Utility Savings & Refund, LLC We Specify and Build Energy Storage Systems for On-Site Power and Grid Energy Storage
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ABOUT US
In business since 1991, US&R has always focused on controlling the energy costs of our customers.Electric energy storage has become a major focus for us due to it's ability to reduce peak power costs, improve reliability, integrate renewable energy -- with zero emmissions. Energy storage is a great solution for on-site power.
SOLUTIONS
We develop and implement cost effective and clean energy solutions that are tested, approved and appropriate for our partners. On-site and Grid Connected Energy Storage.Natural Gas and Bio-Gas Procurement and SupplyUtility Tariff Audits, Strategies and Negotiations.
CLIENTS
Our clients have included:agri-business, food processing, waste water districts,textile, chain restaurants, luxury hotels, apartments, hospitals, schools, colleges, city governments, and many other large commercial and industrial energy users.
ENERGY STORAGE
Advanced energy storage has become an important issue for meeting the renewable energy standards in California and all around the USA. US&R has been at the forefront of advanced energy storage development for over 5 years. We worked with VRB Power, and then Prudent Energy, to develop megawatt scale applications for the VRB-ESS(tm), the vanadium redox flow battery, one of the few commercially available grid energy storage systems. We've worked with the various energy agencies and utilities in California to understand the multiple applications of electric energy storage, both for on-site power and grid energy storage. We bring a unique mix of experiance and perspective to optimize the many benefits of an advanced energy storage installation.
Call Us about our plan to install energy storage at no capital cost to you
About Us
ABOUT US
WHAT WE DO
Utility Savings & Refund, LLC (US&R) is a leader in the development of electric energy storage solutions for grid and customer applications. We are not affiliated with any particular technology, so we can consider all potential energy storage solutions. We've evaluated the various commercial and near commercial energy storage systems for many potential practical and profitable applications. Our business is developing, financing, building and operating energy storage systems for our customers and for our own portfolio. To date, we have developed 9.6 MWH of installations, and $8 million of financing. We are on track to increase installations to over 17 MWH with over $20 million of funding in 2012.
THE TEAM
US&R operates as the lead developer - sourcing and evaluating potential applications - then gathering the right mix of professionals to build and operate the project. Our team members include technology providers, funding agencies, local utilities, our host sites, and the contractors and subcontractors necessary for construction. While we benefit from the know-how of others, we also add our energy storage expertise to the mission.
Energy Storage
ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Energy Storage is like an ElephantUS&R has been a leader in recognizing and promoting the multiple benefits that a single energy storage installation can bring for on-site power and to the utility. Our concept of energy storage, as illustrated by the story of the blind wise men and the elephant, has been an audience favorite during our presentations at industry conferences.Renewable EnergyEnergy storage allows variable energy from solar PV and wind to be firmed, smoothed and dispatchable. "Taming" wind and solar energy makes it more useful and less disruptive.Load / Generation ShiftingExcess energy during the off-peak can be shifted to on-peak, reducing stress on the grid, reducing the need for "peaker" generators, and reducing demand charges to the end-user.Grid StabilityEnergy storage can provide ancillary services to the grid operator, like frequency regulation and demand response, even if installed behind the meter at an end-user. This can generate revenue for the host.Power Quality and ReliabilityMany industrial facilities experiance 7-9 or more power quality events during the year. These minor disruptions can cause trips that may shut down an entire facility, resulting in costly downtime and scrapping of production. On-site power from energy storage acts as a shock absorber to protect the facility. Such disruptons are expected to increase as more solar PV is added to distribution circuits
Energy Storage Benefits
Electric Energy Storage
Benefits of Grid Energy Storag
On Site Energy Storage
Energy Storage Options...
