Clean Generation Solutions
Increase profitability and reduce emissions by shifting to renewable energy
When you successfully generate your own clean energy with renewable energy solutions, such as cogeneration solutions, your carbon footprint shrinks. But efficiency, clean energy and reduced emissions aren’t just about being a good corporate citizen… they are also a means to greater profitability and competitive advantage.
EPS specializes in helping manufacturing companies shift to clean energy sources with renewable energy solutions when it makes financial sense for them to do so. Usually the best time to consider alternative energy is after you have gained the benefits from the Control and Replace steps of the EPS Way. But you may have business reasons to Shift to renewable energy immediately. Whenever you determine the time is right, EPS has the experience to help. Since we own and/or operate many cogeneration and renewable generation assets, we know how to make the Shift to clean energy financially attractive for you.
We start with a comprehensive Clean Energy Assessment to determine:
- Is renewable energy financially compelling for your company?
- What type of alternative energy is best for your manufacturing facility and your sustainability goals?
- Will it reliably deliver the required supply?
- What are the realistic expected cost and emissions benefits?
- What will it take to finance, build and operate your clean or renewable energy plant?
Using the Energy Intelligence gleaned from your facility through our xChange Point® energy management solution, we develop a detailed energy profile of your operations. We review your organization’s energy and sustainability objectives, the current energy offerings and pricing from your local utilities, and evaluate the fit of the different potential clean and renewable energy solutions for your facility.
Once we identify a viable alternate energy opportunity, we help you implement the solution that best aligns with your construction, ownership, operations and financing preferences.
Cogeneration / CHP – Natural gas to produce electricity and steam; hot or chilled water as a by-product
Biogas – Methane fuel generated from anaerobic digesters that process organic material
Photovoltaic and Thermal – Producing electricity and/or hot water from the sun’s energy
Cogeneration (Clean Heat & Power, CHP) can be a very efficient way to generate primary or supplemental energy to run your manufacturing plant. This process uses a single fuel source, such as natural gas, to generate two forms of useful energy in the same facility: electricity and thermal (either steam, hot or cold water, as the by-product of the process). As a result, a cogeneration plant requires approximately 60% less fuel to produce the same amount of energy compared to traditional methods utilizing a fossil mix/gas fuel source. And since CHP uses less fuel, as well as a cleaner source, emissions are reduced by as much as 53%, making a substantial impact on your progress toward sustainability.
In areas of the country where natural gas is readily available and affordable, cogeneration can be a very cost-effective energy solution delivering significant savings and reduced carbon output, provided the plant is properly designed and managed.
EPS has extensive experience in designing, building, operating and financing CHP plants. Our knowledge of the key energy-consuming systems in plants and facilities and our comprehensive approach to operating cogeneration plants helps our customers gain the maximum financial and environmental advantages of alternative energy. We provide continual performance management of your cogeneration system to help you optimize your savings over the life of the equipment and meet your energy and carbon reduction goals.
Rather than focusing only on individual pieces of equipment or engines, EPS applies a holistic approach and thorough understanding of the goal of your entire cogeneration facility. As a result, our experienced team of performance managers work to achieve maximum cost savings and efficiency through the life cycle of the engine by fully optimizing the operation of your complete system.
EPS understands the impact of system downtime. And our highly-trained operators understand how their actions affect not only the cogeneration system, but the entire plant. Our philosophy is simple; we treat your cogeneration system as critical to your enterprise, regardless of whether it is a primary or backup energy source for your facility. EPS consistently strives to achieve results that out-perform the manufacturers’ engine specifications and maintains the highest possible levels of uptime so you receive reliable, consistent energy generation without affecting production. And if there is ever a problem, our comprehensive rapid response approach will help your facility return to operation again at maximum efficiency in a timely manner.
EPS offers a full range of cogeneration capabilities: We can build a new CHP plant for your manufacturing facility or can operate your existing cogeneration facility to achieve greater efficiency and cost savings.
Building a New Cogeneration Plant
Build, Own, Operate (BOO)
EPS can build, own and operate a cogeneration plant for you. You benefit from clean heat and power without needing to acquire the necessary in-house expertise, take responsibility for performance or incur any capital investment. EPS then sells you the energy generated under a Power Purchase Agreement at prices expected to be significantly lower than your prevailing utility rates.
Engineer, Procure, Construct (EPC)
Under this arrangement, EPS will design, build and install the cogeneration facility under a purchase order agreement. Your company finances the project, then operates and manages the plant once it is up and running. In addition to designing, constructing, installing and operating the new CHP facility, we work closely with you to ensure that you completely understand how the system interfaces with your facility and processes. You also have the option of hiring EPS experts to efficiently run the cogeneration facility at maximum performance under an Operate & Maintain agreement (see below).
Operate your Existing Cogeneration Plant
Operating a cogeneration plant at maximum efficiency is not an easy task. It requires experience, skill and employing industry best practices. EPS can take on the responsibility of continuously maintaining your cogeneration plant’s performance for you, so you can remain focused on running your business and production. Operating your cogeneration plant can be structured in two ways:
EPS PowerSaver™ Agreement
EPS will assume the operation of your existing cogeneration facility and sell energy to you at the current utility rate. EPS delivers a guaranteed, specified amount of savings to you each month.
Operate & Maintain Agreement
Under this agreement you handle the design, financing, construction and installation of the cogeneration facility. EPS operates and maintains it for maximum efficiency and cost savings under an annual contract.
Biogas can be a very cost-effective renewable energy option for companies that have organic waste matter as a by-product from their manufacturing processes. Utilizing the anaerobic digestion process, the organic matter is converted into methane and CO2 gasses. Once cleaned to the required level of purity, and then compressed or liquefied, this biogas can be used as an alternative fuel to run your manufacturing plant, reducing both your carbon emissions and the amount of energy you need to purchase.
