by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Sartell and an energy-efficiency company known as Johnson Controls agreed at the last city council meeting to undertake an evaluation of the city’s energy usage and operations with the goal of saving lots of money in the long run.
The savings in energy and operation costs are guaranteed by JC, otherwise each year JC will write the city a check to reimburse it for any costs. The program could save Sartell an estimated $122,000 annually in energy and energy equipment-operating costs, or about $1.2 million over 10 years, according to Trish Curtis, a spokesperson for the company, which has a branch in Waite Park.
JC has branches in more than 150 countries, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis. and one in Shanghai, China. It’s number 68 on the list of Fortune 500 companies. Its mission (for its energy division) is to create a program that saves cities and other entities energy, that maximizes energy efficiency and the equipment, maintenance and operation of energy systems.
JC did a free inventory of Sartell’s energy methods and usage in 2009, although at that time the city did not pursue a contract with JC. Now, however, the city has agreed to let JC do a complete evaluation of the city’s energy usage and methods, including at the water-treatment plant, at Public Works, at City Hall and all city buildings and functions, and even street lighting.
JC also aggressively seeks legislative funding, grants, utility rebates and other methods in which cities can make improvements for energy systems and efficiencies.
Two examples are the initiation of an automatic meter-reading system and the replacement of city lights, including street lights, with high-efficiency LED bulbs.
After the evaluation is completed and presented to the council, in about three months’ time, the council can decide to proceed with JC’s recommendations. If it does not, it will have to pay $19,700 for the evaluation study. If it does agree to contract with JC, however, it will not have to pay that amount.
Whatever the city pays in equipment or changes must result in the estimated $122,000 annual energy savings to the city, or JC will write a check every year for any shortfall in those savings.
The council approved the proposal unanimously.
