Today we’re thrilled to have Josh Bachman, a seasoned expert in energy efficiency and decarbonization. As a leading figure at Cascade Energy, Josh brings knowledge on the intersection of energy technology and financial strategy. He dives deep into the critical role of industrial heat pumps, electrification trends, and the evolving energy efficiency landscape.
Listen in as Josh uncovers the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in their decarbonization journeys. He discusses the financial implications of energy projects, the challenges behind implementing new technologies, and the promising future of virtual power plants. You will hear Josh’s advice on achieving transformative energy efficiency and his vision for a net-zero future in the industry.
Listen To The Episode
What You’ll Learn In Today’s Episode:
- How Josh’s interest in energy started.
- What Cascade Energy does in the energy space.
- The primary hurdle in adopting energy-saving measures.
- How energy efficiency projects can lead to significant savings over time.
- The importance of energy and decarbonization beyond just financial returns.
- The gap between corporate goals and practical implementation.
- Advice for mid-level facility managers.
- How heat pumps work and their role in decarbonization.
- What virtual power plants are and their potential.
- Josh’s vision for success.
Ideas Worth Sharing:
- “In my experience, energy efficiency is 90% about people and 10% about technology. We can upgrade to smart technology, but there’s an operator behind it and if that operator doesn’t understand how to use that technology or maintain it, the savings won’t be fully realized.” – Josh Bachman
- “Business leaders should be jumping on top of energy use as quickly as they would if their bank account was losing the 10% or even 40% equivalent of how much energy rates are increasing or the amount they’re leaving on the table by not owning their power. This is not just an emissions thing, it’s also a financial thing.” – Dan Roberts
- “While the operation of buildings is not the core business of most companies, given the increase in energy prices and the pressures to decarbonize, the building and how it operates is increasingly becoming a part of their core business.” – Dan Roberts
Resources In Today’s Episode:
- Josh Bachman: LinkedIn
- Cascade Energy
- Gareth Evans: LinkedIn
- Dan Roberts: LinkedIn
- VECKTA: News
Time Stamps:
- 00:00:12: Introduction
- 00:01:36: What gets Josh fired up inside and outside of work
- 00:03:22: Where Josh’s interest in energy comes from
- 00:04:37: Cascade Energy’s role, and definition of success
- 00:10:30: Why customers struggle with energy efficiency
- 00:15:34: Low and no cost or operations and maintenance type measures
- 00:16:57: Variable frequency drives and control systems
- 00:20:52: VFD as an opportunity to shed load
- 00:23:44: People challenges vs. technology challenges in energy efficiency
- 00:25:34: Market changes and emerging trends in energy and decarbonization
- 00:27:56: Advice for mid-level facility managers
- 00:30:31: Electrification and industrial heat pumps
- 00:32:23: Heat pump technology for air and water applications
- 00:33:44: Virtual power plants (VPPs) and their potential
- 00:36:53: Educational resources and recommendations (AC Tripoli and RTC)
- 00:38:38: Personal vision for success
- 00:40:57: Ending and Acknowledgement
Share the Love:
If you like the Renewable Rides podcast…
Never miss an episode by subscribing via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or by RSS!
