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HVAC – Page 2 – Effective Concepts LLC
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Dec 292010
 

Bright Energy Solutions has updated their rebate program for the 2011 calendar year. “All application forms have been revised and will be available at www.brightenergysolutions.com on January 2, 2011.” This applies to customers of Moorhead Public Service along with customers of Missouri River Energy Services and their utility partners. From their press release…

Summary of 2011 Changes…

New Construction Lighting Program for Businesses

  • T8 fixtures with CEE qualified 28 watt lamps and ballasts have been added with incentives up to $9 for a 4 lamp fixture
  • T8 high bay fixtures, T5 high bay fixtures, and CEE Qualified High Performance T8 Systems have decreased incentives
  • Energy Star LED recessed downlights have been added at $25
  • Energy Star LED recessed downlights have been added at $25

Residential HVAC and Energy Star Appliances

  • Programmable thermostats have been added at $25 each
  • Energy Star refrigerators have been added when an old working refrigerator is removed for recycling during installation of the new refrigerator

Food Service

  • Energy Star commercial dishwashers have been added
  • Kitchen hood and make up air unit controls have been added
  • Energy Star convection oven incentives have decreased
  • Refrigeration (See Specialty Measures Applicaton Form)
  • ECM evaporator fan motors in walk-in coolers and freezers have been added
  • LED lighting in refrigerated cases has been changed to include both new and retrofitted cases

Compressed Air Systems

  • Variable frequency drive air compressors have been added to the Motors/Pumps/VFD Program
  • Air leak detection surveys and compressed air system energy efficiency audits have been added as new programs
Jul 202010
 

Finally I have some good news for North Dakota energy customers- we’re getting rebates. It has been at least ten years since we had rebates in the state…

As of June 1, 2010, Xcel Energy’s North Dakota business customers can earn rebates for installing new, qualifying energy-efficient lighting or heating equipment. These rebates are part of the national stimulus funds being distributed in North Dakota; as a result, limited rebate funds are available. Rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted or December 31, 2011, whichever comes first.

North Dakota business customers can earn up to $15,000 in total conservation rebates but can only submit one rebate application per technology (heating efficiency and lighting efficiency).

Some restrictions apply; see additional details, rebate tables and forms at www.xcelenergy.com/rebates or call 1-800-481-4700 and ask about North Dakota rebates.

Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling (HVAC) Equipment Rebates

Hot-water boiler | min 92% efficient | $2,500/million BTUH up to $15,000 per boiler
Hot-water boiler | min 85% efficient | $800/million BTUH up to $15,000 per boiler
Steam boilers | min 81% efficient | $500/million BTUH up to $15,000 per boiler
Furnace | min 95% AFUE | $500/furnace
Furnace | min 90% AFUE | $200/furnace

Lighting Rebates

Rebates for the equipment listed below are available-up to $0.40 per watt saved, up to 75 percent of the equipment cost.

  • T8 fixtures
  • Low-watt T8 lamps
  • Lighting optimization
  • T5 fixtures
  • High-bay fluorescent fixtures
  • Compact fluorescent lamps/ fixtures (pin-based only)
  • Parking garage fluorescent fixtures
 Posted by at 9:18 am
Apr 242010
 

Xcel is offering Energy Audits for their Minnesota business customers…

Online Energy Assessment
Xcel’s online analysis tool recognizes that every business uses energy differently. You can tailor your analysis according to industry, location, energy use history and building specifics.

On-Site Energy Audit
This service is a detailed on-site energy audit performed by an energy engineer assigned by Xcel Energy. It includes cost and savings estimates, energy-saving solutions and potential Xcel Energy rebates and paybacks.

Energy Advisory ServicesNew for 2010
Our new Energy Advisory Services program will subsidize a portion of the service provided by an Energy Adviser to assist in implementation of the projects recommended by the on-site assessment. Services included in the Energy Advisory Service. The cost is minimal – only $50 for the initial Energy Adviser consultation and an additional $35 for each energy conservation opportunity that is selected.

Call your account manager or contact Xcel’s Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 for help deciding which option works best for you. For more information visit xcelenergy.com/EnergyAnalysis.*

*Update:  Xcelenergy.com web pages change all the time. Some links in the post have moved.

Jan 302010
 

Xcel has announce an online Rebate calculator.

If you’re wondering what kind of rebates your business might qualify for, Xcel has a new tool that will calculate the rebate for each type of new cooling equipment. Enter the equipment details, and get an accurate rebate figure you can expect to receive from Xcel Energy.

You can access the calculator directly by clicking here or by visiting our Trade Partner site.

Update: the calculator isn’t there any more but you can check here for more rebate details.

 Posted by at 9:41 pm
Jun 022009
 

Ray and I attended the introduction of Moorhead Public Service’s energy efficiency incentive program. The program is called Bright Energy Solutions: “a unique portfolio of energy efficient cash incentive programs that will help you reduce your electric energy costs and operate more efficiently.”

The program is run through participating member utilities of the Missouri River Energy Services of which MPS is a member. Missouri River is a collection of municipal utilities operating in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. If you are a customer of one of these utilities this program is for you.

The meeting was well attended by the three partners of Bright Energy Solutions: Moorhead Public Service (MPS), Missouri River Energy Services (MRES), and Franklin Energy (Program administion.)

