FEMP Year in Review 2003 - EERE - U.S. Department of Energy

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
FEMP's "Lead by Example" ideology is demonstrated by an intensified effort to bring
new and emerging energy efficient and renewable energy technologies into the
federal sector, helping agencies achieve their energy goals through the development
of potential applications for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. For
example, distributed energy resources has the potential to help federal agencies and
facilities meet increased demand, reduce peak operating costs, enhance energy
security, and improve the reliability of electric power generation. During the past
year, FEMP’s Technical Assistance Team worked with agencies to determine how
best to use DER and other new technologies in reponse to the need for reliable,
affordable electric power and achieving energy goals.
Distributed Energy Resources
Taking into account recent black-outs, as well as national security concerns, FEMP
has responded to increased interest in energy reliability for critical facilities. During
FY 2003, FEMP completed 38 combined cooling, heat, and power (CHP) screening
reports. 32 of these projects have a total capacity of 160 MW, an implementation
cost of $446 million, and annual facilities savings of approximately $30 million.
In addition to the screening reports, FEMP provided direct technical assistance to
11 sites. A notable highlight is the new CHP project at the U.S. Marine Corps Air
Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. This project provides an
outstanding demonstration of the value of CHP for addressing both energy cost
and energy security issues at federal sites. The 7 MW CHP plant can provide
uninterrupted power for significant base loads in the event of any utility interruption.
The plant can also isolate critical loads, even when power from the utility is
available. Savings from the plant will help pay for the 1.2 MW photovoltaic (PV)
system, three chiller plants, and several other significant infrastructure improvements.
ALERTS
In FY 2003 FEMP updated the Assessment of Load and Energy Reduction
Techniques (ALERT) protocols by building in the capability to address natural gas
consumption and efficiency levels at federal sites to respond to possible shortages
and price volatility. FEMP prepared a list of the top 50 potential sites for ALERT
assistance. To date, 11 federal sites have requested ALERT teams, and several Navy
and Army sites have been identified for participation through the DoD Western
Grid site assessment activity. The FEMP ALERT program is now capable of working
with numerous federal sites in the event of widespread natural gas shortages or
price spikes.
Facility Assessments
In addition to design assistance, FEMP offers a variety of ways to help agencies
identify methods to improve facility management. FEMP’s SAVEnergy Program
conducts building and water audits for agencies requesting assistance. During
FY 2003, SAVEnergy awarded 39 FEMP funded audits and six agency funded audits.
Audits identified energy conservation measures (ECMs) with a potential annual
energy savings of over 236 billion BTU, and annual cost savings of over $2.3 million.
The expected cost to implement these ECMs is about $9 million.
For industrial facilities, FEMP’s Industrial Program provides plant-wide energy
assessments and system-specific assessments. In FY 2003 assessments were
conducted at DOE, the Department of the Treasury, DoD, and at the U.S. Postal
Service. At DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, NM, this program
identified opportunities to cut water usage by 54 percent and compressed air costs
from $69,000 to $29,000 annually .