Meet Warren Evans, Co-Founder, Partner and Director of Renewable Energy Development

Meet Warren Evans, Co-Founder, Partner and Director of Renewable Energy Development

Warren is dedicated to empowering customers to choose clean, independent, and renewable energy sources. With over twenty years of experience at major global firms, Warren has successfully deployed breakthrough global business and technical solutions while meeting organizational budgets upwards of $60M. This experience, along with Warren’s ability to report directly to C-Level executives, has allowed him to design and analyze Renewable Energy solutions for ReWire’s customers that integrate the right engineering and technology while meeting economic and strategic business goals.

Since earning his Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering in 1987, Warren has experienced firsthand the evolution of clean energy, through work in nuclear fuel design, plant operation, reactor and systems engineering, software delivery, high-technology manufacturing, and supply chain automation. After receiving his Master’s degree in Information Systems in 2003, he served as IT Director for Public Service Electric and Gas, among other roles. By 2015, he recognized that the transition to clean energy was underway. To ensure that he would be a part of spreading the word about clean energy, he co-founded the ReWire Group.

Warren’s passion for transitioning customers to clean energy prompted him to start writing a book called “Zero World – the Complete Guide to the Clean Energy Life” which is expected to be released in 2024. The book leads readers on a journey from our current First World lives to the inevitable clean energy future known as Zero World, inspiring readers with insights gleaned over his decades of experience in the energy field. He provides realistic, practical tools for living a more affordable, efficient, and enjoyable clean energy life powered entirely by sustainable renewable energy technology. Warren also enjoys being part of the rapidly growing renewable energy conference and podcast communities. In July 2020, an interview with Warren was featured on The Advocates videocast with Dan Cirucci, launching his public speaking efforts.

Warren’s clean energy advocacy touches a wide range of communities, from the K-12 STEM implementation project in Schenectady, NY that he’s hoping to participate in to the active Philadelphia, PA real estate mastermind group he invests in. The ReWire Group is becoming known as a groundbreaking community solar partner as they were a critical part of a celebrated, first-of-its-kind community solar farm in Clifton Park, NY in 2019. Warren is proud to be an environmental supporter and advocate for all forms of renewable energy and the game changing technologies and economics surrounding this global transition.

ReWire Reaches the Summit

ReWire Reaches the Summit

ReWire Group Partner and Head of the Digital Division, Al Evans, recently attended the 2022 New York State Innovation Summit. In addition to showcasing companies and researchers at the forefront of emerging technologies and new advancements in production capabilities, the Summit celebrated New York State leadership in technology-led economic growth.

ReWire was there to network with experts in energy innovation, climate tech, and artificial intelligence. With a focus on exploring technology convergence opportunities, ReWire hopes to accelerate its platform commercialization efforts and identify partners that can potentially support its sustainability initiatives.

At the Summit, ReWire’s main objective was to begin generating preliminary interest for the Energy Management Platform initiative. The current phase of the platform is designed to address the challenges Municipal Public Housing Authorities and Affordable Housing Developers face when they seek to obtain the benefits of Community Solar for their residents.

In addition, ReWire wants to help property managers protect the residents of their developments from the increasing threats of climate change. Extreme heat waves are one of the most dangerous weather events faced by those living in densely populated urban environments. The Energy Management platform can help Chief Heat Officers (CHOs) prepare proactively and protect their vulnerable communities, Seniors, those with chronic conditions, and disadvantaged populations, many of which don’t have access to indoor air conditioning.

ReWire has the answer. We talked to several in the industry at the Summit and they agreed that the Energy Management platform is a timely and much needed solution. By combining access to renewable energy and real-time weather monitoring, the platform will help property managers prepare in advance by ensuring that battery energy storage systems are fully charged, alternate energy sources are prepared, cooling stations are opened, and other preventive measures are taken.

The event was held in Buffalo this year which, in addition to attending and exhibiting at the Summit, provided Al with the opportunity to visit with strategic partners and associates located in the western part of the state.

On Tuesday, Al met with David Gordon, President of Green Building Partners, developing plans for the ongoing Community Solar collaboration between their two organizations.

Wednesday morning breakfast with Dennis Elsenbeck was illuminating. Al and Dennis discussed the Northland Corridor project which was recently funded. It will renovate two industrial buildings, creating a Clean Energy Microgrid, to power the workforce training center campus while supporting manufacturing training programs. ReWire can help support the knowledge transfer and the effort to develop training programs that can bring this highly efficient and practical solution to other New York State communities.

Al also bumped into Dr. Heidi Knoblauch, who was there participating in her first Summit as a representative for ESD in her new role as the Senior Director, Entrepreneurship Development. Congratulations Heidi!

