Energy Answers with Daniel Burke

Daniel Burke

Energy Answers is the commercial and industrial energy management show by Daniel Burke, presented by Tactical Energy Group. This series covers the complete C&I energy canon — 100 decisions every plant manager, facilities director, and industrial operator needs to understand: demand charges, power factor, utility rate structures, energy procurement, load management, demand response, backup power, renewable options, submetering, and everything in between. If you manage a facility and energy costs or power reliability are on your radar, this is where you get real answers on the first visit. New episode every week.

  1. 23h ago

    Energy Decision # 22 - AI Energy Management Explained: Find the Waste Your Systems Can't See

    AI-driven energy management and predictive analytics give commercial and industrial operators the ability to detect energy waste in real time — waste that traditional monitoring, annual audits, and spreadsheet-based tracking will never find. This is Energy Decision #22 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: Why manufacturing facilities waste 20–30% of their energy through inefficiencies that traditional systems cannot detect. The four-stage AI workflow: data collection, pattern analysis, anomaly detection, and predictive optimization. How AI energy management automates peak demand reduction and time-of-use rate optimization — and why that matters if you've already watched Episode 1 on demand charges or Episode 2 on TOU rates. Quantified performance benchmarks: 15–20% baseline reduction, 11-month typical payback, 70% of facilities reporting ROI above 10%. What AI detects that nothing else catches: phantom loads, compressed air leaks, motors running below efficiency, HVAC overcooling. Sector-specific applications for manufacturers, hospitals and critical facilities, municipalities, commercial buildings, and K-12 schools. The data quality prerequisites vendors won't tell you about upfront. Why the question of which decisions require human approval matters for regulated facilities. How to evaluate AI energy vendors and the questions that expose weak proposals. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, operations executives, and financial leaders at manufacturers, hospitals, municipalities, commercial buildings, and K-12 schools who are spending five figures or more on electricity each month and suspect they are paying for waste they cannot see. If you are trying to figure out whether AI-driven energy management and predictive analytics can materially reduce your facility's energy costs and operational risk — and whether the ROI claims are real — this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on AI-driven energy management and predictive analytics at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What is AI-driven energy management? 1:30 – Why traditional monitoring and spreadsheets fall short 3:00 – The four-stage AI workflow explained 5:00 – Performance benchmarks: payback, ROI, and savings percentages 6:30 – What AI detects that nothing else catches 7:30 – Sector applications: manufacturers, hospitals, municipalities, schools 9:00 – Data quality prerequisites and vendor red flags 10:30 – The Energy Decision Blueprint

  2. 4d ago

    Energy Decision # 20 - Microgrids Explained: Reliability, Cost Control, and Grid Access

    C&I microgrids are one of the most consequential infrastructure decisions a commercial or industrial operator can make — and one of the most misunderstood. This is Energy Decision #20 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: What a C&I microgrid actually is and how it differs from a backup generator. Why grid access has become a strategic constraint for new and expanding industrial facilities. How utility interconnection delays of two to five years are driving bridge power adoption. Demand charge arbitrage — how on-site generation during short peak intervals can reduce annual charges by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) as the backbone of a microgrid's cost and resilience performance. Why diesel generators and synchronous rotating machines still belong in microgrid design. The role of AI-driven controls in predictive maintenance, load forecasting, and real-time dispatch decisions. Grid services revenue — how advanced microgrids generate income through market participation. Energy as a Service (EaaS) as a financing path that transfers operational and financial risk to a third party. Real barriers: interconnection complexity, upfront costs, cybersecurity, and the IEEE 1547 / IEEE 2800 standards gap. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, operations executives, and CFOs at manufacturers, hospitals, data centers, educational institutions, and large commercial facilities who are evaluating whether on-site power generation is the right investment for their operation. If you're trying to figure out whether a microgrid makes financial and operational sense for your facility — or whether you're already waiting on utility interconnection and need power now — this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on C&I Microgrids at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What is a C&I microgrid? 1:15 – Why grid access is no longer guaranteed for industrial customers 2:30 – The cost of downtime and the automation multiplier 3:45 – Demand charge arbitrage and the peak shaving opportunity 5:00 – Battery energy storage and why diesel generators aren't going anywhere 6:15 – Bridge power as an entry strategy 7:15 – Grid services revenue and Energy as a Service financing

