Optimal Energy is an eight-person consultancy advancing energy-efficiency and renewable energy as resources for energy-service providers, and as competitive energy solutions for businesses and consumers. We specialize in assessing, developing, planning, startup, and management for energy-efficiency and renewable energy products and services. Founded in 1996, our clientele includes utilities, consumer and environmental advocates, government and regulatory agencies, and energy-service providers.
Optimal Energy is privately held by its two principals, Philip Mosenthal and Eric Belliveau. Its staff includes an Associate (Jonathan Kleinman), two Senior Consultants (Steven Bower and Jeffrey Loiter), two Analysts (Lara Bonn and Clifford McDonald), and a Business Manager (Abby Lucy).
Philip Mosenthal, co-founded Optimal Energy, Inc. in 1996. He has over 20 years experience in all aspects of energy efficiency, from facility energy management to program planning, design, implementation and evaluation, specializing in the business and institutional sectors. Phil has designed, developed and evaluated numerous utility demand-side management plans and programs throughout North America. He has lead major technical and economic energy-efficiency potential assessments; designed and managed programs to deliver energy services and transform markets; designed program implementation procedures; managed implementation contracts and facility efficiency installations; and performed over 400 commercial and industrial facility comprehensive energy efficiency assessments.
Eric Belliveau, applies his vast and varied business experience to efficiency program planning and management support as well as energy service business development. His 21-year career spans all facets of successfully starting, operating and growing a wide variety of businesses. At Optimal, Belliveau specializes in commercial and industrial program management support and retail energy service business development and planning. He assists Efficiency Vermont with business development strategies for nonresidential customers and leads Optimal’s work with the Long Island Power Authority.
Jonathan Kleinman has strategic planning, management, and technical experience in a wide range of disciplines. He has designed, implemented and evaluated energy efficiency services for commercial, industrial, and K-12 schools sectors, and has managed energy-efficiency potential studies for Long Island and Vermont. As a Certified Energy Manager, he has extensive experience in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency measures and reviewing energy simulation models to assess building energy performance. As a LEED-accredited professional, Mr. Kleinman has provided technical assistance on green building projects and promoted high performance schools.
Steven T. Bower came to Optimal Energy in 2006 with a compelling interest in energy and natural resource management coupled with 16 years of experience in information systems planning, design and development. As an Analyst he has primary responsibility for strategic planning and development of Optimal Energy’s efficiency investment and economic modeling tools, as well as providing analysis support for various energy efficiency and renewable energy planning and management projects. His work experience in information systems includes all aspects of the software development lifecycle, applied to systems ranging from small custom applications to mission-critical, web-based transaction processing systems for healthcare delivery.
Jeffrey Loiter has over 12 years of consulting experience in energy and natural resource issues. His energy experience includes research on renewable energy technology companies, electricity transmission systems, and domestic oil refining. His natural resource consulting experience includes the management of multi-disciplinary qualitative and quantitative assessments of multi-billion-dollar natural resource damage claims, as well as environmental permit application development.
Lara Bonn has over five years consulting experience primarily focused on environmental issues. For Optimal Energy, Inc. she has conducted research and analysis on energy efficiency measures, DSM plans and market actor attitudes, and has performed customer surveys and interviews. Prior to working for OEI, Lara was a senior consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton where she worked on environmental enforcement, research, and public outreach for the U.S. EPA. As a team lead and project manager, she designed enforcement strategy and managed application development including technical analysis of information systems for the EPA Region 1 Superfund program. She also managed daily outreach for the EPA through running a hotline, drafting legal documentation, and updating website content.
Clifford McDonald is a recent graduate from Middlebury College. At Middlebury, Cliff was involved with planning and implementing several local environmental initiatives. At Optimal Energy, Cliff is applying his analytical and writing skills to a wide range of projects. Past and current efforts at Optimal include developing sales data and measure lists for Efficiency Long Island, LIPA’s High Performance Design Guide for commercial construction projects, and efficiency potential studies for Long Island and Vermont.
Abby Lucy is the Office Manager for Optimal Energy, Inc. She provides Optimal with coordination, clerical, administrative, bookkeeping, and computer support. Ms. Lucy has a background in Operations Management from the shipping industry. More recently she has four years of Library Coordination and supervisory experience. In total Ms. Lucy has eight years of increasingly demanding managerial and administrative experience.