Energy savings bubble up at Bernick’s Beverages

ST. CLOUD – Bernick’s Beverages & Vending, a beverage distributor with six plants, wanted to reduce its footprint and save money. So the company, a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Minnesota Waste Wise member, worked with Energy Smart to look closer at potential upgrades.

Energy Smart arranged a lighting audit for Bernick’s and checked in regularly to ensure the process was moving along smoothly and field any questions. Bernick’s – after learning about the quick payback of high-efficiency lighting and its ability to get a lighting rebate from Xcel Energy – decided to replace about 500 metal halide bulbs with high-efficient T-8s at its Waite Park, Minn., warehouse. The company also installed a motion-sensor system to control the warehouse’s lighting usage.

Overall, the company expects to save about $80,000 annually on the warehouse’s lighting costs, with the full project paying for itself in about a year.

“Bernick’s appreciates the expertise that Energy Smart brings to the table,” says Jason Bernick, chief operations officer for the fourth-generation family business. “It’s partnerships like this that not only save on expenses for our company but also reduces demand on power plants for a ‘greener’ environment.”

The lighting upgrade is just the beginning of Bernick’s energy-saving endeavors, however. The company is putting LED lights and “vending miser” timers in its vending machines. It’s also using opportunity chargers to control the energy used to charge forklift batteries, which is expected to save the company $62 monthly per forklift, and is testing a device that regulates engine heater operating hours in its fleet.

Contact Energy Smart at info@mnenergysmart.com or by calling (651)292-4652 with questions or to get help with energy-efficiency upgrades.

Energy Smart receives three years of new funding through Xcel Energy

Energy Smart is getting three years of new funding through Xcel Energy. The funding was approved in November by Minnesota’s Office of Energy Security and took effect January 1. (Read the full news release.)

The funding is part of Xcel Energy’s conservation improvement program — its plan to help it meet Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act energy-savings goals. It will allow Energy Smart to expand its service offerings and help more Minnesota businesses take advantage of energy efficiency incentives, such as utility rebates, grants and low-interest loans. “How Energy Smart promotes the program with Minnesota Chamber membership may resonate better than if they only hear the message from us,” said Kris Kohls, commercial energy-efficiency marketing product manager for Xcel Energy.

Energy Smart continues to assist to any Minnesota business, regardless of its utility.

To celebrate the good news, Energy Smart recently launched a blog called Energy $ense with tips, news, research and events on energy efficiency for businesses in Minnesota and beyond. We hope you enjoy it!

2010 brings new funding opportunities for energy upgrades

You thought 2009 was a good year to make energy upgrades? 2010 looks even better. Governments and utilities are rolling out more – and better – financial incentives, thanks to a flood of stimulus cash to states and political momentum to make energy efficiency a top priority.

Minnesota is offering grants to businesses planning significant energy improvement projects by mid-2011. (But you must act by January 29.) And it’s likely that other Minnesota organizations will offer their own grant or low-cost loan programs for business upgrades in coming months.

And Xcel Energy enhanced its rebate programs, more than doubling or even tripling the rebate levels for many types of upgrades.

We will continue to update you on new funding opportunities. Stay tuned for more details on our new blog and on the financial incentives page on our Web site. You can also contact Energy Smart at info@mnenergysmart.com or (651)292-4652 to find out what incentives you are eligible for.