Energy_Storage_Options
ENERGY STORAGE OPTIONS
Sample list of vendorsUtility Savings & Refund, LLC is an independent developer of electric energy storage systems and is technology neutral. This list is not exhaustive and is not meant as an endorsement of any company or technology. US&R believes that these companies have viable and commercially available systems, but care and due diligence must be exercised to determine the appropriate technology for your application and the ability of any vendor to perform.Vanadium Redox Flow BatteryPrudent EnergyCellstromMolten Sodium SulfurNGKZinc-Bromine Hybrid Flow BatteryZBB EnergyRedFlowLithium-ionSAFTA123AltairnanoSamsungInternational BatteryLead AcidXtreme PowerTrojan Battery
Xtreme Energy Storage
Renewable Electric Storage
A123 Distributed Energy Storag
NGK Sodium Sulfur On Site Powe
Saft On Site Power
ZBB Energy Storage
Trojan Battery On Site Power
Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
Energy_Solutions
ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Natural Gas & ElectricityA substantial part of the business of US&R has been reducing utility costs and recovering over payments - thus the name we chose to represent our company, "Utility Savings and Refund". Many of our services are specific and customized to our customer's unique needs. We've been retained to procure energy services when our customers were rejected by mainstream providers.Examples of Savings for our CustomersAg ProcessorInvoked utility electric service option - Saved $49,000 per month. This option had been available to the processor for over 15 years. Their utility representatives never advised them of the option. The option required no capital expense or change in quality of service.HotelRate change - Saved $60,000 year. We were able to move 4 luxury hotels onto this rate when it first became available - for a total savings of $240,000 per year. Additional savings were obtained through minor plumbing changes. Three of the hotels paid less than $5,000 for these changes.Flower Grower Released from expensive gas contract - saved $40,000. This grower had a long-term contract at above market rates. We negotiated with the energy supplier to release them from the contract and return to utility service.HospitalSaved $20,000 in utility penalties. The energy supplier for this hospital filed for bankruptcy. The interruption in supply exposed them to utility penalties. We were able to avoid penalties by acquiring excess supply that matched their delivery period.Aluminum RecyclerNatural gas contract - Saved $2.5 million. We advised this processor on an energy hedge that actually resulted in a credit to them for 2 months out of 6 during the energy crisis.El Paso Refund$17 million claim. We were successful in applying for refunds under the El Paso Settlement for 60 clients. This is one of several class action lawsuits that resulted in additional money to companies hurt by the energy crisis of 2000 - 2001. Our clients also participated in subsequent settlements.
Energy Storage with Fuel Cells
National Gypsum Energy Refund
Energy Storage for Renewables
Granite Construction Refund
Arrowhead Regional Hospital
Solar and Energy Storage
SunKist Food Electric Savings
Sierra Forest Products Refund
Greenhouse Savings and Refunds
Textile Mfg Energy Refunds
Pasadena City College Energy
Good Samaritan Hospital Refund
US Tile Energy Savings - Refun
Sunrider Manufacturing Refund
Henry Mayo Hosp Refund
Grimmway Farms Energy Service
Emergency_Power
EMERGENCY POWER SOLUTIONS
The lights flicker and dim, digital equipment shuts down, production is lost and safety is compromised.This happens too often in todays digital workplace. Modern computers and equipment require much higher power quality than the utility can provide. Your utility is only required to provide three nines of power quality- 99.9% - yet most manufacturing requires six nines 99.9999%.Worse still, the lights can go off due to a complete loss of power. 99.9% reliability means at least 8.5 hours without power each year.BUG - Back-up GeneratorDiesel back-up generation is the typical solution, but it only comes on after the power is lost and the lights and computers have shut-down - if it comes on at all.
Problems with Traditional Emergency Generators1. Backup diesel generators are rarely called to operate and might not start and run when needed. Unless a facility keeps up with maintenance and frequent testing, emergency generators can fail to start on the rare occasions they are needed.2. Storing large quantities of fuel imposes high costs and risks of fuel leakage or fuel degradation. Diesel fuel begins to chemically break down within 30 to 60 days of delivery and tends to absorb moisture from the air. These fuel quality issues can lead to unreliable engine operations and higher maintenance costs if fuel storage is used to hedge against potential shortages.3. Diesel engines used for backup service typically have high emissions and are permitted for limited use. Having limited permitted hours for operation makes it difficult to keep the engines in the proper state of readiness and prevents generator use for meeting general facility energy needs or reducing operating costs.