By utilizing your own organic by-products as a fuel source, you simultaneously reduce the amount of energy you need to purchase from the utility companies and curtail the cost of disposing of your waste material. This waste-to-energy process is particularly relevant in the food, beverage and meat processing industries, where organic byproducts are abundant.
However, converting an internal waste stream to a clean, reliable and efficient energy source takes a great deal of expertise. Properly stabilizing the methane reduction (cleaning or ‘scrubbing’ the gas) is critical. Also, methane is tougher on equipment, so an in-depth understanding of the entire system and the complete maintenance implications is a must.
The energy management professionals at EPS are experts at building and operating biogas plants for maximum efficiency. With many years of experience, our knowledge of the key energy-consuming systems in plants and facilities makes EPS a valuable partner as you look to gain the financial and environmental advantages of waste to energy. And with our expertise in designing, constructing and operating biogas plants, we strive to ensure that you completely understand how the system interfaces with your facility and processes. We work with your staff and existing equipment providers to provide continual performance management of your cogeneration system to help you optimize your savings over the life of the equipment and meet your energy and carbon reduction goals.
EPS can build you a new biogas plant or operate your existing facility to achieve greater efficiency and cost savings.
Building a New Biogas Cogeneration Plant
Build, Own, Operate (BOO)
EPS can build, own and operate a biogas plant for you. You benefit from a clean, renewable energy source without needing to acquire the necessary in-house expertise, taking responsibility for performance or incurring any capital investment. EPS then sells you the energy generated under a Power Purchase Agreement at prices expected to be significantly lower than your prevailing utility rates.
Engineer, Procure, Construct (EPC)
Under this arrangement, EPS will design, build and install the biogas facility under a purchase order agreement. You finance the project, then operate and manage the waste-to-energy plant once it is up and running. With our expertise in designing, constructing, installing and operating biogas facilities, we work closely with you to ensure that you completely understand how the system interfaces with your facility and processes. You also have the option of hiring EPS experts to efficiently run the biogas cogeneration facility at maximum performance under an Operate & Maintain agreement (see below).
Operate your Existing Cogeneration Plant
Operating a biogas plant at maximum efficiency is not an easy task. It requires experience, skill and employing industry best practices. EPS can take on the responsibility of maintaining your plant’s performance for you, so you can stay focused on running your business and production. Operating your biogas plant can be structured in two ways:
EPS PowerSaver™ Agreement
EPS assumes the operation of the biogas cogeneration facility, and sells energy to you at the current utility rate. EPS delivers a guaranteed, specified amount of savings to you each month.
Operate & Maintain Agreement
Under this agreement your company handles the design, financing, construction and installation of the biogas cogeneration facility. EPS operates and maintains it for maximum efficiency and cost savings under an annual contract.
EPS has expertise in building, operating and maintaining photovoltaic (PV) and thermal renewable energy solutions that produce electricity and/or hot water by utilizing the sun’s energy.
One of the world’s fastest-growing energy technologies, PV and solar thermal can be very clean and cost-effective sources of energy generation in regions that receive an abundance of sunshine and /or have attractive state or utility incentives. With many options available, EPS is your single source for designing, building, operating, maintaining and financing your PV or solar thermal system. We will also work to secure any government and/or utility financial incentive and rebates to maximize your return on investment.
Building a Solar Energy Solution
Engineer, Procure, Construct (EPC)
Under this arrangement, EPS will design, build and install the PV or solar thermal project under a purchase order agreement. You finance the project, then operate and manage the solar system once it is up and running. With our expertise in designing, constructing, installing and operating solar systems, we ensure you completely understand how the system interfaces with your facility and processes.
Capital Lease
The capital lease combines some of the benefits of leasing with those of ownership. Payments are spread over a period of five to nine years representing the full value of the equipment. The advantage of a capital lease is you will own the equipment at the end of the lease for a minimal payment. Additionally you can recognize the accelerated depreciation expense of the PV system on your annual tax returns.
Build, Own, Operate (BOO)
EPC can build, own and operate a solar system for you. You benefit from a clean, renewable energy source without needing to acquire the necessary in-house expertise, taking responsibility for performance or incurring any capital investment. EPS then sells you the energy generated under a Power Purchase Agreement at prices expected to be significantly lower than your prevailing utility rates.
Learn more about how EPS PV/thermal renewable energy solutions have helped other manufacturers.
Assessing and choosing the right clean generation solution is complex and requires:
- An in-depth knowledge of constantly changing technologies
- An understanding of the total cost of installation ownership
- Ability to accurately quantify the expected savings in energy consumption and carbon emissions
- Most importantly, an understanding of how the system will integrate into your existing plant environment
EPS combines all of this intelligence needed to fully evaluate renewable energy solutions for each manufacturing facility. We quantify the potential value of the opportunities and then provide you with recommendations on whether shifting to alternative energy options would be financially compelling for your company. We offer:
- Extensive proven expertise in designing, building and operating efficient cogeneration solutions
- Best practice operations – We employ industry standard and best practices, with a focus on delivering consistently high levels of efficiency
- Reduced risk – You can achieve competitive energy costs with our Power Purchase Agreement and/or incremental savings beyond your current operating level with the PowerSaver Agreement
- Measurable, verifiable and repeatable results – with xChange Point™, the EPS energy management solution, you can track the performance of your facility, enabling you to meet or exceed your targets.
- EPS Financing Solutions help you to implement the renewable energy project sooner and to avoid the large capital investment, human resource requirements and daily management of the facility, if you desire.