“ The industry is being asked to do things today that weren’t even on the radar a decade ago. It’s challenging, but it’s also exciting to see how we can take advantage of the emerging technologies.” hot water system, and mini-split heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Ric Evans
An Energy Educator At Heart ic Evans knows the energy world from the ground up. Some days he might be climbing around in residential crawl spaces and attics, looking for ways to improve a home’s energy efficiency. Other days he might be participating in board meetings where he’s helping guide policies for portions of the electric grid. But at the heart of all these wide-ranging activities is what he considers his true calling: an energy educator.
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Ric, who has been a GLE member for nearly 24 years, has represented Antrim County as the District 3 representative on the GLE Board of Directors since 2011. He will be seeking election to his fifth three-year term later this year. He also represents GLE on the board of directors for Wolverine Power Cooperative, GLE’s sole energy provider. Ric has operated his own energy efficiency and renewable energy consulting firm since 2006. For a time, he served as a clean energy policy specialist for the Traverse Citybased Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. He’s now spending much of his time doing energy audits for low-income households through the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency.
He said his background as an energy consultant has provided him with some unique insight in his time on GLE’s board, especially with the rapidly changing landscape of the electric industry in recent years. “The industry is being asked to do things today that weren’t even on the radar a decade ago,” Ric said. “It’s challenging, but it’s also exciting to see how we can take advantage of the emerging technologies.” Looking forward, Ric said he shares in the excitement among GLE’s staff and members surrounding the Truestream fiber internet project. He’s eager to see the network grow, not just because it provides high-speed internet service to members who have little or no access, but also because it will allow GLE to take advantage of “smart grid” technologies. Ultimately, GLE members will become more informed about, and have more control over, their energy usage. When he’s not busy with GLE business or helping people make their homes more energy efficient, Ric enjoys spending time with his wife, Jenn, and their three dogs and two cats. He has been a professional disc golfer since 1997, and he’s an avid snowboarder and a part-time drummer.
Ric said his interest in energy efficiency and sustainable energy programs grew after he completed his degree in natural resources at Michigan State University—well before those concepts were as widely known as they are today. “When I first started my business, I had ‘energy auditor’ on my business card, but I had to take that off because nobody knew what that was,” Ric said. When it comes to energy efficiency, Ric practices what he preaches. He’s been an early adopter of many types of systems for his all-electric Eastport-area home. Some of those systems include a grid-tied solar electric system with battery backup, a passive solar-heated addition, a solar MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 17