ReWire is already looking forward to the 2023 NYS Innovation Summit, which will be held in Saratoga Springs NY!

We’ll see everyone there in October 2023!

Summit Video: https://youtu.be/A_v0Jkk6ru4

Meet Alan Evans, Co-founder, Partner and Director of Marketing

Meet Alan Evans, Co-founder, Partner and Director of Marketing

Al manages marketing programs and initiatives for ReWire and leads ReWire’s Digital division. In addition to working with clients and business development, Al is helping to drive the strategic vision behind the development of the ReWire Energy Management Platform.

As part of his responsibilities, Al works closely with SUNY Polytechnic’s Advanced Manufacturing Performance Center team in leading the development of two digital platforms; the Technology Alignment Platform (TAP) and the Career Alignment Platform (CAP).

Al was also instrumental in working with the Advanced Manufacturing Performance Center, SUNY Polytechnic, and NYSERDA, winning a subcontract for an extensive energy training program for facility operators within the ZEN Zero Energy building. This program will also support energy training for advanced manufacturing personnel across the region. Al also serves as the senior technologist for ApolloCare LLC, an organization that recently deployed a homecare platform for aging seniors with the support of EverHome’s Life Care Coordinators. The mobile app, VivaLynx, allows caregivers to monitor aging seniors and disabled adults so they can benefit from advanced care coordination technologies, maximizing their independence, while they remain safely in their homes.

Al graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. Early in his career, Al worked in sales selling consumer products and insurance and later became a Business Analyst at Dun & Bradstreet. After working for D&B, Al joined his father Milton at High Technology Systems (HTS) as the Director of Marketing. At HTS, the focus was on commercializing high-performance polymers including NASA’s LARC-13 materials technology for industrial, electronics, and aerospace applications. Al also spent time at GE Fanuc as a Software Product Manager in the CIMPLICITY Division and went through their renowned Six Sigma program. He was a guest speaker at SUNY Albany’s entrepreneurial program and has been at the forefront of several advanced technology product launches. As the Founder of Matrix Intermedia Corp, he developed one of the first Web Content Management (CMS) systems in 2000, which was widely adopted across the Capital Region.

As a seasoned entrepreneur with skills spanning business development, online and traditional marketing, and experience bringing advanced technology to market, Al is rooted in the realm of software development. He is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) visionary and product manager with connections to many of the region’s startups and success stories. His background includes work in energy, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, enterprise software, education and training, government, and critical infrastructure protection sectors.

Al is very hands-on and always willing to jump in wherever he can contribute to the team and client needs. He serves as a Trustee for the Museum of Science & Innovation (miSci) and is a Member of the Innovate 518 Advisory Committee, a regional economic development entity.

Al and his wife Karen reside in Albany with their German Shepard Evie, Max the Ragdoll cat, and several chickens. With solar panels on their roof and EVs in their driveway, they are devoted environmentalists doing their part for the transition toward a cleaner, sustainable, more resilient planet.

Saratoga energy firm expands to Albany, plans to create 75 jobs

ReWire Group is joining the Start-Up NY program with a goal of creating 75 new jobs over the next five years on the University at Albany campus.

As part of the move, ReWire will take space at the UAlbany Innovation Center, located within the university’s Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship Complex on the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany.

To get more information, please visit ReWire Group expands to Albany with space at UAlbany’s ETEC – Albany Business Review (bizjournals.com)

Brothers Kenneth and Alan Evans started ReWire Energy in 2015 along with several of their siblings and their father, Milton. The Saratoga Springs based company began with a focus on planning and analysis, figuring out ways to lower clients’ energy bills while bringing in new technologies like solar, smart thermostats and net-zero energy technologies. The family all have experience with large corporations and several have started their own businesses.

At UAlbany, ReWire will work on the development of an energy management platform to digitize its model for transitioning commercial, municipal and industrial customers to lower their carbon footprint and incorporate renewable energy technologies. The firm plans to collaborate with faculty and student teams on software design as well as develop and test new solutions for rising energy costs.

ReWire shifted more recently to focus on the digital side of its business — which develops new software for energy services, including analytics and financial modeling for customers who are building new construction, as well as energy-specific IT projects in automation and systems integration. The company has worked with CHA and Siemens in the past.

Earlier this year, ReWire was awarded a subcontract with SUNY Poly and NYSERDA to expand energy-related training for building and operations maintenance employees on campus.

ReWire told the Business Review last year that they saw an opportunity in securing more state contract work as a certified minority-owned business — especially with New York’s push to create a green energy economy.

ReWire is the latest company to join Empire State Development’s Start-Up NY program.

The goal of the program when it was introduced in 2014 was to create jobs by convincing companies to move to New York and help early-stage companies compete by allowing employees to avoid paying income taxes for up to 10 years. To qualify, participating companies have to operate in a state-sanctioned zone, primarily on college campuses.

To learn more information, please visit here.

ReWire Group Joins UAlbany START-UP NY Program

ReWire Group Joins UAlbany START-UP NY Program

We are excited to announce that we are joining The University at Albany’s START-UP NY program and have also committed to using office space at the UAlbany Innovation Center in ETEC.

We will work on the development of an energy management platform to digitize our model for transitioning commercial, municipal and industrial customers to lower their carbon footprint and incorporate the full use of renewable energy technologies. In partnership with UAlbany through the START-UP NY program, we plan to invest intellectual capital and innovative product ideation at ETEC, creating at least 75 net new jobs locally over the next 5 years.

“We are pleased to welcome ReWire Group to the University at Albany,” said UAlbany’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development Thenkurussi (Kesh) Kesavadas. “Today’s announcement is one more example of how the UAlbany Innovation Center is serving as a key driver for the next generation of world-changing technology companies that are focused on some of the most critical issues of our day.”

Based in Saratoga Springs, we are a New York State Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and a NYSERDA Approved Clean Energy Training Firm. Our company is focused on delivering energy and sustainability-related advisory, product and service solutions for public and private sector clients across the region. We serve municipal, commercial, industrial and institutional customers through a combination of energy and financial modeling programs, software application and platform development, process automation and new technology deployment.

“Joining UAlbany’s Start-Up program and ETEC was a natural fit for our firm,” said ReWire partner Al Evans. “As we help public and private clients navigate the busy intersections of renewable energy usage, sustainability, technology and related revenue streams, our expertise is an ideal fit for ETEC and the future of UAlbany. We’re proud to partner with New York State, SUNY, UAlbany, NYSERDA and many others to help drive innovation and job growth in Tech Valley.”

As a START-UP NY participant sponsored by UAlbany, we are joining at an ideal time to collaborate with faculty and student teams on software design along with the development and testing of new solutions for rising energy costs. They will also work together to build competitive advantages for companies and organizations seeking to move toward efficiency and renewable energy sources while providing real-world business and technical experiences for employees and students. Ultimately, students and graduates will be considered for internship and employment opportunities.

https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2022-rewire-group-joins-ualbany-start-ny-program

Meet Ken Evans, Co-founder, Partner and Director of Finance at ReWire Group.

ken-evans-pic

Meet Ken Evans, Co-founder, Partner and Director of Finance at ReWire Group.

ken-evans-pic

Ken’s career has focused on financial strategy and business development and has years of experience in investment banking from working for some of the world’s most reputable firms. That experience has helped Ken to develop proprietary financial modeling tools and strategies to help ReWire’s clients make smart financial decisions about their energy plans.

Ken began his career at First Albany Corporation where he worked as a quantitative municipal finance analyst. He later went on to work for BlackRock Financial as a Research Analyst and then as Vice President of Business Development in the Financial Sponsors Group at Deutsche Bank. While at Deutsche Bank, Ken worked with the management team to provide the overall direction of business development activities. He was responsible for developing a continuous flow of creative, proprietary and global revenue generating ideas for private equity firms including Apollo, MDP, Blackstone and TPG. Prior to establishing ReWire Group with his father and brothers, Ken was a Key Accounts Business Development Director at S&P Capital IQ where he strategically managed relationships with global investment banks, including Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, and UBS. Ken is a graduate of Union College and holds a BA in Economics with a focus on Econometrics.

Ken’s role at ReWire is diverse. While he is primarily responsible for financial strategy, he also handles contract review, negotiations, and designing revenue generating business initiatives. His strong understanding of renewable energy trends, technologies and drivers allow him to design appropriate solutions for ReWire’s clients. Ken’s development of ReWire’s proprietary renewable energy financial model along with his ability to find creative solutions allows our clients to maximize economic and qualitative goals.

Ken is the youngest of five brothers and currently resides in Saratoga Springs, NY. He maintains a healthy lifestyle with weight training, playing basketball and intermittent fasting. He is a movie buff and he roots for the Knicks, Yankees, and Jets.

New Benefits to Commercial Businesses

Inflation-Reduction-Act

New Benefits to Commercial Businesses

Inflation-Reduction-ActOn August 16th, President Biden signed The Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA” or the “Act”) which promises to fight the climate crisis, lower energy costs and create thousands of jobs for Americans. It includes financial and environmental benefits for commercial businesses, communities and households.

