WPPI awards energy efficiency grants

From a press release issued by Wisconsin Public Power, Inc. (WPPI):

WPPI will award more than $225,000 in grants for energy efficiency projects to industrial companies served by WPPI member utilities. The funding comes from WPPI’s ‘RFP for Energy Efficiency’ program, aimed at making electric energy saving projects a worthwhile business investment for large power customers.

“We know that energy conservation is the most practical and effective way to keep customers’ electric bills down for the long-term,” says WPPI Director of Energy Services Jake Oelke. “Wisconsin Public Power is providing these grants to help control energy costs by reducing inefficient uses of energy, without adversely affecting convenience or productivity.”

The RFP program invites commercial and industrial customers of WPPI’s municipally owned member utilities to submit competitive, cost-effective proposals for energy-saving upgrades to equipment and systems within customers’ current facilities.

Four companies will receive grants through the current round of project bidding:

Thilmany LLC, Kaukauna, Wis., was awarded $70,000 to install variable frequency drives that will improve pressure control for two water pumps. Thilmany, a leading manufacturer of specialty lightweight packaging, pressure sensitive, and technical and industrial papers, will also retrofit lighting in several areas of the mill as recommended in a lighting audit conducted by WPPI.

Goodyear Engineered Products, Sun Prairie, Wis., will receive more than $19,000 to offset the costs of optimizing its compressed air system. Goodyear Engineered Products, part of Veyance Technologies Inc., is a global leader in tire development and manufacturing.

Minnesota Rubber and Plastics, River Falls, Wis. – will receive nearly $117,000 to replace an existing plastic resin drying process with a more efficient centralized system. In addition to energy cost savings achieved through decreased drying and vacuum pump load, the centralized system will result in less material handling time, less raw material waste and higher machine utilization.

The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Sun Prairie, Wis., was awarded $20,000 for the installation of a variable speed drive air compressor as recommended during a recent energy audit conducted by WPPI. The project will provide a combination of energy cost savings and maintenance cost savings for The Wisconsin Cheeseman, a mail order gift food company.