A large automotive supply manufacturing facility in Illinois partnered with tekWorx reduce their cooling costs and water usage. Knowing there were many potential commercial and industrial rebates this optimization project may qualify for, the facilities team engaged tekWorx on their tekWatch® Navigator services for support with this process.
Challenge:
While the facility staff knew they wanted to improve their chiller plant’s energy efficiency, they were unfamiliar with the complex landscape of utility rebates and incentives. They needed guidance to maximize their potential savings and offset the cost of their energy efficiency upgrades.
tekWorx Utility Rebate Navigator Service in Action:
1. Rebate Identification: tekWorx identified the following applicable prescriptive rebates:
a) Chiller Plant Optimization: $0.12 per kWh saved annually, up to 50% of project cost
b) Variable Speed Drives for chilled water pumps and cooling tower fans: $60 per controlled HP
2. Energy Savings Calculation: tekWorx engineers used historical data and industry benchmarks to estimate annual energy savings:
– Projected annual energy savings: 1,250,000 kWh
– Estimated cost savings: $137,500 per year (based on $0.11/kWh average rate)
3. Application Process: tekWorx managed the entire rebate application process, including:
a) Gathering all required documentation
b) Completing technical worksheets
c) Submitting the application to ComEd
d) Responding to utility requests for additional information
4. Measurement and Verification: Post-implementation, tekWorx conducted M&V to confirm energy savings:
– Actual first-year energy savings: 1,315,000 kWh (5% above projections)
5. Final Rebate: tekWorx worked with ComEd to finalize the rebate based on actual savings:
– Chiller Plant Optimization: $157,800 (1,315,000 kWh * $0.12)
– Variable Speed Drives: $12,000 (200 HP * $60)
– Total Rebate Secured: $169,800
“tekWorx tekWatch® Navigator service was a game-changer for our chiller plant optimization project. They simplified a complex process and secured a rebate that was 35% higher than we initially expected.
– Facilities Director
Results:
1. Financial Impact:
– Total rebate secured: $169,800
– Project cost offset: 47% (rebate covered nearly half of the implementation cost)
– First-year energy cost savings: $144,650 (1,315,000 kWh * $0.11/kWh)
– Simple payback period reduced from 3.2 years to 1.7 years
2. Energy and Environmental Impact:
– Annual energy savings: 1,315,000 kWh
– Annual CO2 emission reduction: 930 metric tons (based on Illinois grid mix)
3. Long-term Benefits:
– Projected 10-year energy cost savings: $1,446,500 (not accounting for potential rate increases)
– Improved chiller plant equipment life due to optimized operation
“tekWorx tekWatch® Navigator service was a game-changer for our chiller plant optimization project. They simplified a complex process and secured a rebate that was 35% higher than we initially expected. This significantly improved our project ROI and accelerated our approval process for future energy efficiency initiatives.”