Upgraded system delivers energy, environmental and performance benefits
WAUKESHA, Wis. (May 8, 2006) – Just-completed upgrades to the lighting system in Waukesha Engine’s manufacturing facility and research and development center here will save the company approximately $260,000 in annual energy costs, while also helping protect the environment and creating a more pleasant and productive workplace.
“We are continually seeking ways to improve our processes to become more efficient and deliver a better product,” said Alan Antoniewicz, Waukesha Engine’s vice president of operations. “Energy is a significant cost area for us, so energy efficiency was an obvious area to look at. The new lighting system conserves energy, reduces waste, makes our plant more competitive and creates a more comfortable and productive environment for our employees.”
Working with Orion Energy Services, a Plymouth, Wis. company that specializes in the design, development, manufacture and deployment of energy-efficient lighting systems and controls, the company replaced 1,800 high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures with energy-efficient high-intensity fluorescent (HIF) fixtures in the 1 million-plus square-foot facility.
The project was made possible in part by nearly $112,000 in Energy Conservation Incentives received through local utility We Energies’ “Energy Incentives from We Energies” program. It is one of the larger projects completed though the program, which provides incentive rewards to We Energies’ commercial, industrial, governmental, and farm retail electric service customers that implement electric energy-saving technologies in their facilities. The program is administered by Port Washington, Wis.-based Franklin Energy Services.
“This was a significant project, not only because of the environmental benefits and the amount of energy that will be saved, but because of the ‘lead by example’ attitude that it sets for others,” said Joel Burow, principal account manager with We Energies. “Waukesha Engine is such a visible leader in the community, that we hope others will see what they have accomplished and try to replicate these efforts in their own businesses and homes.”
“As a company that works in the energy industry, we are keenly aware of the need to efficiently use our natural resources,” Antoniewicz said. “We look forward to working with We Energies and other partners in implementing additional energy-saving measures.”
“We like to see companies like Waukesha Engine take significant chunks of power off the grid,” said Orion CEO Neal Verfuerth. “Our calculations show that if all companies in the country did this, it would mean over 150 power plants the size of the Point Beach nuclear facility wouldn’t have to be built, and that many power lines wouldn’t have to be expanded. That would have a powerful effect on the energy future for all of us.”
Reducing Energy Consumption and Maintenance Costs
The new lighting is expected to reduce Waukesha Engine’s annual electricity consumption by nearly 3.7 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) – equivalent to the energy contained in 302,568 gallons of gasoline or 7,204 barrels of oil.
Total cost of the project was nearly $346,000. Factoring in the incentive from We Energies, Waukesha Engine will recoup its investment in the project in less than one year simply through energy cost savings.
Add a significant reduction in bulb replacement costs, and the upgrade offers even greater savings. The new bulbs last 50 percent longer and cost 36 percent to 63 percent less than their predecessors.
Helping Keep Wisconsin’s Air Clean
By reducing energy use, the new lighting system also will help protect Southeastern Wisconsin’s environment. It will prevent the release of 3,573 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, which is the air quality equivalent of removing 592 cars from the roads or planting 673 acres of trees.
In addition, it will prevent 7.5 tons of nitrogen oxides and 15.5 tons of sulfur dioxide – considered primary causes of acid rain – from entering the atmosphere each year.
Creating a Brighter, Safer, More Productive Workplace
Equally important to Waukesha Engine is the improved performance of the new lighting.
“Many people assume that improving energy efficiency means sacrificing performance,” said Mark McBride, national accounts manager with Orion Energy Services. “Waukesha Engine is showing that the exact opposite can be true. They’ve installed a system that works better while using less energy.”
The new bulbs generate significantly more light than the old HID lamps, and the fixtures’ reflective design focuses more of the light onto the workplace, rather than allowing it to scatter along the ceiling. As a result, light levels are up between 30 percent and 60 percent throughout the facility. The light also is crisper, cleaner and closer to the color of natural light. The improved light quality will reduce workers’ eye strain and fatigue while improving productivity and safety, McBride said.
The new bulbs also generate as little as one-tenth the heat of the old HIDs, running at 105° F, compared to between 800° F and 1,000° F. That will help keep Waukesha Engine’s employees more comfortable on warm summer days.
About Waukesha Engine
Founded in Waukesha, Wis. in 1906, Waukesha Engine, a business unit of Dresser Inc., is a manufacturer of spark-ignited, gaseous-fueled engines widely used in field gas compression, power generation and other mechanical drive applications. Waukesha Engine also packages Enginator gensets and DC switchgear controls for the distributed generation market. Waukesha Engine’s manufacturing and power systems facilities, located in Waukesha, are ISO 9001 certified. The company’s Web site can be accessed at http://www.waukeshaengine.dresser.com.
About Dresser Inc.
Dresser Inc. is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of highly engineered equipment and services sold primarily to customers in the flow control, measurement systems, and compression and power systems segments of the energy industry. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Dresser has a comprehensive global presence, with approximately 6,500 employees and a sales presence in more than 100 countries worldwide. The company’s Web site is http://www.dresser.com.
About Orion Energy Services
Located in Plymouth, Wis., Orion manufactures and markets energy efficient lighting solutions for the manufacturing, distribution center, warehousing, commercial, school and gymnasium markets. Orion provides capacity displacement solutions for supply side management, transmission management, and demand side management for the electricity industry. For more information, visit http://www.oriones.com.
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COMPANY CONTACTS:
Waukesha Engine: Nancy Deptolla
262/ 236-4175
Orion Energy Services: Dave Cary
920/ 892-5804