  3. Aug 11

    Energy Decision # 19 - Combined Heat and Power Explained: When Onsite Power Actually Pays

    Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Cogeneration let facilities produce electricity and useful heat from the same fuel input, right at the plant. For the right sites, that can mean double‑digit energy cost reductions and a big boost in resilience during grid outages. For the wrong sites, it can turn into an expensive, under‑used asset. This episode walks through how to tell the difference. This is Energy Decision #19 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: What Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and cogeneration actually are and how they recover waste heatHow total system efficiency can reach 60–80% versus roughly 50% for separate grid power and boilersPrime mover options: reciprocating engines, combustion turbines, steam turbines, microturbines, and fuel cellsWhy load matching between electric and thermal demand is the single biggest determinant of CHP successCore financial metrics: spark spread, heat rate, capacity factor, thermal‑to‑electric ratio, and payback periodCapital cost ranges, regulatory hurdles, and stranded‑asset risk operators need to see up frontA worked 5 MW university campus scenario with about a 3.3‑year payback and major resilience valueA practical decision path for industrial manufacturers, hospitals, universities, data centers, and wastewater plantsWho this is for: plant managers, facility leaders, CFOs, and energy managers at industrial facilities, hospitals, universities, data centers, and wastewater treatment plants asking, “Should we invest in CHP to cut energy cost and improve uptime, or is this a distraction for our site?” If you’re trying to decide whether to invest in a CHP system to reduce energy costs and enhance operational resilience, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Cogeneration at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What CHP actually is and why people care 3:40 – Efficiency math and where the fuel dollars go 8:20 – Prime movers and matching CHP to your facility type 14:10 – Load match, spark spread, and when CHP makes economic sense 19:30 – Risks: capital, fuel, regulation, and stranded asset exposure 23:10 – University campus example and a clear decision framework

  4. Aug 10

    Energy Decision # 18 - Virtual Power Plants Explained: Turn Your C&I Assets Into a Revenue Stream

    Virtual Power Plants are one of the most underused revenue opportunities available to commercial and industrial facilities today — and most operators have no idea their existing equipment already qualifies. This is Energy Decision #18 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: — What a Virtual Power Plant actually is and how it works as a coordinated grid resource — Which on-site assets qualify for VPP enrollment: HVAC, batteries, EV charging, industrial mechanical equipment, and plug loads — The three grid service products a VPP sells — capacity, energy, and ancillary services — and why which ones your assets qualify for determines your compensation — Why utilities and grid operators pay VPP participants: the Brattle Group cost comparison showing VPPs cost 40% less than a gas peaker plant — The direct compensation structure versus the indirect bill effects for non-participating facilities — Named aggregators operating in this market: OhmConnect, SunRun, Leap, Autogrid, Voltus, and Tesla — The resilience value for facilities where downtime carries direct revenue loss — How VPP enrollment connects to the regulatory foundation covered in Episode 8 on FERC Order 2222 and DER aggregation Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and operations or finance executives at manufacturing plants, data centers, healthcare facilities, large retail operations, and educational institutions who are leaving direct compensation on the table by not enrolling existing on-site assets in a coordinated grid resource program. If you're trying to figure out how to strategically participate in a Virtual Power Plant to maximize financial returns and improve energy independence, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Virtual Power Plants at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What is a Virtual Power Plant? 1:30 – Which assets in your facility actually qualify 3:00 – The three grid service products: capacity, energy, ancillary services 4:30 – Why utilities pay you — the Brattle Group cost math 5:30 – Direct compensation vs. indirect bill effects 6:30 – Aggregator landscape: who's operating in this market 7:15 – Resilience value for high-downtime-cost facilities 7:45 – How to evaluate VPP enrollment for your operation

  5. Aug 5

    Energy Decision # 17 - C&I Energy Tax Credits Explained: Cut Project Costs Before You Break Ground

