Since our August meeting about solar power, there has been a lot of buzz in the neighborhood about energy. There are really two ways to look at your electric bill: usage and source. Fun City Dogs is a doggie daycare at 22nd and Snelling which was getting a huge electric bill each month. Emerald Electric was able to determine that they were getting charged a fine from Xcel due to the extremely low efficiency of their electrical service. They came up with a few solutions for Fun City, and the organization was able to increase their electrical efficiency from 55 to 90%.

First, they identified a transformer that was wasting a lot of energy while only serving as a power source for a single vent fan. They disconnected the transformer and connected the vent fan to a different power source. Secondly, Emerald worked through the Center on Energy and Environment (CEE) to help Fun City obtain a valuable rebate so she could afford to replace all of her inefficient light fixtures. The project cost was around $6,500, but they received a rebate of nearly $4,000. CEE estimates that Fun City Dogs will save almost $7,000 every year on their electric bill, which means the project will pay for itself in just 4 months, not to mention making Fun City Dogs a more financially and environmentally sustainable business. The impact of these changes are perhaps best described by owner RyAnne Quirk, who says “I am really excited that we are able to be more environmentally responsible and save money at the same time.”

To get more information on the opportunities available for your business to save energy, make sure you come see the panel of experts attending the November joint meeting – note the unusual time and date: Thursday, November 8, from 8:30 to 10:00am, at Gandhi Mahal.