Category Archives: Renewable Energy

US Govt Approves On-site Wave Energy Research

Renewable energy, of course, is growing in acceptance. Solar panels on people homes have become ubiquitous. Solar “farms” are growing in popularity as people and governments see this is a clean way to generate electricity from land that may not otherwise have commercial value. And now wind turbines are growing in popularity, as the source of power is a little bit more constant. An offshore wind project off the Massachusetts coast that would create 800 MW of electricity (enough to power 400,000 homes) was approved by the federal government. The Vineyard Wind project would be the first utility-scale wind power development in federal waters.

Other sources of clean energy exist and one form, which has worked experimentally, got a boost recently to see if it can create clean power “in the field”. Or rather, the water. It is ocean waves. Wave action, as anybody who has spent time on an ocean beach or sailing in the ocean, is relentless. Those constantly rocking waves, which brings nausea and other problems for some people, can also result in electricity generation. Given the large quantity of ocean and if harnessed properly, wave action may yield a significant yield of electricity. While solar and wind have issues (the sun is not always shining and wind speeds vary and often subside), wave action off most ocean coasts never stops.

On March 1, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Oregon State University the first license in the US for an ocean wave energy testing facility. A cable will be installed to connect an offshore location with a testing facility and the local power grid. As many as 20 technologies will be installed and tested to determine their capability to and efficiency of producing electricity, as well as each one’s reliability over time, ability to scale up, reactions to changing conditions in the ocean and atmosphere, and any impacts each may have on the ocean, the fishing industry, and aquatic life.

The goal is to be able to narrow down the potential wave technologies and assess the most successful ones by 2023.

Of course, even if successful, wave technology has its limitations. Geographically, if operable, it can only serve the US coasts, as the costs of and losses through transmission of electricity to inland sections of the country are high. But if wave action can be a useful source of clean, cheap, reliable, and consistent electricity for large states like California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, and others, then it will be a benefit for all.

A related source of renewable power is tidal, the power of underwater tides to push turbines and make electricity. Here is an article about research being done in Scotland: https://slate.com/technology/2021/06/orbital-marine-power-scotland-ocean-energy.html

CCES has the experts to help your firm determine which source of renewable power can be best for your operations and to help make your operations more energy efficient to reduce your energy costs and to scale down a future needed system. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

An Improved Way to Recycle Silicon in Solar Panels

Solar panels to generate electricity or hot water is increasing in popularity. It is now becoming economically viable as the cost to make solar panels have dropped in recent years, incentive programs are reducing projects’ costs, and concern over and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are growing again. However, one concern that may hurt the solar panel industry is a potential future shortage of silicon and the resulting high cost in the future.

One future source of solar for the increasing market for panels is old panels themselves. Solar panels tend to undergo a reduction in their efficiency in producing electricity over time, making it economically feasible at a certain point (usually 25 to 30 years) to take down operating panels and replace them with new, more modern, and efficient ones. However, silicon waste management is a controversial issue. Can silicon be retrieved from old, degraded panels and recycled and re-used again to replenish the supply and control costs?

Scientists at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow have developed a methodology to convert silicon into silicon oxide nanoparticles, which can then more easily be recycled and avoiding significant waste. Their findings were published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Bulk silicon from used panels is converted into nanoparticles using hydrothermal synthesis in an aqueous (ammonia) environment in a relatively simple, controllable, and inexpensive process. Temperature and hydrolysis time to form the nanoparticles are the key parameters of the method.

This research, which the researchers believe can be operational by the end of this decade, allows the elimination of a controversial waste management of silicon by developing an environmentally safe recycling of silicon and creating silicon oxide nanoparticles which can be used to create new, effective solar panels or other uses.

CCES has the experts to help you assess whether renewable power is cost-effective and a plus for your company and project manage the implementation of whatever strategy you choose to ensure you get good workmanship and the full energy benefits of the technology. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Follow The Money To Reach Climate Change Goals

2021 ushers in a new Administration in the US, whose leader declared on his first day in office the importance of Climate Change and that the US will quickly re-enter the Paris Accords and attempt to be a leader in the movement. Perhaps an even stronger movement for addressing Climate Change has happened gradually over the last couple of years, the movement of major corporations and money managers to understand the business risks of Climate Change and the need to address the issue. Laurence Fink, the head of the major global money management firm, BlackRock, which manages about $9 trillion, wrote letters to the world’s C.E.O.s with the urgent message that Climate Change will be “a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects.” And “We are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance.”

