Morgan Caplan
Senior Communications Manager
Ari Matusiak, founder, president, and CEO of Rewiring America, addresses the side of the energy equation that involves what machines households use daily—some accounting for 42% of U.S. energy-related emissions. In our latest Q&A, we discuss how adopting energy efficient household practices not only saves people money but also provides tangible comfort and relief. We also learn more about Rewiring America’s recent report that proposes innovative concepts for meeting increased electricity demand. Catch up on the highlights below and watch the full interview here.
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On the Decision to Launch Rewiring America :
“The reason why we started Rewiring in the summer of 2020 was because of a set of climate reasons that tied to a set of kitchen table realities. The climate story is one that has been historically talked about on the supply side, but the reality is, on the other side of the ledger are all the machines that people rely on in their day-to-day lives that plug into the grid or into a gas network.”
On the Recent Report About Powering Data Centers Through Home Energy Upgrades:
“Our report showed that actually 100% of the projected load growth from these companies could be met if we invested smartly in households. If we invest in energy efficiency measures like trading out old, inefficient electric heating or…if we put in solar and battery storage, we can meet 100% of that projected load growth.”
On the Response from Hyperscalers to Move From Theoretical Interest to Concrete Action:
“There is a lot of interest. People want to try to figure out win-win solutions…You need to have everybody at the table to make that happen. You obviously need the household to participate. You need the local contractors…the hyperscalers, and the utilities. We’re confident that this is a a model that can and will work.”
On Changes in Messaging in an Evolving Environment :
“I think at the macro level there’s been a bunch of conversation about how we talk about climate and these policies. We’ve always been centered on the household and…there is a huge dynamic that needs to be solved. We have to make [these solutions] affordable. We have to make them desirable…and we have to make the experience better.”
On The Biggest Risk He’s Ever Taken:
“The biggest risk I took when I first [met my wife] was that I didn’t immediately respond to an opportunity to get to know her—took a few months. But another big risk on the professional side, I turned down an offer at a law firm because I wanted to go work for the Obama administration very, very badly. The only problem was that I didn’t actually have a job in the Obama administration, but thankfully it [happened].”
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