Mike Henchen works to decarbonize U.S. buildings through electrification of heating and other end uses. He led two key reports – The Impact of Fossil Fuels in Buildings, providing a crash course in direct building emissions, and The Economics of Electrifying Buildings, emphasizing the opportunity to decarbonize buildings by transitioning away from fossil fuel consumption on site. He has also worked with RMI’s Puerto Rico team to support a resilient, affordable, clean electricity system there. His other work has focused on innovative customer programs at utilities and the changing utility business model.
Background
Before joining RMI, Mike was an engagement manager for McKinsey and Company in San Francisco. He worked primarily in the electric power sector serving major utilities on operations and strategy projects. Before this, Mike served as an officer in the US Army, deploying to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division in 2008-2009. Mike holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University.
Education
MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
B.Sc., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
Location
Boulder, CO
Why I Love Working At RMI
“I am inspired to work toward solutions that build a sustainable energy future while also supporting a dynamic energy system that helps customers, businesses, and communities meet their goals.”
Authored Works
Outlet Blog Post
After Pipeline Rejection, New York Must Chart a New Energy Path
In May, the State of New York put an end to the $1.4 billion Northeast Supply Enhancement gas pipeline into New York City by denying a crucial water permit. Now state leaders have an opportunity to pursue the efficiency and electrification solutions that can both ensure reliable energy supply and…
insight
Regulatory Solutions for Building Decarbonization
The old model of utility regulation is not conducive to an all-electric future and the scope of change needed is broad. To help inform that evolution, this report offers a framework for the comprehensive regulatory reforms required to transition to clean energy in the US building sector, along with more than 40 specific recommendations for action.
Outlet Blog Post
Implementing Puerto Rico’s Energy Transformation
Just a couple of months ago, deadly earthquakes in Puerto Rico’s south coast destroyed homes and public buildings and damaged a major power plant. This, coming after the 2017 devastating hurricane season, highlights the continued challenges of the island’s current grid and difficulty of planning for the future. Fortunately, early…
Outlet Blog Post
New York Can Meet Its Energy Needs without a New Pipeline
A prolonged battle over a natural gas pipeline in New York is presenting state officials with a critical decision point and an opportunity to establish themselves as national leaders in climate action. In contrast to utility National Grid’s proposal to build a $1 billion gas pipeline to serve customers in…
Outlet Blog Post
A New Approach to America’s Rapidly Aging Gas Infrastructure
Spending on America’s Gas Systems Has Grown Dramatically in Recent Years Across the United States, the utilities that provide natural gas to homes and businesses have rapidly increased total spending, tripling from roughly $5 billion per year to $15 billion between 2009 and 2017, according to data from the American…
Outlet Blog Post
Puerto Rico’s Electricity System at a Crossroads
Puerto Rico’s electric system is at a crucial inflection point, with an opportunity to pivot from years of hardship—high energy costs, utility bankruptcy, the largest blackout in US history, and heavy pollution from a system 98 percent powered by fossil fuels—to a new vision that is clean, reliable, and resilient.
Outlet Blog Post
Getting the Facts Right: Clean, Electric Buildings Can Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions AND Save Money in New Construction
Replacing the burning of fossil fuels in our residential and commercial buildings with clean electricity is a crucial step to protecting public health and eliminating climate pollution. Multiple studies, including RMI’s The Economics of Electrifying Buildings and E3’s Residential Building Electrification in California, have shown that using efficient…
Outlet Blog Post
Collaborating for Puerto Rico’s Energy Transformation
More than a year after Hurricane Maria passed by, Puerto Rico’s energy system does not fully meet the needs of the 3.4 million American citizens who live on the island. It is also not sufficient to sustain local commerce, which is worth $105 billion of GDP annually, and which includes…