Save on Energy

How would you like to cut your power costs by 25% or more?

While we can’t promise to substantially reduce hydro costs across the board, we may very well be able to create significant energy savings.

We get a lot of customers who say “our hydro bills are terrifying and we don’t know why”. If that sounds like you, we can answer the question. We monitor, evaluate and make informed recommendations. We typically give you a range of options and plenty of information so that you can make the right decision.

Save on energy simply & quickly

Did you know that reducing the speed of an electric motor from 60Hz to 50Hz with a variable frequency drive (VFD) could cut the power draw in half? There’s a good chance that most of your fans, pumps and assorted electric motors don’t need to run flat out all the time to do a perfect job. We often find pumps working at maximum capacity, 24/7, while flow is modulated by partially closing a valve. That doesn’t make a lot of sense, does it?

We reduce frequency, then monitor processes to measure the effect. If the only effect of frequency reduction is reduced power consumption, we’re done. We do this all the time. In fact, the greatest power savings we ever achieved involved reducing frequency—{see the case studies} [LINK to case studies landing page].

If you need full power intermittently, we will introduce an element of {systems integration work} [LINK to Systems Integration page] so that frequency climbs automatically when it’s needed. We often find opportunities for added efficiency through automation wherever we work. We’ll let you know, and you can decide.

Increasing system efficiency has many benefits. It can not only reduce power consumption, but also improve productivity and give you better control over your processes.

Types of cost saving

Our areas of specialization are:

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retrofits

We have retrofitted plants with new instrumentation and programming for dissolved oxygen regulation in wastewater applications, keeping the process working properly while providing significant savings
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VFDs

We add VFDs to processes to optimize control and provide energy savings to a variety of processes. This work is commonly subsidized through the Save On Energy program, available via your local hydro utility company. VFDs controlled via Ethernet also provide extra information that can be monitored and trended: power consumption, motor amps, temperature, etc.

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Programming

We have optimized a cooling application with many loads that interfered with each other by prioritizing those most in need of cooling.
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Instrumentation

We can add instrumentation and revise programming to optimize processes and save cost. For example with Clean In Place (CiP) processes, adding instrumentation to measure connectivity as opposed to running in a ‘timed’ mode can result in a dramatic savings in the cost of chemicals.

Before Jumping to solar…

We specify and implement commercial solar power solutions. But before we jump to a solar solution, we need to optimize what you already have in order to get your load down by the most efficient means available. We’ll implement variable frequency drives to reduce motor speeds. Across dozens of motors, the savings are important.

Another great source of savings comes from a switch to LED lighting. At one client facility, we exchanged 400-watt metal halide lamps for 100 watt LEDs. We helped our customer take advantage of a Government of Ontario program that covered a good portion of the equipment and installation costs. Across hundreds of lamps, the upgrade paid for itself in power savings in less than one year. After that, savings represented a net gain.

Other candidates for Save on Energy and similar rebate programs include:

  • Apartment building ventilation and lighting
  • Commercial/industrial ventilation fans
  • Commercial/industrial HVAC in general
  • Commercial/industrial pumps

To find out how you can save on energy, please contact us.