One of the goals of the IRA is to cut U.S greenhouse emissions by 40% by 2030. In order to meet this goal, the IRA provides financial incentives to commercial businesses and households for becoming more energy efficient and thereby lowering energy costs.

Some of the IRA financial benefits include:

SMALL BUSINESSES/MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

  • Commercial building owners can receive a tax credit up to $5 per square foot to support energy efficiency improvements that deliver lower utility bills.
  • Tax credits covering 30% (up from 26%) of the costs of installing low-cost solar power.
  • Rebates covering 50-100% of the cost of installing new electric appliances, including super-efficient heat pumps and water heaters.
  • Rebates to make repairs and improvements in single-family and multi-family homes to increase energy efficiency.

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

  • Tax credits covering 30% (up from 26%) of the costs of community solar projects—owned by local businesses that sign up families to save on their electric bills—with additional bonus credits of 20% for projects at affordable housing properties and 10% for projects in low-income communities.
  • Prioritization of emissions-reducing projects in disadvantaged communities.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

  • The Act will make it easier and cheaper to purchase an electric vehicle, with upfront discounts up to $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs.

RURAL OPPORTUNITIES

  • Electric cooperatives will for the first time be eligible for direct-pay clean energy tax credits.
  • Investments for rural electric cooperatives to boost resiliency, reliability, and affordability, including through clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades.

Navigating the requirements for tax credits and rebates while staying within required building codes can be complicated and challenging. At ReWire, our job is to help business owners evaluate the financial benefits of energy improvements and develop an implementation plan that meets necessary corporate goals along with state and federal requirements.

Contact us today and let us help you save money and get started on your energy improvements.

Meet Milton Evans

Milton

Meet Milton Evans

Milton

Milton is a retired Scientist with over fifty years’ experience at General Electric and Tire Conversion Technology. His vast experience allows him to provide insights in Governance, Strategy, Operations and HR policies to ReWire. Milton is an inventor and expert in high performance polymers, including silicones, polyurethanes and polyimides and has more than 25 patents and inventions to his credit. He studied Organic Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh, earned a Master’s degree in Chemistry from Tuskegee University and a BS in Chemistry from Shaw University.

Milton was fortunate to be trained and mentored by internationally known scientists and businessmen, including the late Dr. John (Jack) Welch of General Electric and the late entrepreneur Dr. Walter Robb. Those mentorships helped Milton advance his career within General Electric. As the Director of Strategic Planning for the General Electric Silicones Division, Milton was widely known for his skills in developing creative business strategies, introducing marketing concepts and products, such as Silmate Automotive Adhesive, Noncorrosive construction sealants and All Glass aquariums. He was later appointed by Jack Welch as the inaugural Manager of Technical Marketing at GE Silicones which allowed him to gain experience in international technical and business problem solving.

After his retirement, Milton utilized his significant business experience to establish several small businesses including a business to license high performance technology from NASA for marketing to the aerospace, aircraft and automotive industries. He also established a consulting business for technology businesses and helped several of his clients grow their businesses to multi-million-dollar organizations. Milton did re-enter the workforce for a period of time as President and CEO of Tire Conversion Technology, a thriving business which utilizes scrap tires to manufacture products for the transportation industry. Milton is also a deacon at Friendship Baptist Church and chairman of the board at Friendship Community Development Corporation.

Milton’s professional network, along with his active involvement in the community, allows him to develop and cultivate relationships for ReWire, which is paramount for the growing organization. When Milton is not working alongside his four sons, he loves to play scrabble and plays as much as possible.

ReWire Awarded Subcontract with SUNY Poly and NYSERDA on Project to Expand Energy-Related Training for Facility Operations

Man in davanced technology building energy training

ReWire Awarded Subcontract with SUNY Poly and NYSERDA on Project to Expand Energy-Related Training for Facility Operations

ALBANY, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s (SUNY Poly) College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) announced that Michael Fancher, Director of SUNY Poly’s Advanced Manufacturing Performance (AMP) Center and the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Nanomaterials and Nanoelectronics (CATN2), has received $397,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The purpose of the grant is to train on-site employees and to serve as a regional training hub for Building Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of mission-critical facilities that will utilize a “digital twin” of the Building Management System (BMS) and the Energy Monitoring System (EMS) that are used to operate the Zero Energy Nano (ZEN) smart building.

