in the energy market, creating a buffer against supply disruptions.
Reduced Environmental Impact – The use of thermal energy leads to reduced emissions since the stored energy replaces energy that needs to be generated with fossil fuels.
Reliable Security – Thermal energy storage is a secure source of energy and is more reliable than other energy sources due to its significant storage capacity. This means that thermal energy can be stored for long periods of time and deployed when needed.

How Does It Storage Work?

Thermal energy storage works by storing heat energy in a medium such as molten salt, ice, or water. When stored in this way, heat energy can be used whenever it is needed.

The process of storing thermal energy is simple. Heat energy is collected from a source such as a solar panel or as waste heat from an industrial process and stored in a medium. This stored heat energy is then used to heat buildings, generate electricity, and other applications.

For example, solar energy is collected during the day and stored in large tanks of water. This energy is then used to heat buildings at night, helping reduce energy costs and emissions.

In other applications, stored heat energy is used to generate electricity. This is done by converting the stored heat energy into mechanical energy, for example by spinning a turbine that generates electricity.

Types of Thermal Energy Storage

Thermal energy storage is used in a variety of applications and comes in different forms, depending on the type of energy storage system implemented:

Latent Heat Storage – This type of storage involves storing heat energy in a phase-change material such as wax or salt. The phase transformation of the material allows large amounts of heat to be stored or released at a relatively low temperature.
Sensible Heat Storage – Involves the storing of heat energy in a substance like rocks or water. The stored energy causes a rise in temperature, which can then be utilized for various purposes.
Cryogenic Gas Storage – By using liquified gases such as hydrogen or methane, this type of storage is very space efficient, allowing for the storage of high amounts of energy in a small space.
Molten Salt Storage – Salt has a very high heat capacity, and can store and release large amounts of energy, making molten salt storage one of the most popular forms of thermal energy storage at a grid scale. Each type of thermal energy storage has its own advantages and disadvantages and should be chosen based on the specific application.

Economic Incentives for Commercial Thermal Energy Storage

To help businesses utilize these systems, many governments have introduced economic incentives. These can be in the form of subsidies, tax credits, and other incentives to help businesses offset the upfront costs of implementing a thermal energy storage system.

In some cases, businesses and building owners may qualify for low-interest financing programs or other loan programs to help them purchase and install thermal energy storage systems. These programs vary depending on the location and are very effective for businesses to adopt thermal energy systems.

In addition, local regulators usually have specific regulations for installing a thermal energy storage system. Knowing the laws of your state will help you plan and install the system in a responsible way.

RENEW Energy Partners is a long-term decarbonization partner with experience guiding building owners through technology and emissions regulations, identifying and utilizing the best technology and corresponding tax credits for each job, and funding and managing carbon-saving projects from start to finish.

The Future of Thermal Energy Storage

There is growing interest and investment in thermal energy storage systems as businesses and governments are recognizing and capitalizing on their potential to save money and conserve energy.

In the future, advances in technology will likely mean better performance from thermal energy systems at lower prices. This will make them an increasingly appealing option for businesses and consumers.

In addition, solar energy storage is gaining interest due to the intermittent nature of solar energy production. As interest in these applications continues to grow, there is potential for solar powered thermal energy systems to become an increasingly important part of the energy mix.

Thermal energy storage is an effective way to reduce energy consumption, save money, and increase energy security. With increasing demand for energy and the environment, TES is a great option for businesses, manufacturers, and governments.

No matter how you decide to increase your energy efficiency and decrease your carbon footprint, these kinds of projects require funding. In order to fund an energy efficiency project for your building(s), RENEW Energy Partners offers an energy service agreement (ESA). The Energy Service Agreement:

May be treated as an off-balance sheet transaction. In that case, you do not own the asset or carry it on your balance sheet (consult your tax advisor).

RENEW provides preventive and corrective maintenance in the service agreement.

Your payment to RENEW will be based on the energy savings confirmed once the system is operational.

The RENEW Energy Service Agreement allows businesses to focus on what they do best, while ensuring that their facilities are performing at their peak with brand new, and high-efficiency equipment. In this current climate of cost control and resource allocation, the energy service agreement is the perfect solution to help businesses meet sustainability goals and keep facilities in top condition. Reach out to RENEW and talk to us about financing your energy saving retrofits today.

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Learn more about how RENEW is doing its part in decarbonizing the supply chain

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What is the status of the decarbonization roadmaps in today’s landscape?

Defining Decarbonization Targets

Effective Collaboration Drives Successful Implementation of Decarbonization Roadmaps

Exploring funding options for decarbonization initiatives

Internal Reallocation of Resources

Green Bonds and Sustainability-Linked Financing

Government Grants and Subsidies

Utility Rebates

Carbon Offsetting and Emission Reduction Credits

Funding Net Zero Roadmaps with RENEW’s Master Service Agreement

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What is geothermal energy?

What are geothermal energy heat pumps?

Types of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems:

How can the use of Geothermal Heat Pumps reduce carbon emissions?

What are the financial benefits of using geothermal energy for building owners?

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Introduction

What is Thermal Energy Storage?

The Benefits of Thermal Energy Storage

How Does It Storage Work?

Types of Thermal Energy Storage

Economic Incentives for Commercial Thermal Energy Storage

The Future of Thermal Energy Storage

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