The letter had a quick impact, as a number of major firms developed and communicated strong Climate Change goals within months, such as Microsoft becoming carbon negative by 2030 and Delta Air Lines, impacted greatly like the whole airline industry by the pandemic, announcing its goal to be carbon neutral in 10 years even though they believe this to be a $1 billion effort.

The COVID-19 pandemic could have been an excuse to ignore these warnings about Climate Change and encouragement to be sustainable, but instead investment in companies perceived to be “green” or will help others be more sustainable grew, such as sustainability-oriented mutual funds. This is making “green” investing more profitable.

Mr. Fink went further, requesting companies develop specific plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions greatly and be more sustainable, hinting that BlackRock may shift investment monies or even request changes in leadership of companies that are not sufficiently engaged in the process.

BlackRock is looking to develop a metric for public equity and bond funds to evaluate their companies and whether they have feasible, explicit Climate Change goals and the degree funds invest their money in “green” or in fossil fuel enterprises. For example, a number of large pension funds have, in recent months, divested billions of dollars from fossil fuel-oriented assets.

Mr. Fink’s letters have encouraged companies to plan for and work toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. While achieving net-zero is terrific, this cannot be achieved without purchasing carbon offsets, investing in greenhouse gas emission reductions elsewhere. Unfortunately, the carbon market system is currently sketchy with few reliable auditing programs to confirm whether the reduction was really achieved and will continue in the future. This needs to be addressed.

The BlackRock letters have been criticized as showcase marketing, a shield against future actions, and hypocritical (BlackRock still invests tens of billions of dollars in coal-related companies). However, they certainly have and will have the impact of changing the topic of conversation in major corporations to seriously discuss their sustainability and Climate Change programs with serious planning and execution. Certainly if “big money” joins the movement to be more sustainable and properly address Climate Change, this will have a major positive impact on the movement worldwide.

CCES has the experts to help your company assess its greenhouse gas emissions and develop strategies to not only lower your your “carbon footprint” economically, but incorporate other sustainability operations to further save costs, improve efficiency, and benefit the planet. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

Energy Upgrades for Your Company: Go For a Checkup

With the pandemic hurting so many businesses and revenues slow to recover, it is critical to cut waste and expenses to survive. Energy is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste and costs as it is often overlooked by companies focusing on sales. In most cases, one must spend money to get the savings, but think of it as an investment: if you evaluate your energy use the right way, an upgrade can save you a lot of money.

An approach I recommend for energy is analogous to going for a checkup. One would not go right to the hospital for a heart transplant or to remove a tumor, right? First, one would go for a checkup, look at the results of the blood work, EKG, MRIs, and other tests. Then, if there are worrisome numbers, re-test or have more specific tests done to confirm and pinpoint the problem. Then you analyze the strategies. What will solve the problem? Medication? Change in diet/habits? Rest? Surgery? Then and only then might you go in for a transplant or any other radical procedure. Makes sense, right?

Well, the same is true for energy. Does it make sense to replace your boiler or air conditioning unit right away, even if it were old? No. First, you need to do a “checkup” of your energy profile. Have a professional estimate – using science – the current energy usage of your company, building, or space. Analyze your bills, look at your equipment, see how they operate for your appropriate needs. This is how an energy audit works, your energy “checkup”. The professional will produce a report listing your measured energy usage, broken down by electricity vs. natural gas, vs. oil, etc. Then the report will estimate your energy usage by end use. How much energy do you use for lighting, for heating, for cooling, etc.? The relative proportions are important (like the blood work for a medical checkup), as it can tell you which areas to emphasize and which cost you relatively little. For the areas that use a lot of energy and cost a lot of money, the energy audit identifies typically several potential strategies and technologies that will reduce your energy usage and costs such that they will pay back any upfront capital cost.

Once the energy audit report is issued, don’t “put it on the shelf”. We know you have many priorities in running your business. But try not to let too much time go by; read the report and take it seriously. The auditor does not have the same intimate knowledge of your business pressure points as you; the report focuses on energy savings. Take some time and evaluate which of the recommended upgrades makes the most sense for your specific situation. Which upgrades may not “work” for your specific situation or might be inconvenient? Which ones have short or long paybacks? Typically, several strategies can “work” and save you significant cost. Which ones might you do and in what order?

