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MODRoto Plastic
Laundry Carts enable
accurate RFID chip reading
There are said to be no metal parts on this cart to impede the accurate reading of RFID tags in its load of linen. Contents may be read with up to 99.98% accuracy when they are either clean and folded on shelves, or soiled and loaded into the bin confi guration. Accuracy is not harmed by the lockable roof. For more details, call 800-829-4535 or
jsmylie@modroto.com.
Update on Utility Rebate Programs 1. ENERGY AUDITS
Most utility companies now subsidize the cost of an audit, which can determine where your energy is being consumed, and put together a ‘to-do’ list of upgrades and operating changes to signifi cantly reduce bills. The best thing about these is that, in many cases, oper- ators can cut costs without buying new equipment, just by changing how they do things. Common examples include regularly cleaning lint fi lters so that equipment runs at its rated effi ciency, and scheduling work to take advantage of lower off- peak electricity prices. If you haven’t had an energy audit of your plant, I strongly advise you to check out the programs in your area.
2. PRESCRIPTIVE COMING EVENT October 12–16
AMERICAN LAUNDRY AND LINEN COLLEGE PROCESSING AND OPERATIONS Eastern Kentucky University Christina Horsley
chorsley@almnet.org 859-624-0177
www.almnet.org/event/ALLC2015FALL (online registration available until 10/10/15)
MuseumCare™ Preservations
1-800-501-5005
A cooperative providing marketing, purchasing and advertising support, as well as technical assistance.
Some Canadian Territories Open.
Prescriptive grants refer to fi xed amounts payable for imple- menting specific solutions. Typical examples are replacing traditional lighting with LEDs, or upgrading to Energy Star certified equipment. A typical example is Nova Scotia’s pro- gram focussed on cleaners, with grants of $400 for the conver- sion/replacement of an electric dryer to gas power, and up to $250 for the purchase of Con- sortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) listed washers.
Prescriptive grants have the
advantage of being easy to understand and straightforward to apply for, and I encourage you to research any that are available before you buy new equipment. However, if you are planning a new plant, or major upgrades to your existing equipment, you need to explore the custom rebates available in your area.
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3. CUSTOM REBATES Custom rebates are general- ly intended to encompass any technology or process change that results in an energy saving. Obviously this is useful because every business is different, so something that works in one location will be pointless some- where else. However, while it is easy to quantify the benefi t of installing LED lighting or a low-fl ush toilet, calculating the increased effi ciency that comes from replacing electrically powered chillers with a water- cooled solution (that recycles the energy captured) is more
22 FABRICARE CANADA September/October 2015
diffi cult when there are multiple variables at play. This is where an energy audit can be useful, because the auditor will have expertise in evaluating different plant confi gurations, and he or she should be able to suggest ways to quantify the savings. One of the things that puts many people off, when they investigate custom rebate programs, is the verification requirements, because (in many cases) calculations of the ener- gy savings achieved must be approved by a professional engineer. Before giving up at the prospect of a consulting bill that would dwarf the anticipat- ed rebate, take the time to dis- cuss with the program manager how the requirements can be met in practice. Mathieu Ron- deau, Energy Effi ciency Advisor at Gaz Métro in Québec, told me that the aim of their grant program was to help customers implement effi ciency upgrades, and although reporting and verification was necessary to make sure that the grants were achieving that aim, the com- pany would make every effort to help customers successfully complete their application. In the case of WN North Hydro in Waterloo, Ontario, the utility works with Joule Energy Solu- tions, an independent consult- ing fi rm that, at no cost to the customer, helps them to cal- culate the energy savings and complete the forms.
SUMMARY
Frustrating as it may be, as business owners we have to recognize the reality that util- ity prices are set to continue their upward trajectory for the foreseeable future. The only way to adapt to this unpleasant fact is by making the structural changes to our business opera- tions that will result in perma- nent reductions in the inputs consumed. Efficiency rebates should be seen in this context, not simply as ‘free money’ but a means to protect your long- term profi tability by getting off the cost escalator. Looked at this way, can you really afford not to take advantage? █
Martin Saxton is a qualifi ed accountant and co-founder of FreeLoader Products, Inc., and can be reached at 800-610-3572 or
martin@freeloaderproducts.com.
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