Recent News:Southern California hit by major power failureCopper theft an increasing cause of blackoutsMan electrocuted while stealing copper wire in ColtonSeptember power outage caused by wiring issue, Edison saysSAN BERNARDINO: Hours-long power outageCalifornia coach cries foul at untimely power outage in lossSuspected drunken driver blamed for power outage
Advantages of Advanced Energy Storage for Emergency On-Site PowerImproved Power Quality - reduced "Nuisance Trips"Blinkless Transition to Emergency Power - the lights don't go out and there is no waiting for the generator to start.Complete Reliability - the energy storage system operates 24/7, not just when there is a power problem.No Emissions - Savings in paperwork and fees. May even be eligible for credits.Reduced Maintenance - Reduced cost and staff time.Quiet - Sound attunation not required.Pays for ItselfReduced Utility Bills - The system can be used for peak shaving and demand response.Income - Costs of the system can be off-set by selling services to the utility and the grid.Rebates - Substantial incentives are availabel to encourage installations of advanced energy storage installations.A Clean and Green Alternative!
Clients
CLIENTS
Gills OnionsGills Onions is a major agri-business in California with an award winning Waste to Energy project at their facility in Oxnard, CA. US&R worked with Gills and Prudent Energy to develop a 3.6 MWHr on-site power energy storage project, utilizing the VRB-ESS(tm) flow battery from Prudent.
International RectifierThis semi-conductor manufacturer needed a solution for the power quality and reliability problems from it's utility and the threat of rolling black-outs in California. US&R developed an andvanced energy storage solution, providing up to 7.5 MW UPS and 40 MWH of emergency on-site power.Although not implemented, this proposal was the basis of several presentations to the California Energy Commission and the California ISO, and brought forward the multiple benefits of grid energy storage.
Good Samaritan HospitalGood Sam found itself without a natural gas supplier after the bankruptcy of Enron. US&R was able to quickly find interim supplies of natural gas - avoiding 150% penalties from its gas utility - and organized cost effective natural gas procurement within the challenging credit issues of this non-profit hospital.
National GypsumUS&R helped this national company recover overpayments on it's natural gas purchases in California. Our knowledge of the market in California, including the fall-out from the energy crisis in 2001, allowed us to provide services that recovered several substantial refunds. We've also provided consulting on energy tariffs and utility tax options.
More Clients and Energy Solutions...
COOPERATIVE CLIENT SERVICES
Charles Toca is a founding member of the BioEnergy Producers Association. The mission of the BioEnergy Producers Association (BPA) is to advance the development and commercialization of sustainable, environmentally preferable industries that produce power, fuels, and chemicals from agricultural, forestry, and urban sources of biomass and plastic wastes.Mr. Toca has also been a member of the board of the California Electric Users Cooperative. The CEUC was formed to procure electricity under California deregulation for the processing plants and members of agricultural cooperatives. Our non-profit, member owned cooperative procured power for 2,828 meters representing over 150 megawatts of non-coincident demand.
Contact Us
CONTACT US
On-Site Power or Grid Energy StoragePlease contact us with any questions about our services or to discuss an on-site power energy storage application for your project. You may contact via the web form to the left, or simply call, fax or write to us.Utility Savings & Refund, LLCUS&R Power Grid PartnersPO BOX 54346Irvine, CA 92619(949) 474-0511 (949) 474-0516 fax
MORE RESOURCES
During the past 20 years, Utility Savings & Refund, LLC (US&R) has provided various services to our clients to reduce their energy costs, and we still service the natural gas requirements of our larger customers.In 2007 we decided to focus our efforts on grid energy storage options. Although we are technology neutral developers, our first involvement with on-site energy storage was with the VRB® energy storage system by Prudent Energy, the VRB-ESS™. We found that the VRB Flow Battery provided many of the benefits of on-site power generators, including peak shaving, emergency power, improved power quality and reliability, without the problems of emissions, permitting and volatile fuel prices. Flow batteries in general can store large amounts of power and last for many years - great for grid energy storage. We are now pleased to see the growth in acceptance of grid energy storage for utility and on-site power applications, and the increasing variety of energy storage technologies available for deployment. The variety of advanced energy storage systems will enable grid energy storage and solve many of problems stressing the grid today.
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