Three San Isabel Electric Association directors are doing more than talk about energy efficiency. They have taken action. The directors with the Pueblo West-based electric co-op have all utilized electric thermal storage technology to gain greater energy efficiency in their businesses.
ETS, a produce of Steffes Corporation, uses lower-priced, off-peak electricity to heat high-density ceramic bricks that store the heat. Then, during peak hours, when more people are using electricity and it is higher priced, the units come on and heat the surrounding room using the stored heat.
This technology helps the electric co-op with load management, evens out demand for electricity and keeps costs lower for the co-op member using the ETS unit.
As San Isabel Electric board directors, Don Keairns, Tom Holgerson and Debbie Rose understand the benefits of ETS units and as business people, they all found specific uses for the technology.
Keairns, representing SIEA members in the La Veta area, found just how energy efficient ETS can be when the system was installed in a 100-year-old property on the main street in La Veta. It includes two storefronts on the main level and space upstairs referred to as the Warehouse. That space includes a stylish rental apartment that can be rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
La Veta winters can be chilly, even as far south as it is. However, with the off-peak ETS heaters, the building stays warm and cozy.
“I looked at the cost savings to heat with off-peak heating and knew it was what I wanted to put into my business,” said Keairns. “Comfortable heating and great savings on monthly utility bills is a savings benefit to my renters. You can’t go wrong with that combination.”
The community of Rye also benefits from ETS technology, which is used to heat the office of the water filtration plant. The water board chose to use ETS because it made sense to reap the benefits of the stored heat, benefits explained by Holgerson, who also serves as Rye’s mayor.
“This system performed beyond our expectations in the run off season,” Holgerson said. He also noted that the majority of the water treatment system can be run at night and utilize the off-peak rates. The cost savings benefit the whole community.
Long before being energy efficient was popular, ETS was part of the Beulah General Store. Rose, the storeowner, had ETS installed in the store basement retail area in the mid-1990s. The savings on the monthly electric bills have paid for the heaters many times, she said.
“ETS keeps the store nice and toasty for the comfort of my customers and employees,” she said. “As a business owner, I’m always looking to manage the bottom line. ETS is an effective way to use electricity while maximizing financial savings.”
Using ETS was an easy choice for San Isabel directors. It’s a great way to save energy and money. More information on the ETS units is available at www.steffes.com.
—by Ashley Valdez, communications manager, San Isabel Electric Association