Seeing Savings from an ESPC Project in Fort Polk's Utility Bills

Shonder, J.A.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

关键词: Financing;    Energy Management;    32 Energy Conservation, Consumption, And Utilization;    Verification;    Energy Efficiency;   

DOI  :  10.2172/882793
RP-ID  :  ORNL/TM-2004/294
RP-ID  :  DE-AC05-00OR22725
RP-ID  :  882793

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Federal agencies have implemented many energy efficiency projects over the years with direct funding or alternative financing vehicles such as energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs). While it is generally accepted that these projects save energy and costs, the savings are usually not obvious in the utility bills. This is true for many valid technical reasons, even when savings are verified in other ways to the highest degree of certainty. However, any perceived deficiency in the evidence for savings is problematic when auditors or other observers evaluate the outcome of energy projects and the achievements of energy management programs. This report discusses under what circumstances energy savings should or should not be evident in utility bills. In the special case of a large ESPC project at the Army's Fort Polk, the analysis of utility bills carried out by the authors does unequivocally confirm and quantify savings. The data requirements and methods for arriving at definitive answers through utility bill analysis are demonstrated in our discussion of the Fort Polk project. The following paragraphs address why the government generally should not expect to see savings from ESPC projects in their utility bills. We also review lessons learned and best practices for measurement and verification (M&V) that can assure best value for the government and are more practical, straightforward, and cost-effective than utility bill analysis.