Real Savings
See how real business owners continue saving, long after the upgrades are done.
Lippert Components manufactures and supplies highly engineered, high-quality components to the recreational vehicle, marine, automotive and building products industries. With over 90 facilities in 17 states, Canada and worldwide, Lippert Components has made the choice to prioritize social impact initiatives.
To help save on energy costs, Lippert Components got in touch with Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) to discuss their energy efficiency opportunities.
It all started with Lippert Components’ initiative to identify high-impact, cost-saving projects! One of those projects proposed was updating existing lighting to energy-efficient LED tubes throughout the warehouse.
Working with I&M, Lippert was able to upgrade the inefficient lighting to new, rebate-eligible LEDs. Based on the savings achieved from this project and the end result, Lippert Components is looking for additional ways to utilize commercial rebate programs to make energy-efficient upgrades in other facilities.
The new lighting is estimated to reduce the facility’s annual energy use by over 1,000,000 kWh, saving Lippert Components over $110,000 a year.
Since completing the initial project, Lippert Components worked with I&M to upgrade another project and is looking to complete lighting retrofits at other facilities in the near future.
“Working with the I&M rebate programs enabled us to provide brighter, safer work spaces for our teams, while reducing the maintenance needed. The program provided a favorable return on investment and we’re excited to duplicate this project throughout our other facilities.”
— Richard Wallock, Facility Manager, Lippert Components Plant 50-W
Incentive Total: $21,593
Payback after Incentive: 3.91 years or 26% ROI
Looking for an improvement in efficiencies, a Fort Wayne manufacturer looked at their chiller plant to find energy-saving opportunities. They utilized the incentive program from Indiana Michigan Power to help offset the cost of upgrades. Pneumatic Controls were replaced with more efficient direct digital controls (DDC). The installation of controls to existing equipment operating 24/7 proved to be successful and will save the customer over 300,000 kWhs annually. Read More
Incentive Total: $1,305
Payback after Incentive: 2.09% or 48% ROI
A local convenience store set out to increase their energy efficiency and offset the cost of operational improvements by utilizing Indiana Michigan Power’s rebate and incentive programs. This store was using shaded pole motors in the coolers and freezers. These were replaced with more efficient electronically controlled motors (ECM). The facility was able to optimize new start/stop set-points to achieve maximum energy savings. Read More
Incentive Total: $50,000
Payback after Incentive: 3.54 years or 28% ROI
A growing beverage company looking to gain efficiencies utilized the incentive program from Indiana Michigan Power. This project included installing a central chilled glycol loop on the existing ammonia system that had reciprocating compressors, cooling towers, and heat exchanger on stand-alone controls. Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) were added to newly installed screw compressors, primary and secondary glycol pumps, and an additional cooling tower. Floating Head Pressure Controls were also added to the ammonia system to help reduce compressor energy consumption. Read More
Incentive Total: $29,486
Payback after Incentive: 6.91 years or 14% ROI
A community college looking to reduce their energy footprint utilized the incentive program from Indiana Michigan Power to help offset the cost of operational efficiency improvements. One component of the money-saving efficiency improvements included the addition of variable frequency drives (VFD) to the HVAC systems and kitchen equipment. By installing VFDs to the air handling units and kitchen equipment, the campus achieved 440,834 annual kWh savings and received an incentive check for $29,486 from Indiana Michigan Power. Read More
Kay Manufacturing earned a $50,000 rebate check for implementing Smart LED technology and other lighting improvements at its Shoreham, MI plant. These lighting upgrades will save more than 631,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year; that’s enough to power 80 homes!
“We’re so precise with our lighting that of all the 230-some fixtures out there, we can determine exactly what we need and control each light individually. It’s a lot of fun, and it gives us the exact control that we were looking for. By taking advantage of the I&M program, the company will deliver on being cost-effective and energy efficient for both our customers and our workforce.”
—Brian Pelke, President of Kay Manufacturing
Whirlpool saved money through I&M’s rebate credits on upgrades to energy-saving equipment for their chiller plant optimization project.