Ray, Chuck, and I arrived early to meet with the MPS staff. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres were served. Bill Schwandt, General Manager of Moorhead Public Service welcomed the guests and introduced his staff and those of MRES and Franklin.

Kurt Hauser, is Missouri River’s Energy Services Technical Coordinator. Kurt explained the constraints Missouri River Energy Service operates under. The Bright Energy Solutions program will help them satisfy Minnesota’s legal requirements and delay building new generating plants.

After the presentation, Ray and I had a one on one meeting with Kurt Hauser about the program, help we might need, and services we could provide including facility auditing. For a new program it is pretty complete. Looking at the application forms, the program should be as easy to deal with as Xcel Energy’s programs.

All three organizations reiterated they would be happy to help in anyway they can. Dennis Esienbraun (MPS, Energy Services Manager) asked to be contacted early in any project particularly if the project involved any custom incentives.

The plan is broke down into these sections…

Bright Energy Solutions Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs

  • Lighting Retrofit Incentive
  • Lighting New Construction Incentive
  • Motors, Pumps, VFD Incentive
  • Cooling, Chiller Incentive
  • Food Service Incentive
  • Custom Incentive
  • Specialty Measure Incentive
  • HVAC Incentive for Residential Customers

Lighting
The program offers a nice cash rebate to replace T12 Fluorescents with T8 or T5 lamps and electronic ballasts.
There is a larger rebate if you install new super efficient electronic ballasts such as the Sylvania PROStart. There is also a cash rebate for using 28 Watt T8 lamps if you already have 32 watt T8 lamps. The rebate pays for the cost difference so I highly recommend contacting us about these lamps.
There is large rebate for replacing high bay HID fixtures. This is an easy retrofit; with the rebate it pays for itself quickly.
There are also cash rebates for Compact Fluorescents, Ceramic Metal Halide Floods, LED lamps, Induction Fluorescent Lamps, and Lighting Control systems. These are all technologies we can help you will.

HVAC
(Heat, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) They quickly covered these cash incentives.
The Cooling, Chiller incentive covers: package systems, split systems, PTEC units, Heat pumps, Ground Source Heat Pumps (with an optional incentive for Desuperheaters), Window AC, Wall AC, Setback Thermostats, Chilled Water Resets, and Window Film. Obviously there are stringent requirements for these incentives but if you’re replacing equipment or adding new equipment these incentives can help pay for better equipment.
There are incentives for Motors, Pumps and VFDs. In our experience these three items usually have very good paybacks and the incentives are just icing on the cake.

Food Services
Bright Energy Solutions offer cash incentives for Energy Star rated: Solid Door Refrigerators, Solid Door Freezers, Ice Machines, Steam Cooker, Holding Cabinets, Fryers, Griddles and Ovens. So if you have a commercial kitchen and are thinking of upgrading or adding commercial electric equipment these incentives can be a big help.

Residential
Many of the incentives listed above are also available for residential customers of MPS and MRES. This includes: Furnaces, Central Air Conditioners, Ground Source Heat Pumps, Air to Air Heat Pumps, and Compact Fluorescent Lamps.

Custom Incentive
Almost anything not listed above that cuts your electric demand in the summer months can be file under the Custom Incentive. Contact MPS or ourselves for assistance in calculating the potential incentive.

 

Effective Concepts has all the forms and expertise to help you maximize your energy savings, cost savings, and incentive, so if you’re a customer of Moorhead Public Service or another municipality that is a partner of Missouri River Energy Services we can help you.

May 202009
 

The May 2009 Issue of Engineered Systems has a good primer on Dehumidification entitled “Keys to Efficient Dehumidification” by Jeff Ihnen. Ray Maas has some experience, but I don’t have much familiarity with the topic. Fargo his neither too humid nor too dry. I found this article helpful. Jeff lays out the following Dehumidification Control Strategies:

  1. Only cool to the desired dew point when necessary
  2. Control cooling using variable volume to the maximum extent possible
  3. Keep the building positively pressurized
  4. Shut down outside air when the building is unoccupied
  5. Provide minimal temperature control with DOAS makeup air units

Once he reviews the pros and cons of each strategy, Jeff reviews two dehumidification system design strategies: dedicated outdoor air systems, and Precool and reheat ventilation air with energy recovery. We see more of the latter in our work.

Continue reading »

Nov 302008
 

We have never worked on a Data Center project but the topic interests me. I love computers, the Internet and Energy Savings. A Data Center is at the center of all three. [Note this entry has been update a couple times, see ‘Additional Resources’ for more information.]

Although we haven’t work on Data Centers our partner Xcel Energy has. As a utility they have many resources available including a Data Center Efficiency program. Follow the link or call 1-800-481-4700 for more information. Note: be sure to select a state or else the link won’t work properly- I know Minnesota works.

There is a very good overview of the topic in the November 2008 Issue of ASHRAE Journal.  The authors look at the entire system and identify ten energy saving strategies:

  1. Lower power processors *
  2. High-efficiency power supplies **
  3. Power management features
  4. Blade servers
  5. Server virtualization
  6. 415V AC power distribution
  7. Cooling Best Practices
  8. Variable Capacity Cooling and Variable Speed Drives.
  9. Supplemental Cooling
  10. Monitoring and optimization: Cooling units work as a team

*AnandTech Low Power CPU Shootout.

** I’ve often wondered if there would be some savings bringing in 12 VDC and 5VDC power to the servers and putting all the power supplies a  separate area.

Continue reading »


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