LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 5, 2002 -- The Board of Water and Power Commissioners Tuesday took several actions to provide energy and water savings for commercial and industrial customers in Los Angeles.
These include a one-year extension of three energy efficiency incentive programs from Dec. 31, 2002 to Dec. 31, 2003, and an incentive increase for the replacement of non-water saving toilets with ultra-low-flush toilets.
The specific energy efficiency programs include incentives for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Commercial Lighting Efficiency Offer (CLEO) and Chiller Efficiency Program (CEP). Together, air conditioning and commercial lighting make up about two-thirds of the total energy usage during summer peak periods.
In addition, the Innovative Technology Program to encourage commercial customers to implement innovative energy efficiency research and development projects designed to save energy was also extended.
"We are pleased to continue partnering with our many commercial and industrial customers in developing and completing their energy and water efficiency projects. Many customers have done an outstanding job reducing and shifting energy use and we look forward to working with many more customers to install major energy efficiency measures including new state-of-the-art lighting, chiller, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems," said David H. Wiggs, LADWP general manager.
"Our large customers have demonstrated that becoming more energy efficient is both good for the environment and the bottom line," said Angelina Galiteva, LADWP director of Green LA.
Galiteva added that over the last 18 months, the energy efficiency programs for all customers have resulted in an unprecedented 142 megawatts of peak energy savings. About two-thirds of the savings came from large commercial customers, she said.
To encourage commercial, industrial and institutional customers to switch to water-saving toilets, LADWP will raise its rebate amounts to $250 for a flushometer-type, ultra-low-flush toilet (ULFT) and $175 for a tank-type ULFT, increased from the current $120 rebate for all types of ULFTs. The program is a partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which funds up to $90 of each rebate while LADWP pays the balance.
The increased rebate levels, which will go into effect in January 2003, are intended to spark greater participation by offsetting more of the costs incurred by customers, said Thomas Gackstetter, LADWP water conservation manager. Initiated in December 2000, the program with MWD so far has resulted in the installation of 4,780 ULFTs among commercial, industrial and institutional customers, saving more than 41 million gallons annually.
"Installation of low-flush toilets is a proven and effective means of water conservation," Gackstetter said. The ULFTs can save from two to five gallons per flush, providing significant water savings for the city of Los Angeles and cost savings for participating customers. Through LADWP's residential toilet replacement programs, which were implemented in the early 1990s, more than 1.1 million new ULFTs have been installed, saving the city approximately 11 billion gallons of water per year.
In addition, LADWP is in the process of revising the Integrated Resource Plan, which details the amounts of energy from different resources the utility plans to utilize as well as develop over the next several years. The current plan includes goals for energy efficiency, distributed generation, as well as the use of green power or renewable energy. As a result, some of the Energy Efficiency incentive programs that were extended may be revised in the near future to more specifically support the updated plan.
Specific information about the approved incentive payments for the three major Energy Efficiency programs, application requirements for the Innovative Technology Program and water conservation information are provided on the LADWP Green LA website at www.GreenLA.com.
Recently the Board also approved extension of the popular Consumer Rebate Program through Dec. 31, 2003, to provide residential customers financial incentives for the purchase of Energy Star-qualified appliances and related products.
The Energy Efficiency Program is part of the award-winning and internationally recognized Green LA Programs that also include Solar Power, Green Power, Tree Planting for a Green LA, Electric Transportation, Cool Schools Tree Planting, Water Conservation and Recycling.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the largest municipal utility in the nation, was established 100 years ago to provide a reliable and safe water and electric supply to the city's businesses and residents.