    Federal energy tax credits — the ITC, PTC, and Section 179D deduction — are among the most powerful financial levers available to commercial and industrial operators planning energy projects, yet most operators leave them on the table because they treat them as a tax department problem rather than a capital planning decision. This is Energy Decision #17 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - The three federal credit instruments and how they differ: ITC (installation-based), PTC (production-based per kilowatt-hour over 10 years), and 179D (deduction tied to energy cost reduction in commercial buildings) - Who can claim the 179D deduction in 2025, including building owners and designers working on tax-exempt entity projects - The 179D per-square-foot deduction math for 2025: $0.58 to $1.16 base, $2.90 to $5.81 with prevailing wage and apprenticeship compliance - The 25% energy savings threshold and the three qualifying system categories: interior lighting, HVAC and hot water, and building envelope - Why the prevailing wage and apprenticeship multiplier is a labor procurement decision that must be made before the project is bid - ASHRAE Standard 90.1 baseline alignment and how the reference year affects your energy savings modeling - OBBBA construction start and placed-in-service deadlines for solar and wind under Sections 45Y and 48E - The 1.5 MW AC capacity threshold that determines which beginning-of-construction test you can use - IRS Form 3468, the five-year in-service requirement, and recapture risk for ITC projects - How 179D compounds the ROI on LED retrofits and HVAC upgrades already covered in this series Who this is for: plant managers, facility directors, CFOs, and operations executives at manufacturers, commercial real estate operators, hospitals, schools, and municipal facilities who are evaluating capital energy projects and want to understand how federal tax credits affect project payback and go/no-go decisions. If you're trying to figure out how to use the ITC, PTC, or 179D deduction to improve the financial case for an energy project you're already planning, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Federal Energy Tax Credits (ITC, PTC, 179D) at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What are the federal energy tax credits (ITC, PTC, 179D)? 1:30 – ITC vs. PTC: how the two credit structures differ 3:00 – Who can claim the 179D deduction in 2025 4:15 – 179D per-square-foot math and the 25% energy savings threshold 5:30 – The prevailing wage and apprenticeship multiplier: a 5x difference 6:30 – OBBBA construction start deadlines for solar and wind 7:30 – Documentation requirements and recapture risk under Section 48

  6. Aug 3

    Energy Decision # 16 - C&I Demand Charges Explained: Why Using Less Power Doesn't Lower Your Bill

    Demand charges are one of the most significant and least understood components of a commercial and industrial electricity bill — and for many operators, they represent more than half of what they pay every month. This is Energy Decision #16 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: Why reducing total energy consumption does not automatically lower your electric bill. The three charge types on every utility bill: fixed charges, energy charges, and demand charges. The difference between kilowatt-hours (kWh) and kilowatts (kW) — and why that distinction controls your costs. How the 15-minute interval measurement window determines your billing demand for the entire month. Why demand charges commonly exceed 50% of a C&I electric bill. Max/non-coincident demand, time-of-use demand, flat, tiered, and daily demand charge structures. How demand ratchets work — and how a single summer peak can determine your winter bills. Load shifting and load staggering as near-term demand management tools. Battery energy storage for peak shaving — when the math works and when it doesn't. The direction utilities are heading: residential demand charges, daily demand structures, and heavier TOU weighting. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, operations executives, and financial leaders at manufacturers, hospitals, schools, municipalities, and large commercial facilities who are trying to understand why their power bill keeps climbing even when they're trying to cut usage. If you're asking "why did my electric bill go up when I used less power" — this episode is built to answer that question. Read the full breakdown on demand charges at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – Why using less electricity doesn't always lower your bill 1:30 – What demand charges actually are 2:30 – kWh vs. kW: the distinction that controls your costs 4:00 – How the 15-minute peak sets your monthly billing demand 5:00 – Five types of demand charges you may encounter 6:30 – Demand ratchets: the summer peak that follows you into winter 8:00 – Load shifting, load staggering, and battery storage 9:30 – Where demand charges are headed 11:00 – Recap and questions for your team 12:30 – Energy Decision Blueprint

  7. Jul 28

    Energy Decision # 15 - Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity | Energy Answers by Daniel Burke

