University of Kentucky earns $1 million in commercial rebates
Friday, September 13, 2013
Slowly but surely,
the University of Kentucky has been chipping away at its utility
bills.
About three years
ago, the university embarked on an ambitious plan to dramatically reduce its
energy usage. The Board of Trustees on Dec. 1, 2009, approved the initiation of
an energy-savings performance contract with Ameresco, an energy service company
based in Louisville.
As part of these
larger efforts, the university began retrofitting new, energy-efficient
replacement parts to the infrastructure of more than 50 aging buildings on
campus; as a result, the university has earned more than
$1 million in commercial rebates from LG&E and KU.
The Commercial
Rebate Program encourages
qualified commercial customers to replace inefficient equipment with
high-efficiency lighting, motors, pumps and air conditioning equipment, and to
make customized facility improvements that reduce at least one kilowatt of peak
energy usage.
“These are ongoing
savings due to our conservation program with KU,” said Bob Wiseman, executive
vice president for Facilities Management for UK. “The savings continue to mount
for the university, and we are very pleased with the results.”
 |
LG&E and KU employees (from
left) Bill DiOrio, David Huff
and Rhonda Truman present
Bob Wiseman, executive
vice president for Facilities Management for UK,
a one million dollar check
as a result of their energy efficiency efforts.
|
According to UK
officials, its larger energy-savings performance project upgraded the
infrastructure of 61 campus buildings, guaranteeing each year a savings of more
than $2.4 million — nearly 14 million kilowatt hours and more than 37 million
gallons of water.
“The university’s
energy savings associated with this rebate equates to a reduction of about 10
megawatts of electric demand. To put that into perspective, 10 megawatts supply
enough energy to power about 2,200 typical
residential homes at the peak period when electricity is being used most,” said
David Huff, director of Energy Efficiency and Smart Grid Strategy.
“Customer
participation in energy efficiency programs offsets part of our customers’
growing energy demand, which can help delay the need for constructing additional
electric generating facilities,” Huff said.
Schools across the
commonwealth — including the University of Louisville, which earned a $373,000
rebate in 2010, and Eastern Kentucky University, which received $303,000 in 2011
— have participated in the rebate program. In total, Kentucky public and private
schools from early childhood to higher education have earned more than $2.7
million in rebates.
The Commercial
Rebate Program is funded through 2018 and is offered to KU and LG&E
commercial customers who contribute to the Demand-Side Management Program as
part of their monthly bills.
