January 6, 2020
A cohort of five Northern Utah drinking water utilities—Clearfield, Layton, Ogden, Roy, and Jordanelle Special Service District (JSSD)—cut their energy use by an average of 17% during an 18-month strategic energy management (SEM) program.
After pursuing low-cost opportunities to fine-tune their operations, the participants logged over 6 million kilowatt-hours in total savings, even after normalizing for changes in water demand and weather, according to the program’s final reports. The results ranged from 10% to 55% for the five participants. Rocky Mountain Power sponsored the program, verified the savings, and provided cash incentives for performance. Much of the savings will continue year after year.
“By applying the concepts covered in the SEM, we were able to identify and implement changes to our operations and facilities that resulted in significant energy and money savings,” said Trevor Gowans, JSSD’s district electrician. “Through the continued involvement of our entire team, we were able to augment normal operational concerns to include energy efficiency, thus amplifying the outcome of the SEM. This shift in thinking has been one of the greatest gains that we have realized through the SEM.”
Hansen, Allen & Luce (HAL) and Cascade Energy delivered the program, which consisted of energy management workshops, on-site and model-based “treasure hunts” to identify opportunities, and engineering support to evaluate and implement the selected energy-saving actions. HAL and Cascade Energy have provided similar services to over 50 water utilities to date and have formalized their partnership under the name Aquafficiency (www.aquafficiency.com).
Photo: Energy team members examine equipment at Jordanelle Special Service District’s Keetley Water Treatment Plant near Heber, Utah.