PUD announces potato, onion storage facilities program

Program details and priority drawing planned for June 7

EPHRATA — Potato and onion storage customers served by Grant County PUD have an opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of their storage facilities with a new program. Grant PUD commissioners recently approved the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Incentive Program funded by the Conservation Rate Credit (CRC) portion of Grant's contract with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).

The VFD Incentive Program involves the addition of variable frequency drives to fan motors and related control systems. The program also covers motor replacement as needed.

Over the last two years, Grant PUD installed VFD test systems in Grant County to examine and measure actual performance. The analysis of these test installations shows substantial kilowatt-hour (kWh) savings and product quality improvement following the installation of variable frequency drives and high-efficiency motors in potato storage facilities. Storage facility owners also report increased quality of the stored potatoes and a reduced shrinkage.

Program incentives are 15 cents per kWh of estimated kWh savings or 40 percent of eligible equipment cost, whichever is less. There is a $25,000 per project maximum.

The VFD Incentive Program was approved for a three-year period with the expectation that all eligible storage facilities in Grant County will be completed by the end of 2008.

Program details will be explained at a seminar scheduled for Wednesday, June 7 at Big Bend Community College ATEC, Building 1800, 7611 Bolling Street, Moses Lake. Requests for participation are now being taken. A drawing at the June 7 seminar will establish a priority list for doing the work. Requests received after June 7 will be added to the bottom of the priority list.

Speakers at the seminar include Steve Koski, an engineer with Cascade Energy Engineering and Nathan Oberg, a University of Idaho graduate.

Koski will talk about the energy savings possible with VFDs, and Oberg will discuss product quality improvements experienced with the installation of the VFDs and associated equipment. Koski and Oberg were both involved in a University of Idaho study in 2002 utilizing variable frequency drives in potato storage ventilation systems.

Frank Majer, of Grant PUD, is the project manager for the VFD Incentive Program and will explain program details.

To be included in the priority list drawing on June 7, contact Laura Beck at (509) 766-2512.

— Staff report