The Energy Show

Did you know that you can plug solar panels into a WALL outlet!

Utility executives are spewing out their morning coffee. Who would have thought a good little solar panel could destroy our wicked trillion dollar business! ????????????

Balcony Solar — AKA Plug-In Solar — is coming and is inevitable. Europeans love Balcony Solar. Renters love Balcony Solar. Utilities…they’d rather come down with Ebola.

Because these small solar systems let people make their own electricity without paying a huge connect fee and ongoing tolls to utilities. Just to connect to OUR electric grid.

In this episode:
• How Balcony Solar works
• Real world savings from a standard Balcony Solar system
• Why utilities are flat-out lying about Balcony Solar
• Installing Balcony Solar safely and in compliance with local regulations
• California’s pending Balcony Solar law
• And watch out...Balcony Solar is a gateway drug to Rooftop Solar

Tiny solar systems. Savings for renters. BIG utility drama.

Barry’s Heat Pump Promises:
1. Your AC will die on the hottest day of the year
2. PG&E gas rates will keep going up
3. Resistance — to electrification — is futile

So… are heat pumps part of the solution, or just part of the precipitate…or problem?

This week on The Energy Show, Barry Cinnamon sits down with Dana Fischer from Mitsubishi Electric to explore the truths about modern heat pump systems — and why today’s technology is NOTHING like the loud, inefficient, polluting heating and cooling systems in most homes.

In this episode:

• Why California’s new “AC2HP” rules could impact your next HVAC replacement
• Manual J, no way José
• The hidden differences between old-school heat pumps and today’s inverter-driven systems
• The #1 sizing mistake that causes comfort problems and high bills
• How homeowners are cutting gas usage and moving toward all-electric homes
• Heat pump rebates, tax credits, and hidden savings opportunities
• Maintenance tips that can save you thousands over the life of your system
• How heat pumps can improve indoor air quality while reducing smog and pollution

If your AC system is aging — or you’re even THINKING about replacing your HVAC system — this episode could save you from making a very expensive mistake.

Barry' been bashing his head against the wall for over two decades to reduce solar and battery system costs in the U.S. So on his recent “vacation” to Australia, he did a deep dive into solar costs Down Under.

As Jigar, Saul and Birchy have observed, solar and battery system costs in Australia are one fourth the price of comparable systems in the U.S. But the REAL reasons for these high costs are not what you may think.

• It’s not greedy installers — although there are still too many sleaze bags.
• It’s no longer permitting — although improvements can still be made.
• It’s not because we don’t manufacturer the equipment in the U.S. — although we can and should.

It’s because we have lousy energy policies in the U.S. -- from the Federal government down to local city councils. Barry identifies four specific policy changes that will make solar much more affordable in the U.S.

So tune into this week’s Energy Show for a detailed solar and battery cost breakdown, capped off with the changes we need to make in the U.S. to reduce solar and battery costs for homes and businesses.

That’s right, in many California cities you MUST replace a broken air conditioner condenser with a dual-purpose heat pump.

These Reach Codes — also known as AC2HP Requirements — are currently in effect in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, Menlo Park, Mountain View and Alameda.

Barry’s guest on this week’s Energy Show is nationally-known HVAC expert Nate Adams, “The House Whisperer.” Nate and Barry provide a no-BS breakdown of what’s changing, relative costs and savings, and how you can make the smartest decision when your AC is no longer cool.

Episode Highlights:
Why cities are forcing AC 2 Heat Pump upgrades
The REAL upgrade costs: it’s complicated
Why heat pumps are now outselling traditional AC systems
How a heat pump will make your home more comfortable, efficient and safer
The best ways to find a contractor that knows new AC2HP requirements

In this episode of The Energy Show, Barry Cinnamon talks with Mark Toney, Executive Director of The Utility Reform Network (TURN), about the growing energy affordability crisis in California and across the U.S.

Despite increasing costs for homeowners and businesses, utility companies continue to raise rates—while reporting strong profits.

So what’s really driving these high electricity bills?

This episode covers:
• Why utility rates keep increasing year after year
• The hidden structure behind utility profits
• How regulation (or lack of it) impacts your bill
• Why some public utilities charge HALF the cost of others
• The role of wildfire costs, infrastructure spending, and policy
• How distributed energy (solar + batteries) can reduce costs
• What legislation is being proposed to fix the system

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Host: Barry Cinnamon
Director: Gary Mull
Producer: Jessica Montes

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