Prepare To Pump Up Efficiency

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed its first-ever energy standards for commercial and industrial pumps, aimed at saving energy in the agricultural and municipal clean water sectors.

The notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for a standard was outlined in an Energy Conservation Program document, regulating energy consumption by clean water pumps ranging from 1 to 200 horsepower. By requiring that pumps adhere to a “Pump Efficiency Index” (PEI), the DOE estimates savings of up to $1.1 billion in net energy bill reductions and 30 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over 30 years of sales.

To devise an appropriate PEI, the DOE formed a working group of manufacturers, efficiency advocates, pump users, and utilities. The process was initiated in 2013 and the working group successfully reached a consensus on June 19 of last year.

Manufacturer Impact

Meg Waltner, Manager for Building Energy Policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council and a member of the NOPR working group, reported that if the final proposed rule is adopted, 25 percent of pumps currently available would be removed from the marketplace.

“All of the pumps covered in the rule are used to pump clean water,” she told Water Online. “Typical uses include agricultural irrigation, building heating and cooling systems, and water treatment plants.”

The 20 outlined equipment classes to be affected by the rule include vertical turbine submersible, end suction, radial split vertical, and inline pumps.

“While 80 percent of the energy consumed in water treatment plants is from pumping energy, few significant types of pumps have been specifically excluded from this initial rulemaking,” said working group member Greg Towsely, former director of Regulatory and Technical Affairs at Grundfos North America, a pump manufacturer.

Once a rule is passed, manufacturers will have to determine which of their pump models fail to meet the new standards. They can then choose to upgrade those models with improved hydraulics or technology, or to discontinue them in favor of more energy-efficient products.

The DOE has taken steps to consult manufacturers throughout this process, presumably to avoid lambasting them with sudden restrictions, and Towsley predicts those that have taken heed will be at a distinct advantage over competitors.

“I believe that those manufacturers that have products that meet the standards before the effective date will have an advantage in the market as the end users increase their understanding of the benefits of this regulation to them in energy savings,” he said.

Opportunity To Improve

A new rule won’t prohibit the use of inefficient pumps, just their sale on the market. Utilities won’t be forced to upgrade, but introduction of the new standards offers them the chance to improve efficiency and save on a leading expense.

In advance of the ruling, Towsley recommends that utilities complete a pumping system assessment to determine performance and energy consumption, and then compare their pumps to the scope found in the final rule. If they find that their pumps are not compliant with the DOE standards, this will indicate the chance to upgrade to something more efficient.

“The proposed standards also include certification and labeling requirements, which will allow pump users to more easily identify the most efficient pumps,” said Joanna Mauer, a working group member from the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.

Stay Posted

The DOE was accepting comments, data, and information from the public up until June 1. With that period closed, it should have all it needs to make a final decision.

The agency did not respond to requests for comment on its timeline, but members of the working group predict the publication of a final rule by the end of the year. The effective date for manufacturer compliance will be four years following that publication.

In the meantime, manufacturers and utilities alike should prepare for a more energy-efficient landscape and, in the case of the latter party at least, cost savings.

“The utilities need to stay educated on this regulation and future regulations, and to utilize their partnerships with consultants, pump manufacturers, value-added pump distributors, and reps to help them take advantage of this regulation to reduce their operating costs,” Towsley said.