Energy Solutions for Commercial Customers
King Kullen Grocery Company Will Cut Energy Consumption by 12,000,000 Kilowatt-Hours Electricity Annually
Bellmore, NY-September 13, 2006-Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Chairman Richard M. Kessel, today announced the official launch of LIPA’s Retrofit Energy and Capacity Program (RECAP). The RECAP program is designed to reduce Long Island’s electric consumption by 75 megawatts (MW) by assisting LIPA’s commercial customers in finding valuable energy solutions that reduces electricity consumption, saves the environment and lowers their electric bills.
RECAP is a unique three-way partnership between LIPA, LIPA’s commercial customers and several LIPA-selected energy service companies (ESCO’S). The RECAP program is designed to assist commercial customers, multi-family buildings of four or more apartments and publicly owned facilities. The RECAP partnership identifies long term energy reduction opportunities through the use of more energy efficient heating and air conditioning technologies, lighting systems, lighting controls, refrigeration upgrades, pumps and motor drives and energy management systems that provide significant energy and dollar savings.
“Long Island’s business community is a highly competitive marketplace,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. “By becoming more energy efficient with the assistance of LIPA’s RECAP program local businesses can sharpen their competitive edge, enhance their bottom line and help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.”
According to Mr. Kessel, “LIPA is targeting numerous businesses on Long Island to become part of LIPA’s RECAP program, they can lower their bills and electric usage at the same time.”
Businesses such as the King Kullen Grocery Company can certainly benefit from this program by having LIPA help offset the cost to retrofit their facilities to hold down their energy costs, provide better lighting and be more energy efficient.
King Kullen, headquartered in Bethpage has already embarked on a comprehensive lighting upgrade project as a result of participating in LIPA’s RECAP program. The project covers 45 store locations, and is expected to reduce energy consumption by over 12,000,000 kilowatt-hours annually. The energy savings from this project alone is enough to power about 1200 average sized Long Island homes. To date, RECAP projects at 10 King Kullen stores have been completed with seven more currently in progress. The remaining stores are scheduled to be completed by January of 2007.
The King Kullen stores will be installing new lighting that utilizes high-efficiency fluorescent technology, coupled with improved lighting controls. In addition to energy savings and lowered maintenance costs, the high-efficiency lighting delivers excellent color rendering, high uniformity and low glare. Other energy efficient technologies will also be integrated.
“LIPA’s RECAP program is providing a financial incentive,” said King Kullen’s Vice President Tom Cullen. “The lighting project is an ideal opportunity to reduce our operating costs, update the store’s appearance with high quality lighting, and help the environment by reducing energy consumption. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
In October of 2003, LIPA issued an RFP seeking proposals that would help LIPA achieve up to 75 MWs of energy and capacity savings through long-term energy efficiency initiatives. Through the RFP process, five energy service companies (ESCO’s) were approved. The companies selected include: Lockheed Martin/Aspen Systems, Custom Energy, Ameresco, CSG Services, Inc., and Johnson Controls. The energy efficiency programs proposed by these six companies will collectively achieve about 75 MWs of long-term energy savings.
How Does RECAP Work?
* The ESCO will evaluate facilities and make recommendations for upgrades and improvements.
* The customer and the ESCO will choose the appropriate equipment.
* The ESCO handles LIPA approval of the project.
* LIPA approves the project and provides an incentive to the ESCO to help offset the cost of the project.
* Upon approval, the ESCO will install new energy-efficient measures.
What Energy-Saving measures are covered?
* Lighting upgrades (retrofit and new fixtures)
* Lighting controls.
* Roof-top HVAC units.
* Refrigeration upgrades.
* Motors and VFD’s (Variable frequency drives)
* Energy management systems.
“Reducing wasteful energy consumption is good for our bottom line, good for the environment, and good for our Country because it reduces our dependence on imported fossil fuels”, said Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI), the region’s clean energy advocacy organization. “LIPA’s innovative approach to contract with the private sector to achieve a large chunk of energy savings with state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies is a major milestone on the path towards an energy efficient economy.”
“CSG looks forward to working with LIPA and the small business community on Long Island to address the critical energy needs of Long Island. This means helping Long Island business customers be more productive, more energy independent, and environmentally responsible through energy efficiency. We congratulate LIPA for crafting a plan to meet the energy needs of Long Island through its RECAP program, developed under the Clean Energy Initiative,” Stephen Cowell, CEO of CSG.
“Lockheed Martin/Aspen Systems applauds LIPA’s initiatives in the Clean Energy area, and particularly its innovative RECAP program. Aspen believes RECAP will prove a very positive investment for LIPA and a benefit for LIPA’s customers. Aspen is proud to be a partner with LIPA in this initiative,” Patrick McCarthy, Vice President.
“The RECAP program provides a unique opportunity for Long Island businesses to upgrade their facilities, thereby improving the community, and Ameresco is excited to be a part of it,” said George P. Sakellaris, President, Ameresco.
“Congratulations to LIPA for putting together a timely and forward thinking initiative that will bring great benefit to their customers,” stated Dale Hahs, president of Custom Energy. “We’re pleased to be able to participate with the residents of Long Island with reducing their energy costs while providing solutions that will enhance their facilities and the environment for years to come. Programs like these act as a catalyst allowing us to shore up failing facility infrastructures and strengthen local economies while becoming ever more energy efficient and better stewards of our natural resources.”
“Local business is the backbone of Long Island’s economy, and one of the most important factors in achieving success in maintaining the bottom line. LIPA’s RECAP program is specifically designed to help Long Island business make energy efficient improvements that can save real dollars and lower their costs,” concluded Mr. Kessel.
To learn more about the RECAP program and other LIPA conservation programs for both commercial and residential customers, visit LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org
LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric utility, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to over 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. In terms of customers served, LIPA is the 3rd largest municipal electric utility in the nation and the 6th largest in terms of electricity delivered. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island electric generation assets.
LIPA Contact Information:
Media Relations: (516) 719-9892
Media Pager: (516) 525-LIPA
media.relations@lipower.org
LIPA RECAP Program
http://www.lipower.org/cei/recap.html
LIPA News Center
http://www.lipower.org/newscenter
