In this issue
		Energy Services Bulletin home page
		Utilities offer loans to promote residential solar
		Utility contracts fund Ellsworth AFB's award-winning energy program
		Tri-State, Columbus create irrigation and motor workshop for growers
		Topics from the Power Line: Drip irrigation may provide energy, water savings
		Energy shorts
		Calendar of events

Tri-State, Columbus create irrigation and motor workshop for growers

Irrigation, like this pivot point system, represents a major load for many rural utilities. That's why Western is teaming up with two customers to present a free workshop to help growers improve their efficiency. (Photo by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association)

The growing season is upon us, and growers throughout Western's service territory are turning to thoughts of…efficiency. "It's a very competitive business for growers, and everyone is looking for the most effective and efficient use of resources," said Chris Martinez, marketing manager for Columbus Electric Cooperative.

Supporting large agriculture load

Martinez knows whereof he speaks: agriculture customers make up 40 percent of Columbus' sales. The Deming, N.M., cooperative serves Luna County, the largest chili-growing region in the United States. Its 7,000-sq. mile territory also produces alfalfa, wheat, melons, onions and other vegetables.

The irrigation methods used on those crops run the gamut, Martinez observed. Some growers use sprinklers or flood irrigation, "But most are moving toward drip systems," he said. "They find they get a better yield using the same amount of electricity and water."

Columbus also offers a $20-per-horsepower rebate for high-efficiency motors, a popular incentive that many customers have used to upgrade their equipment. Efficiency varies in the different types of motors, however, said Martinez. "Vertical hollow shafts are premium efficiency, but it's hard to find an efficient submersible motor," he explained. "Motors are a real challenge to efficient farming operations."
 
In an effort to address that issue, Columbus is sponsoring a free Motors and Irrigation Efficiency workshop May 23. Western is cosponsoring the event with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Columbus' power wholesaler. "Tri-State is really taking the lead on this," said Rocky Mountain regional Energy Services Representative Linda Swails. "They've done a great job of pulling the material together and tailoring it to the audience."

"We ask what our members need to help their customers, and we try to give that to them," said Tri-State Senior Engineer Mike McCoy. "Improving efficiency in farming and ranching operations can have great economic benefits for the entire community, but that's a lot for one co-op to tackle."

Building workshop around need

Utilities in agriculture-intensive areas need to keep up on motors and irrigation systems, Martinez agreed, which is why he attended a motor workshop at Tri-State last year. "There was a lot of good information to pass on to our customers, especially about MotorMasters+ software," he recalled.

The subject came up later, when Martinez was visiting with large customers. "Reducing operating costs is always a big concern for growers, and several asked if we could test irrigation motors for efficiency," he said. "I told them about MotorMasters+, and they said they would like to have that kind of program for irrigation."

Martinez took the suggestion to Swails and McCoy, who thought the idea sounded like something other Tri-State members could use as well. "Tri-State has about five co-op members that are heavy irrigators," he said. "Columbus' request inspired us to get involved in an area that potentially promised big energy savings."

McCoy asked a speaker from Tri-State's motor workshop to develop a version targeting irrigation. The National Food and Energy Council also provided input on workshop content. The biggest problem, McCoy observed, was narrowing down the agenda to fit in a one-day format. "It's such a broad topic—you could spend a whole day alone on electric motor basics and picking the right motor for the application," he insisted. "Then there's all the material specific to energy- and water-efficiency for farms and ranches. It could have easily turned into a three-day seminar, but we had to pare it down to something doable."

Full agenda tackles many topics

That still leaves a full agenda developed and presented by instructors from Texas A&M. Sessions will cover how systems work together, what types are most commonly used, what factors affect efficiency and how to estimate monthly energy use. Controls, motor protection and using variable-speed drives will also be discussed. Participants will learn about resources for keeping up on best practices and funding opportunities to help them improve efficiency. A manual of valuable reference materials is included in the price of registration. "Our goal is to give people a working knowledge of the available technologies in 'real-world' applications," said Martinez.     

Utility staff and growers are the main audience for the workshop, but Martinez said that vendors, water and sanitation providers, well drillers and electricians will all find value in the event. The course information will be accessible for newcomers to irrigation, too. "We try to make all our workshop presentations as user-friendly as possible," said McCoy. "Energy efficiency shouldn't be the concern of only engineers or facility managers. Everybody who works with a business can contribute to its efficient operation if they understand a few basic principles."
 
At the end of the growing season, Columbus and Tri-State will be looking for feedback from workshop participants. Tri-State will use the input to refine the material for presentation to other member co-ops with heavy agriculture loads. "Anything Tri-State can do to help the end-user improve efficiency will help everyone in the power delivery chain," declared McCoy.

To register for "Motors and Irrigation Efficiency," contact Chris Martinez or Rachel Marrufo at 505-546-8838 or 800-950-2667. Deadline for registration is May 9.