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| Energy efficiency improvements to DOE facilities U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Rodgers announced the first four Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) to help the federal government save approximately $13 million on energy and energy-related costs per year. The contracts will also enable $140 million in energy efficiency improvements to DOE facilities, as part of the Department's Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) initiative. As part of the Bush Administration's comprehensive energy strategy to reduce energy waste and greenhouse gases, the TEAM initiative seeks to reduce energy intensity across DOE's nationwide complex by at least 30 percent and to reduce water consumption intensity by at least 16 percent, both by 2015, and to acquire at least 7.5 percent of all energy from renewable sources by 2010. DOE partnered with private Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to conduct energy system evaluations at all major DOE sites and to devise strategies for improving performance. ESPCs are unique contracting vehicles that allow agencies to complete necessary energy savings projects for their facilities. Under these contract vehicles, ESCOs and utilities provide the private financing required for equipment purchases and systems enhancements and ESCOs are subsequently repaid from energy cost savings resulting from improved energy efficiency. After exploring energy savings opportunities at the sites, ESCOs prepared initial proposals and ultimately final proposals highlighting proposed energy conservation measures, proposed project investment cost, and proposed energy savings. After careful review by the sites, four ESPCs were awarded to the ESCOs to implement the energy conservation measures described in their proposals at the following DOE sites: - Idaho National Laboratory (Idaho Falls, Idaho) – The project includes switching the power source for the boilers, reducing fuel oil purchases from 600,000 gallons per year to zero, and dramatically reducing the site's carbon emissions. The project will reduce energy consumption by approximately 53 billion Btu/yr. - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, Calif.) – The bulk of the energy savings in this project is expected to come from a major upgrade of the Energy Management Control System, which will be a powerful tool in diagnosing and solving problems with the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and ensuring efficient HVAC systems operation. - National Energy Technology Laboratory (Pittsburgh, Penn.) – The project will provide a showcase of innovative technologies, including: biogas boilers, green roofs, hybrid lighting, advanced metering, solar lighting, rooftop wind turbines, and natural gas well dewatering, which will reduce energy consumption by more than 27 billion Btu/yr and reduce water use by over three million gallons. - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) – The project will result in the creation of a biomass steam plant, the expansion of the building management system, and the implementation of several other energy conservation measures. The project will reduce energy consumption by 850 billion Btu/yr and decrease water consumption 170 million gallons. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |