Energy Answers with 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.

Energy Answers with Daniel Burke is a business podcast hosted by Daniel Burke, with 20 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Daniel Burke hosts Energy Answers with Daniel Burke, a business show with 20 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #21

  Energy Decision # 21 - Micronuclear & SMR Explained: What You Need to Know Before Signing Anything

  Aug 19, 202611 minS1

  Small modular reactors and microreactors are being pitched to commercial and industrial operators as the next frontier of on-site power — always-on, scalable, and free from grid dependency. But with over 100 SMR designs in development and only a handful of commercial contracts signed anywhere in the world, the gap between vendor pitch and operational reality is wide enough to strand a serious capital investment. This is Energy Decision #21 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - SMR vs. microreactor sizing thresholds — and why the distinction governs your procurement decision - The four main reactor technology types and how to rank them by commercial readiness - Why the SMR financial case rests on a manufacturing thesis, not a nuclear thesis - HALEU fuel supply risk — the underappreciated constraint that could strand an advanced reactor investment - How to evaluate vendor financeability and government subsidy dependency - Operational staffing requirements and total cost of ownership for licensed nuclear facilities - Deployment signals worth tracking: Eielson AFB, Rolls-Royce contracts, and the DOE pilot program - The five diligence questions every C&I operator should ask before signing anything Who this is for: facility executives, operations leaders, and energy decision-makers at large data centers, heavy manufacturing plants, remote industrial sites, and critical infrastructure operations who are evaluating on-site power independence at scale. If you're trying to figure out whether micro-nuclear or SMR technology is a real near-term option for your facility — or whether you're being sold a pitch deck — this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Micro-Nuclear and Small Modular Reactors for C&I Power at tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating a major energy project, 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 SMRs and microreactors? 1:30 – SMR vs. microreactor: sizing thresholds and what they mean for procurement 3:00 – The four reactor technology types ranked by commercial readiness 4:30 – Factory fabrication and why the financial case is a manufacturing bet 6:00 – HALEU fuel supply risk explained 7:30 – Vendor financeability and government subsidy dependency 9:00 – Staffing, operational flexibility, and total cost of ownership 10:30 – Deployment signals to watch and the diligence framework

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  Episode #20

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

  Aug 17, 202611 minS1

  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

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  Episode #19

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

  Aug 11, 202611 minS1

  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 heat How total system efficiency can reach 60–80% versus roughly 50% for separate grid power and boilers Prime mover options: reciprocating engines, combustion turbines, steam turbines, microturbines, and fuel cells Why load matching between electric and thermal demand is the single biggest determinant of CHP success Core financial metrics: spark spread, heat rate, capacity factor, thermal‑to‑electric ratio, and payback period Capital cost ranges, regulatory hurdles, and stranded‑asset risk operators need to see up front A worked 5 MW university campus scenario with about a 3.3‑year payback and major resilience value A practical decision path for industrial manufacturers, hospitals, universities, data centers, and wastewater plants Who 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

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  Episode #18

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

  Aug 10, 202610 minS1

  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

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  Episode #17

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

  Aug 5, 202610 minS1

  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

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