Save on HVAC, lighting, refrigeration and everyday operations
Find energy-efficient solutions to help reduce your business’ energy use and costs. Your business may already qualify for incentives and no-interest or low-interest financing to help install improvements in HVAC & cooling, refrigeration, lighting, pumps, motors & compression, water management, and plug-load management.
More efficient HVAC and lighting
Lighting & lighting controls
Help improve your energy efficiency by better managing your lighting costs. Your business may already qualify for incentives that could put these energy-saving improvements into effect.
- Use LED bulbs and LED exit signs
- Install dimmable ballasts to lower energy use in fluorescent lamps
- Install inexpensive occupancy sensors that turn lights off
- Install sensory controllers on vending machines
Install an Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) system to provide emergency power when the input power source fails to provide near-instantaneous protection from interruptions by supplying energy stored in batteries, super capacitors or flywheels.
Change refrigeration display case lighting to LEDs, found to be also more appealing to customers.
HVAC & cooling
- Perform routine maintenance on heating and A/C filters, belts, coils and bearings
- Install programmable thermostats
- Install window film and blinds to keep the heat out
- Install variable speed drives to optimize fan and pump motor operation
- Repair air leaks in hoses and pipe connections
In new construction, downsizing mechanical cooling equipment and/or electrical supply can lower costs and mechanical/electrical footprint.
- For large data center facilities, a chilled water system served by a central plant is the most efficient approach to providing mechanical cooling.
- Check that data center cooling meets the latest ASHRAE standards for Datacom environments—many data centers can safely operate at higher temperatures than previous standards.
- In new construction, downsizing mechanical cooling equipment and/or electrical supply can lower costs and mechanical/electrical footprint.
- Uses of best-practices air management, such as strict hot aisle/cold aisle configuration, can double the computer server cooling capacity of a data center.
- Combined with an air-side economizer, air management can reduce data center cooling costs by over 60%.
- Install air-or water-side economizers to help cut data center cooling costs by over 60% using standard, commonly available low-cost equipment.
- Best-practices in air management, such as strict hot aisle/cold aisle configuration, can double the computer server cooling capacity of a data center.
Efficiency in refrigeration & food preparation
Refrigeration & cold storage
- Maintain appropriate temperature settings in freezers (-8°F to -14°F) and refrigerators (35°F to 38°F)
- Turn down refrigerated storage and refrigerant compressors during Time- of- Use (TOU) On-Peak Hours and Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) events
- Clean evaporator coils
- Replace worn or missing door gaskets on refrigerated units
- Install refrigeration curtains, and/or auto door closers on refrigeration units
- Add temperature controllers to your refrigeration units
- Upgrade to high-efficiency fans and programmable thermostats
- Reduce air leakage in refrigerated cases
- Add strip curtains to walk-in doors
- Turn off ice machines and reschedule dishwashing/laundry processes before or after TOU On-Peak Hours and CPP events
- Delay use of electric resistance defrost controls and the use of anti-sweat heaters before or after TOU On-Peak Hours and CPP events
Food preparation
- Minimize preheating energy use by following manufacturer recommendations for preheat times and temperature settings
- Set cooking schedules to use cooking equipment at full capacity
- Turn off unused and backup equipment during low production periods and CPP events
- Reduce air leakage in ovens by making sure doors fit tightly and gaskets are in good condition
- Position cooking appliances well within exhaust hoods
- Minimize excessive preheating by following the manufacturer’s recommendations for preheat times and temperature settings
Warehouses & Motors
Warehouse operations
- Turn off vertical lifts, conveyor belts and non-essential process equipment during TOU On-Peak hours and Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) events
- Charge batteries and battery-operated equipment during before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m. and before or after CPP events
- Turn off unnecessary lighting, ornamental or display lighting and office equipment
- Utilize day lighting options and reduce lighting levels
- Install photocells or time clocks on outdoor lighting systems so they only operate from dusk to dawn
- Manage evaporative fan speeds
- Reduce air compressors and processing loads using pre-programmed load shed strategies
- Reduce compressed air discharge pressure by 10 psi or at the lowest pressure allowed by your system.
- Match energy consumption to actual needs. Often, head pressure is left at a high set point determined by the peak design day. Refrigeration controls can modulate and reduce the head pressure, typically saving 3 to 15% annually*
- Let floating suction controls monitor ambient temperature
- By continuously varying suction pressure to meet demand, the savings can be significant, typically from 2 to 10% annually*
- Delay electric-resistant defrost controls
- Inspect weather stripping for deterioration or gaps around doors and windows
Motors & compression
- Practice preventative maintenance on motor systems and replace old motors with high-efficiency motors for improved performance.
- Replace old motors with high-efficiency motors
- Install automatic shut-off devices to reduce peak
- Install small air compressors for low-use
- Install sequencing controls on multiple-unit compressor systems
Guide to all solutions & incentives
This Solution Directory lists eligible equipment (solutions) and qualification criteria for rebates or incentives available to business customers through SCE’s Express Solutions and Customized Solutions energy efficiency programs, and the Automated Demand Response Control incentive programs.
Solutions directory (pdf) >