    Cybersecurity for C&I energy systems and industrial control systems is one of the most underestimated operational risks facing manufacturers, hospitals, data centers, and utilities today — and it is getting more urgent, not less. This is Energy Decision #15 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: Why OT security and IT security are fundamentally different disciplines with an inverted risk hierarchy. The IT/OT convergence problem and how every connected device expands your attack surface. The five structural vulnerabilities of ICS environments every operator needs to understand. HMI exposure data: 13% insecurely connected to the internet, 36% containing at least one publicly exploited vulnerability. Building management systems as an underestimated attack surface in hospitals, data centers, and manufacturing facilities. Advanced persistent threats including Sandworm and Volt Typhoon — and why a quiet network is not necessarily a safe network. The ICS security implementation sequence: asset inventory, exposure management, network segmentation, purpose-built threat detection, and zero trust remote access. Why exposure management is the rational budget allocation model when you cannot patch everything. Frameworks operators should know: the DOE/NIST/NERC Risk Management Process and CRISP. Why annual audits are insufficient and continuous assessment is non-negotiable. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, operations executives, and C-suite leaders at manufacturers, hospitals, data centers, utilities, and critical infrastructure operations who are responsible for ICS environments and need to understand how to protect them without taking their operations offline. If you are trying to figure out how to effectively implement and maintain cybersecurity measures that protect your energy systems and ICS from evolving threats while staying within budget and keeping operations running, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on cybersecurity for C&I energy systems and https://tac-nrg.com If you are an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What is the difference between IT security and OT security? 1:30 – Why ICS environments became vulnerable: the collapse of the air gap 2:30 – The five structural vulnerabilities of industrial control systems 4:30 – HMI and building management system exposure: the numbers you need to know 6:00 – Advanced persistent threats: Sandworm, Volt Typhoon, and pre-positioning 7:00 – The ICS security implementation sequence 9:00 – Exposure management vs. vulnerability management: how to prioritize on a constrained budget 11:00 – Frameworks: the DOE/NIST/NERC Risk Management Process and CRISP 12:30 – Questions for your team and the bottom line

  8. Jul 27

    Energy Decision # 14 - Battery Energy Storage Systems Explained | Energy Answers by Daniel Burke

    Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for C&I peak shaving and resilience are among the most discussed — and most mismodeled — capital investments in commercial and industrial energy today. This is Energy Decision #23 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: What a BESS system actually does for a C&I facility: peak demand charge reduction and backup power resilience. How utility-administered storage programs like NYSEG's Energy Storage Solutions program work — enrollment, event dispatch, and payment structure — and why the specific NYSEG figures are from a residential/small-business tariff that C&I operators should use as a structural reference, not a rate assumption. The two-layer capital stack: NYSERDA upfront rebates ($200/kWh standard, up to $400/kWh in Disadvantaged Communities for residential/small-commercial — larger C&I projects use a separate NYSERDA block structure) and NYSEG performance payments. Exactly how event performance and seasonal average compensation are calculated, with the worked $50-per-kW example. Where utility program revenue ranks in a C&I BESS pro forma — and why over-weighting it is a common and costly mistake. Hardware enrollment gating: why the battery you buy determines which programs you can access. Regulatory risk in ratepayer-funded programs and what it means for a 10-year financial model. How BESS connects to peak shaving strategy (Episode 11) and DER aggregation under FERC Order 2222 (Episode 8). Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and operations or finance executives at factories, hospitals, logistics hubs, large commercial buildings, and schools who are evaluating whether a BESS investment will actually deliver the payback a vendor is promising. If you're trying to figure out whether investing in a BESS for peak shaving and resilience is a cost-effective solution for your facility — and whether utility incentives actually move the needle — this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Battery Energy Storage Systems for C&I Peak Shaving and Resilience at tac-nrg.com/battery-energy-storage-systems-bess-c-and-i. If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 0:00 – What is a BESS and what does it do for a C&I facility? 1:30 – Peak shaving and demand charge reduction explained 3:00 – How the NYSEG Energy Storage Solutions program works 4:30 – NYSERDA rebates and the two-layer capital stack 6:00 – How event performance and seasonal compensation are calculated 7:30 – Where utility incentive revenue ranks in a BESS pro forma 9:00 – Hardware enrollment gating: battery brand determines program access 10:00 – Regulatory risk in ratepayer-funded programs 11:00 – Questions to ask before you sign a BESS proposal

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About

Energy Answers is the commercial and industrial energy management show by Daniel Burke, presented by Tactical Energy Group. This series covers the complete C&I energy canon — 100 decisions every plant manager, facilities director, and industrial operator needs to understand: demand charges, power factor, utility rate structures, energy procurement, load management, demand response, backup power, renewable options, submetering, and everything in between. If you manage a facility and energy costs or power reliability are on your radar, this is where you get real answers on the first visit. New episode every week.

Information

  • Creator
    Daniel Burke
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Daniel Burke