Now, you’re in much better shape to take the right “medicine” to reduce your energy costs long-term. You have in your hands several, diverse strategies to reduce energy costs, the knowledge of the likelihood and degree of success, and information to procure, implement and operate the technology or strategy for maximum benefit.

Yes, the energy audit typically costs several thousand dollars for the professional’s experience and expertise and there is a high possibility, but no guarantee of success. But to be able to pinpoint exactly which strategies will result in solid energy usage and cost reductions lasting a long time is certainly worth this early investment.

Just like you (or your insurance) paying for the doctor to do a checkup on you.

CCES has the experts to perform such energy audits for your building, space, or company, providing multiple, science-based, positive strategies or technology recommendations to save you energy usage and costs – not just for the next year – but for year after year in the future. The charge for such an energy “checkup” is not great but provides you with specific information which you can turn in to major cost savings in the future. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or karell@CCESworld.com.

Energy & Environmental Analysis of 2020 Election

As this is written, we think the election of 2020 is over. Joe Biden will be the new President as of January 20, 2021, although Donald Trump has not acknowledged the voting results. Let’s hope this is bluster and normal transfer of power will occur. Here are some potential changes in energy and environment rules in a Biden Administration.

The Biden Administration will likely move to reverse regulatory actions of the Trump Administration. For example, Biden said that on his first day on the job he will apply for reinstatement in the Paris Climate Accords. The Democratic Party said it would propose a $2 trillion plan to improve transportation and achieve a carbon-free power grid by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050. However, given the uncertain makeup of the Senate and not knowing if all Democrats, such as Sen. Manchin of WV, could support this it is unclear whether the plan can pass. While difficult in our partisan atmosphere, bipartisan compromises may be necessary. Many environmental and climate policy changes may be implemented by administrative policy and enforcement, rather than by legislation. Potentially favorable to Biden is the fact that at many of states have adopted a Renewable Portfolio Standard and many companies have GHG emission pledges.

The Biden Administration is likely to reverse deregulatory policies of the Trump Administration, such as revoking executive orders, such as those encouraging energy exploration in environmentally-sensitive areas. The Biden Administration may also place those in charge of the US EPA to promote stronger regulations and enforcement.
The incoming Biden Administration is anticipated to depart from the Trump Administration’s approach to enforcement and permitting and increase attention on environmental justice issues.

The Biden Administration is likely to reverse Trump executive order and issue new ones reestablishing a goal for the federal government to reduce GHG emissions and limiting oil and gas leasing on federal lands. President-elect Biden recently pledged to use the federal government procurement system to give preference to technologies that would move the nation towards 100% clean energy and zero-emissions vehicles to jump-start those industries and to re-establish DOE energy efficiency standards.

President-elect Biden has spoken about his desire to push the government to invest in major infrastructure upgrades, including those that support clean energy power. Biden will likely empower FERC to develop strategies to achieve net-zero emissions, including incentives to grow clean energy and improve energy efficiency of buildings.

A Biden US EPA is expected to address and potentially repeal Trump’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule, which withdrew its prior Clean Air Act waiver for California GHG programs and rolled back stringent GHG standards for future autos.

Finally, the Biden Administration is expected to attempt to re-enact the “Once In, Always In” policy of applicability of sources in the air toxics program , NESHAPS, and undo earlier rollbacks under the Endangered Species Act.

Please note that this article is not a legal evaluation of US energy and environmental laws and where they are heading. For specific advice, please engage an appropriate legal professional. CCES has the technical expertise to keep up with and help you comply with complex environmental and energy rules, whether they be federal, state, or local ones. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Updated Future Energy Trends – Oct. 2020

According to several recent articles, investments in energy have been level at about US $2 trillion per year over the last two decades. However, forecasters believe it will rise soon to at least US $2.7 trillion because of the interest in getting reliable energy to the developing world and the interest in clean energy and the major infrastructure changes that would have to be implemented to achieve this.

