Our MaxEfficiency Program is
very simple. It
involves identifying all the cost effective energy efficiency
improvements
that can be made in a facility, quantifying
the costs and the benefits, then implementing all those that can pay for
themselves
from savings within a defined number of years
or within the the financing timeframe. Only then is the appropriate
size solar
electric system sized to supply the long term
electric needs of the facility.
Most
people think of renewable power as the electricity
produced from solar, wind or hydropower
generation. Few realize that NEGAWATTS, the electric KWHs
produced from investments
in more efficient electric consuming
equipment, are the cheapest cost of KWHs by far. Many
buildings still
contain lighting and HVAC equipment that is
twenty or more years old, and that consume twice as much energy as
today's lighting
and HVAC equipment to produce the same amount
of lighting and comfort. Replacing this old equipment with high
efficiency
lighting components, such as T8 and T5 lamps
with electric ballasts and controls to replace HID fixtures, can reduce
celectric
consumption by 40%, 50% or more, and pay for
the installation of the new lighting in two to three years.
Before
deciding on the correct size of solar system, which is a long term
capital investment, all short payback
efficiency upgrades whould be identified and implemented. By putting
your building on
an energy efficiency diet, you will lower
your long term electric needs and significantly lower size and capital
cost of a
renewable generation system.
