says Bob. “We were the first company to make widespread use of motion sensors for apartment hallways and stairwells. Now it’s a routine thing.” Their latest innovation is in network controls. “We have a software platform so you can use your iPhone to control the lights with Bluetooth technology.” Using that platform, a customer can completely control the light level for a certain task instead of having all lighting at the same intensity. For example, they can use lower light in storage areas and higher light on the manufacturing floor. “I’ve been working on energy efficiency for 40 years. It’s satisfying to see the market is getting to a point where things are efficient,” says Bob. With modern technology, he says a manufacturer can “really optimize energy use and operating costs,” while at the same time “keeping employees happy.” The result is good not just for the client, but for the overall economy. Moving forward, Bob believes the next great innovation will be in energy storage. Manufacturers will be able to banks of batteries when power is cheaper, and use those batteries when the price spikes. This will minimize costs to help customer and help the utility to manage their load resulting in fewer new power plants. Bob sees Nexstar playing a big role in that burgeoning sector. JULY 2024
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