Studies and recent efforts indicate that coal-fired utility-sized power plants are still relatively economical because the price of coal has declined a lot recently because so much is available as more is mined globally, yet more coal-fired plants are closing or converting to other fuels. However, the most economical way of developing energy, in terms of capital cost of building a utility plant, availability of the source and conversion of the source to electricity, and long-term O&M costs is wind power, particularly offshore wind, even ahead of solar technology.

Offshore wind technology is becoming more attractive to investors and governments. China and the European Union are moving to install more offshore wind plants. Offshore wind has the highest capacity of any energy technology, about 50% of the energy hitting a wind turbine is converted to electricity, comparable to a gas-fired plant and superior to solar PV panels.

If renewable technologies, such as wind and solar, become more prominent, utility executives understand that this will mean that more upfront investments will be needed for building power plants and the proper infrastructure. These projects tend to be higher cost upfront, but lower costs to maintain and the “fuel” is free. Finding investors for such outlays may be difficult. However, the long-term payoffs could be significant.

CCES has the experts to help you determine whether renewable energy is right for your facility or what your best options are for determining where your electricity and fuels are coming from. We can analyze and provide cost-effective options. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

Clean Heat/Cooling Systems: Get Off Natural Gas

Just a few short years ago, natural gas was the way to go. We had to get off “dirty” oil or coal combustion to supply heat or power and switch to “clean” natural gas. After all, gas is cheaper, emits less greenhouse gases (GHGs) and toxic pollutants, is easier to maintain, and results in less wear and tear on equipment than oil or coal. Over the last decade many buildings made the switch to natural gas.

But, as it turned out, that led to problems. Despite plentiful natural gas due to fracking, some parts of the country developed shortages, particularly during cold winter periods. Also, while demand for natural gas grew, the infrastructure to bring gas to customers did not. As usual, infrastructure upgrades are not “sexy” and lag behind short-term growth.

Now, many utilities acknowledge that the necessary upgrades to gas infrastructure are too expensive and will take too long. For some, their coping strategy is to reduce natural gas demand – encourage buildings to get off gas and use other ways to heat.

Examples of other heating and cooling technologies include air source heat pumps (ASHPs), ground source heat pumps (GSHPs, or geothermal heat pumps), and solar hot water (SHW). These are proven technologies that have come down in price and are now incentivized in many places. They offer a number of benefits, including energy cost savings, increased comfort levels, and health benefits compared to gas combustion.

ASHPs provide efficient space heating and cooling to residential and commercial buildings, even in cold climates. An ASHP transfers heat from outside to inside a building, or vice versa, using a refrigerant involving a compressor and a condenser. Heat from outdoor air (even if cool) is absorbed by the refrigerant and released inside for heating. Similarly, heat from indoor air is transferred outdoors for cooling.

GSHPs also provide space heating and cooling, and, in some cases, using an indoor heat pump and a heat exchange ground loop buried underground to transfer heat between the ground and the building. Underground the temperature is normally constant around 51⁰F. That can be a source to cool indoor air in the summer or a source of warmth to bring to a building in the winter. Geology must be considered and space available to access the long piping needed to bring air back and forth from the building to an area below ground. The main energy use is electricity for fans, not a huge expenditure or greenhouse gas creator compared to gas combustion.

SHW collects thermal energy from the Sun to heat water for space heating, domestic hot water, and pool heating. Buildings that do not have sufficient roof space for a solar PV (electric) system may still have enough for SHW. Water is piped into an area below the SHW for heating. Solar air heating systems heat outside air drawn in. Temperature can be raised as much as 100⁰F before being ducted into the building’s HVAC system.

Historically, ASHPs and GSHPs have been quite expensive. Capital costs and O&M for such equipment have come down in recent years. In addition, many states and utilities offer robust monetary incentives to owners that install such systems, as they are trying to reduce their need to upgrade gas infrastructure and meet GHG reduction goals.

Given the challenges of gas and the gains in these technologies, it is worth it for a building owner to examine whether a “clean” technology is financially beneficial.

For those of you in Westchester County, NY considering clean heating & cooling technology, see https://sustainablewestchester.org/hscommercial/.

In Putnam County, NY, contact Bonnie@BrightEnergyServices.com to learn about the equipment and strong incentives.

