Energy efficiency: The new natural resource reducing costs and achieving sustainability goals

Energy efficiency isn't sexy, "but it should be," according to Maureen Raftery, New York-based energy consultant. It's so cost effective, so economically and environmentally beneficial and, frankly, so easy, that it needs to be one of the first tools that companies reach for when they want to reduce costs or achieve sustainability goals. With energy efficiency starring on a Time Magazine cover story (Jan. 12, 2008) "Why We Need to See the Light about Energy Efficiency" and in President Barack Obama's energy policy, Raftery may get her wish about energy efficiency taking on a higher profile. Raftery is founder and president of Energy Cost-Saving Systems, Inc. (ECSI) which offers commercial and industrial companies an unusual value proposition: if they invest in a new layer of simple technology that can reduce electric bills by 10-30%, she will guarantee the savings, including a specified return on investment that can be anywhere between 33-65%. The guarantees are backed by a surety bond underwritten by Lloyd's of London. ECSI uses technologies and techniques developed by Energy Automation Systems, Inc. headquartered in Hendersonville, Tennessee. In 30 years of operation, their technologies have been implemented across the country in major companies including Coca-Cola, General Electric, Ford, Samsung, General Mills, Shell Oil, Carrier and many more. Industries that have been served include manufacturing hotel/motel, commercial office, retail, colleges and universities, hospitals and amusement parks. ECSI is currently working with several NY companies. According to Raftery's associate John Gebbie, there are many technologies on the market dealing with sustainable power generation (like solar, wind, and geo-thermal) and lower power use (such as tankless water heaters and high efficiency HVAC, motors and lighting), but few companies are addressing electrical distribution efficiency. "When a lot of industrial managers hear the word efficiency, they think they have to replace a hundred-thousand-dollar piece of equipment, but we find efficiencies without replacing equipment," said Gebbie. "We've developed a particular niche with mitigating line loss and improving motor load efficiencies by applying passive technologies that generate impressive kilowatt hour savings. We treat the equipment that is already in place, without interrupting business operations and our solutions are paid for by the savings we create," he said.