The ZEN building, completed in 2015 and located at the Albany NanoTech Complex, is a 356,000-square-foot facility that serves as a living laboratory for smart building technology innovation and workforce development in data science, facility operations, and clean energy technologies. ZEN Smart PATH is a multi-year project that will train more than 100 on-site and regional partner employees by utilizing multiple data science platforms tailored for the many exciting careers in facility operations.

Using a combination of training simulators, use cases, and data system platforms, ZEN Smart PATH will expand upon the previously announced Career Alignment Platform (CAP) that was developed with support from ReWire Group to organize career content by each facility system and provide access to the AMP Skillup America Learning Management System (LMS) to establish clear “career pathways” for equipment technicians and engineers. AMP Skillup America was co-developed in partnership with MetrixLearning to provide free access to commercially available online self-directed training content (e.g. Amatrol, Comptia, BIN 95, etc.) in the hardware and Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) architecture software systems.

Al Evans, one of the Managing Partners of the ReWire Group said, “NYSERDA’s ongoing financial support and SUNY Poly’s deep subject matter expertise are two major components in why New York leads the nation in high-tech skills development. As a proud partner to SUNY Poly and a NYSERDA-designated Clean Energy Training provider, ReWire looks forward to its supporting role in helping to lay the building blocks for our most important resource–our skilled people. As an NYS Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and a firm working at the intersection of energy, technology, and training, ReWire is uniquely qualified to help foster the development of skilled trades of all New Yorkers, ensuring we continue to develop the best and most diverse workforce in the US.”

For more information visit SUNY Polytechnic Institute. 

RISING ENERGY COSTS, ENERGY CHALLENGES?

ReWire Can help.

RISING ENERGY COSTS, ENERGY CHALLENGES?

ReWire Can help.

ReWire Energy Announces Major Energy Efficiency Project in Historic Little Falls

Stone-Mill

ReWire Energy, along with local dignitaries celebrated the company’s first major commercial energy retrofit project in the Mohawk Valley, completing an overhaul of energy consumption at the Stone Mill of Little Falls. The partnership between ReWire, a NYS-certified MWBE, and Rock City Development (RCD), the owners of the Stone Mill, was the culmination of more than two years of analysis.

The Stone Mill in Little Falls is an icon of the Mohawk Valley’s manufacturing legacy, built in 1839 on the banks of the Mohawk River in the historic City.

Today, the four-story, 38,000-square-foot building is a mixed-use facility with a hotel, offices, and dining. One of the bigger operational challenges of the large stone building was the consumption and cost of energy. ReWire’s team of experts undertook a thorough analysis of energy usage, heating, and solar supply among other metrics, to provide a comprehensive energy efficiency plan.

Stone-Mill

Mayor Mark Blask stated, “One of the good things about this job is getting to work alongside the leaders and innovators of Rock City Development. Martin, Dave, Neil, and their entire team. When I talk about their innovation, what I really mean is their willingness to take the next step.”

“Rock City Development thinks about what is good for Little Falls as part of their decision-making process. That’s really a healthy and necessary place to be,” he stated.

RCD Principal Dave Casullo said, “Working with ReWire was not just a pleasure – it made great business sense. With their help, the Stone Mill is one of the Mohawk Valley’s cleanest and greenest energy consumers and an even more attractive location for small and startup businesses.”

“When you have people like ReWire, who bring to the table something unique, and ultimately very valuable, it adds to the differentiated nature of Little Falls,” said Casullo.

He went on to talk about the history of the location, and the fact that it was ‘sacred ground’ where from the very early days, commerce in the area began. “Commerce was really important, and it started right here. During the Revolutionary War, a lot of the people who were significant in freeing our Country walked in this very place.”

As for the project, RCD worked in tandem with ReWire and implemented a set of strategic building solutions, including:

  • Identifying and quantifying Stone Mill energy consumption
  • Designing a Near Net Zero Energy solution that optimized operational needs
  • Identified and vetted partners offering technical and engineering tactics aligned with Near Net Zero Energy Solution
  • Conducted ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit
  • Managed deployment of building and operational improvements aligned with solutions.
  • Sited and installed 65kw of solar power
  • The planned installation of two EV charging stations.

The impact of this project is staggering, with a $222,000 investment leveraging a total energy consumption reduction of 85% for the Stone Mill. With more than $72,000 of grants and incentives, the efficiency and cost savings of the ReWire solution pays for itself in less than a year.

ReWire’s Ken Evans said, “Little Falls represents the best of New York’s past and future. This project is a perfect example of the impact of strategic energy efficiency investments led by ReWire. We hope this project serves as an example to other building owners, developers, and business leaders that energy efficiency building investments make sense not just for the environment, but also for the bottom line.”

For more information visit: My Little Falls