CCES has the technical experts to help you determine whether you are a good candidate for a clean heating & cooling technology and whether it is financially beneficial to you in the short- and long-term to get rid of natural gas combustion and benefit from these systems. We can help you get the maximum incentives available. Contact us today at Karell@CCESworld.com or 914-584-6720.

Load Shifting Is a Critical Summertime Strategy

The reality is that the energy infrastructure in the US is falling apart. Utilities do not have the billions of dollars to upgrade systems to deliver electricity where needed. Aging equipment and systems has contributed to the problem. In addition, gentrification has raised power demands in neighborhoods that had a low demand, making it difficult to shift delivery. Even technology has contributed to the problem. It used to be that people would come home from work to a hot unit, put on the AC and wait some time to cool off. Now smart phones can turn on a unit’s AC while the person is still in the office so the home is nice and cool when he/she arrives. The AC is on simultaneously in many offices and homes.

Thus, more and more parts of the US are suffering brownouts and blackouts, particularly in the summer when cooling demand raises electricity usage greatly, and particularly during workdays in the afternoon when maximum power is needed. A problem with serving such a high peak is the diversification of sources of power. More utilities are producing or purchasing electricity from renewable sources, such as solar and wind. The problem is that these sources are not reliable. Renewable power will not help on a hot and humid high-demand day which also happens to be cloudy and/or windless. Renewable power cannot churn out the added power to make up for the peak. Many renewable plants are also many miles away from the cities that need the power.

Because the expense of maintaining the system and addressing interruptions is significant, many utilities now charge customers substantial charges for a high short-term demand for electricity during these hours. But this does not seem to deter many.

If changing behavior is not happening, operating more energy equipment (lights, AC, etc.) should help this problem. Another solution is load shifting, moving electricity consumption from a peak time period to another time to “flatten the curve” of electric demand. This can be helpful for by utilities even if the load shifting results in greater electricity usage because their concern is delivering power reliably during peak usage. For now, when activities occur is more important than how much power they use.

An example of load shifting is moving an industrial process to a different shift, such as overnight, rather than during the day. While this may cost the firm more in overtime or duplicate use of equipment at night and day, it can be made up in savings in peak demand cost by eliminating the high peak demand during the day.

Another example of load shifting revolves around energy storage for space cooling, so important in peak periods. Systems exist to make large quantities of ice during the overnight (far from peak) period and allow air to flow around the ice to cool it during the peak period. Power needed for such blowers is much less than for large AC systems, reducing power needed during the peak period. A related approach is charging batteries with grid electricity during the night and use it (and not grid power) during the peak period. These often result in a net increase in total electricity used; but this can reduce costs as usage during the peak, expensive period of summer workday afternoons is reduced. These are examples of storing cooling energy either as ice or in batteries.

Load shifting is something businesses should consider, not only to reduce total electric costs, but also to help the grid supply electricity reliably to the entire community and to promote intermittent renewable energy and thus reducing reliance on fossil fuel-based power plants.

CCES has the experts to evaluate your company or building’s electricity usage. We can recommend cost-effective strategies for your specific situation, such greater efficiency, renewable power, or load shifting, to streamline your energy management system and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Reducing Energy Usage of Data Centers

One study estimated that in 2018 global data centers consumed around 200 Terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy, about 1% of the world’s electricity consumption. This percentage has stayed flat for nearly a decade. While this appears to be a low figure, it still makes data centers a large consumer of energy. Certainly for individual businesses, data centers can contribute a considerable percentage of their electric costs.

Here are several trends concerning energy usage by data centers worldwide.

Improve energy efficiency. Given its growing need and use, any way an operator can use data centers more efficiently will save significant costs and equipment wear and tear. One such focus is IT infrastructure. Converged infrastructure (CI) is building blocks of functionalities physically combined in a turnkey product, including software for more efficient computing and storage and networking functionalities. This makes the data center more compact and functionally efficient, reducing electricity needs. In addition, ENERGY STAR recommends server brands that use less electricity than conventional ones. Simple upgrades like placement of equipment and sharing of information can improve electric efficiency, too.

Energy efficiency of IT systems is often measured by power usage effectiveness (PUE), the ratio of total energy used by a data center to that used by computing equipment. PUE has improved from 2.5 in 2007 to 1.67 in 2019, indicating reduced energy contribution from non-IT areas, such as cooling and lighting in energy consumption. Modern data servers are available that can function well at temperatures up to about 100⁰F, reducing cooling needs. Less energy intensive alternatives to air conditioning, such as using cool ambient air or chilled water from a nearby source can work to cool a center.

