October, 2000
What's inside?
- NTUA turns to PV systems for distributed generation
- Western unveils new Web site
- DOE gives consumers info on energy issues
- Summer heat highlights importance of energy efficiency
- Who are you going to call? Western's experts
- California municipalities use solar energy for public buildings
- Fremont upgrades to state-of-the-art control
- SMUD hydropower project earns national award for recreation facilities
- California utilities contribute to communities
- Alliance helps customer evaluate motors
- Power Line has the answers
 Western’s Energy Services Website: www.wapa.gov/es Western's Power Line: |
| The Energy Services Bulletin is published by the Western Area Power Administration (Western) for the information of Agency customers. The mailing address is Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 281213, Lakewood, CO 80228-8213; the telephone number is (303) 275-1739, e-mail: buntin@wapa.gov. Regional Energy Services Managers are: Billings, MT - Diane Noennig, (406) 247-7392; Loveland, CO - Peggy Plate, 1-800-472-2306; Phoenix, AZ - Steve Szarka, (602) 352-2462; Folsom, CA - Robert Parkins, (916) 353-4490; and Salt Lake City, UT - Dave Bennion, (801) 524-5506. The mention of any service, product, or technology does not constitute an endorsement of same and Western, the Department of Energy, or the United States Government cannot be held responsible or liable for use thereof.
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Alliance helps customer evaluate motors
Alliance Municipal Electric System, Alliance, Neb., teamed with Nebraska Municipal Power Pool and Western Area Power Administration to conduct an energy efficiency audit of several large electric motors for their customer, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, in mid-July.
At the request of BNSF, Alliance Electric Superintendent Robert Moore assembled an audit team including his Assistant Superintendent Roger Reed, Western Energy Services Representative Peggy Plate, Washington State University P. E. Johnny Douglass, Jim Keeler and Bob Mead from the NMPP and six BNSF staff members. The team spent two days gathering efficiency data on lighting and motors at the main BNSF Maintenance Facility.WSU Senior Engineer, Johnny Douglass used software developed by WSU Cooperative
Extension Energy Program to analyze the data, review the information,
make recommendations, and issue a report for BNSF. Motor Master Plus software
analyzes motor and motor system efficiency helping industrial and utility
users identify inefficient or oversized motors and computes the energy
and demand savings of replacing existing equipment 
with
energy-efficient alternatives.
The report found that BNSF could benefit from a motor management program to increase reliability and decrease the costs of energy, production, and maintenance. According to the report, "BNSF could benefit from information to guide decisions on motor repair versus replacement and the cost-effective level of motor efficiency to purchase. " Another section of the report points out the advantages of using motors to their full potential, rather than running several motors at less than full load. The report pointed out the engine would load and unload (run to provide load and cut off load) several times during the observation period.
According to the report, "The unload time seemed longer than the loaded time, although this was not measured. It should be timed. Any time two compressors are running and the unload time is indeed longer than the loaded, time it should be possible to shut down one compressor."
The report points out that such a move could lead to considerable savings, since only one compressor would be spinning. The engine's energy demand would be cut in half. " . . . at 50-percent loaded time and 50-percent unloaded time, two 100-horsepower compressors would draw 158 kW half the time and 28 kW the other half for an overage kW of 93 kW. With only one compressor spinning, it would be fully loaded and require only 79 kW, a savings of 14 kW. This would save $93.80 per month on demand in the summer and $68.60 per month on demand in winter."
In addition to the motor efficiency audit the team also performed infrared camera work to determine hot spots in breaker panels for the BNSF. Plate also pointed out that 60 percent of the facility's demand went for lighting and that a retrofit could significantly reduce lighting energy demand and costs.
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Web Sites Motor Challenge program: www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/ From Western's Power Line |
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