The YMCA received a $20,000 rebate check for installing LED lights in their new facility.
Indiana Michigan Power presented the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne with a check for $20,303.04 for their energy-saving measures at the new Jackson R. Lehman Family YMCA.
The incentive check is based on a total savings of 338,384 kilowatt-hours of energy usage anticipated annually at the new facility. The energy savings comes from using LED lights throughout the new facility off St. Joe Center Road, west of Maplecrest. Lighting in the parking lot also comes from energy-saving LEDs.
“As part of our commitment to social responsibility, we make efficiency and sustainability a priority. By saving money through this program, we continue to advance our cause of strengthening our community through our mission which is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”
—Marty Pastura, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne
“We are pleased to work with the YMCA to save energy and money using this common-sense energy efficiency program.”
—Nick Elkins, Director of I&M Customer Services & Business Development
Coastal Partners has earned $100,000+ in energy incentives by making lighting efficiency improvements throughout its facility.
With assistance from Havel Brothers, Coastal Partners retrofitted existing lighting fixtures with nearly 1,000 T5 high bay lights, an upgrade anticipated to cut power costs in half. Recognizing yet another saving opportunity, Coastal Partners installed occupancy sensors that will help monitor and control energy usage when the space is unoccupied.
In addition to lowering its power bills, the environmentally responsible upgrades earned Coastal Partners $108,445 in rebates. Moreover, they’re helping the company reduce its environmental footprint by an estimated 665,418 kWh annually.
“Over the past several years, we have been working diligently to reduce our carbon footprint. Energy programs helped us significantly reduce energy usage at our Fort Wayne facility and improve the lighting, and rebates brought the payback period down to where there was no reason not to do the project.”
– Brett Baumgarten, CEO, Coastal Partners, LLC
Millennium Industries earned a rebate check for more than $38,000 thanks to lighting improvements that will reduce energy use at its 150,000-square-foot facility in Ligonier. Kendall Electric, a local electrical distributor, spearheaded the project. Millennium upgraded to high-efficiency T5 lighting fixtures and installed occupancy sensors. The company anticipates saving enough on energy costs to pay for the project in just over nine months.
“It’s important to us to reduce our carbon footprint, and energy efficiency programs have made it easier for us to accomplish that goal.”
– Jason Eytcheson, Millennium plant manager
The City of South Bend earned a rebate check for more than $30,000 through energy-saving upgrades made in three of its downtown parking garages. The City’s Energy Office installed new lighting fixtures and replaced numerous lights with new light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs in the Main and Colfax Streets garage, the Leighton garage, and the Wayne Street garage.
“The City of South Bend will get a full return on its $250,000 investment in about two and a half years.”
– Jon Burke, South Bend’s Municipal Energy Director
Our Custom Incentive program saved Mullinix Packages more than 60% on energy-efficient upgrades.
I&M’s program-approved RCxL service provider performed a weeklong study of Mullinix’s compressed air system. The study found that air leaks and timer-based drains caused significant artificial demand and excessive wasted air, and the service provider recommended energy-efficient upgrades to the compressed air system.
The service provider located and repaired any leaks, then focused on upgrades for the facility’s 1,650 HP system. This included the installation of 34 no-loss drain valves that reduced the amount of wasted air. A flow control valve allowed for the reduction of artificial demand which lowered the system pressure to 87psi and stabilized it within 3psi under normal operations. The measures installed helped save on compression ratio and wear on the compressors. The valves also extended the life of the equipment and reduced potential leaks.
By optimizing the system and controls, the facility was able to save an estimated 2.8 million kWh per year. Since the upgrade, more lines are capable of running for greater production periods, resulting in increased output of product and profits. The service provider trained the Mullinix facility team on the new equipment to ensure the newly upgraded system performs at the highest standards for achieving results. The total capital investment of $237,284 was offset by an incentive check from I&M worth $148,488.