Increase in on-site energy generation. Data centers need a reliable grid as their source of electricity. But large centers put stress on the existing local grid infrastructure potentially causing instability, and outpacing grid infrastructure capability. Therefore, more data center operators are using on-site power generation from natural gas generators and fuel cells, known distributed energy resources (DER) or microgrid.

On-site power generation may work as a supplement or back up to the grid or be totally independent. Either way, the operator can plan operations based on needs over time. This goes hand in hand with energy efficiency which can minimize on-site power needs.

Focus on Climate Change Goals. Many companies are focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, reducing energy usage for functions, such as data centers. As a large user of electricity, data center sources of electricity vary, but most are fossil-fuel based.

Therefore, as companies build larger data centers that are often their own facilities, they have the opportunity to directly use renewable energy to power them. For example, Google is building 2 huge data center campuses, in Tennessee and in Alabama, getting about 72% of their power from devoted solar farms, producing as much as 300 MW of power. While ideally all electricity for such a campus should come from solar, data centers need ready electricity 24/7 which is currently not available from solar farms whose output is intermittent based on the sun. Google is looking into energy storage options to be able to use more renewable power. Some facilities alternatively purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) for renewable sources far away.

CCES has the experts to help you evaluate and implement strategies to reduce energy usage of data centers, as well as other functions of your facility. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

Roadmap for You to Reduce Energy Usage

As mentioned in another article in this newsletter, it is critical these days for your business to lower expenses, such as your energy costs, to be able to bounce back. Reduce energy usage and still be productive and make your staff and customers comfortable. There is no “magic wand” to achieve this; careful planning is needed. But success can happen! What follows is a roadmap, an approach that works to reduce energy usage and costs smartly.

• Determine your goals; determine your limits. Are you going “all in” on energy savings? Or just looking for economic opportunity? Both are valid, but it’s important to map it out. Conduct meetings with your Facilities staff, tenants, vendors, etc. to discuss the topic.

• Review utility bills and oil invoices. Determine energy use by metered usage. Benchmark your energy. Ideally, create a profile in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to keep track and compare yourself to similar buildings. Review your utility bills. Are you properly classified? Who is your energy supplier? Are you under contract? Are you paying a fair rate? Can you take advantage of Demand Response and related programs to get paid for using little-used equipment?

• Conduct an initial energy assessment of areas or operations that you control and can upgrade. Count lights and plug load equipment. Learn the capabilities of equipment (HVAC, motors, pumps, etc.). Estimate your energy usage based on operations (i.e., number of hours operated). Does this estimate match up with your utility bills?

• Conduct a more thorough energy assessment and identify energy conservation measures (ECMs), strategies to reduce energy usage of key end-use processes that use a significant amount. What are the ROIs and simple paybacks of feasible ECMs?

• Identify opportunities for on-site renewable power (solar, CHP, geo-thermal, etc.)

• Evaluate and choose the ECMs for you, such as LED light retrofits, lighting controls, building envelope upgrades (roof, windows), HVAC repairs or upgrades, VFDs for motors, building automation systems (BAS). Which ones and in what sequence? This also includes identifying and applying for government and utility incentive programs.

• Implement your chosen ECMs. This is a lot of work. It is worth it to hire an experienced energy project manager to bring in bids, select the best vendor(s), and oversee work to ensure you are getting the savings that should occur. So you focus on your business!

• Measure and report results. Was the effort worth it? Are there future potential projects?

• Implement a regular commissioning and maintenance program. What is the use of procuring new, advanced equipment if it will not be properly maintained? Consider such regular commissioning and maintenance an investment, not just to maintain their energy efficiency, but also for them to last longer before needing to be replaced.

You know that smart energy upgrades are a great investment of resources, with an excellent ROI and payback. Emphasis on the word “smart”. This little guide shows you the necessary steps to do your upgrade right and maximize the cost benefits.

CCES has the technical experts to do a complete energy evaluation and project manage the energy upgrades that make the most sense for you. We are here to help you save lots of costs and have others pay some of the bill. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.