Frequently Asked Questions
About Energy Service Companies (ESCOs)
Can’t I just make these improvements myself?
Sure. But ESCOs are energy efficiency professionals ?
their expertise across a spectrum of facilities and
efficiency measures guarantees that you get the most
cost-effective energy efficiency program for your
business or facility ?and that you maximize your
energy- and cost-savings.
Or use an
equipment contractor or consulting firm?
What sets ESCOs apart from other firms that offer energy
efficiency services, like equipment contractors or
consulting firms, is the concept of performance
contracting. When an ESCO undertakes a project, its
compensation, and often the project’s financing, is
directly linked to the amount of energy that is actually
saved.
What
are the energy efficiency measures that an ESCO
might look to implement?
ESCO projects are comprehensive, meaning that the ESCO
employs a wide array of cost-effective measures to
achieve energy savings. These measures often include
some variation of the following: high-efficiency
lighting; high-efficiency heating and air conditioning
equipment; energy-efficient motors and variable speed
drives; and centralized energy management systems.
What if my project is too small to attract an ESCO?
There are many options available should your energy
efficiency project be too small to warrant the
involvement of an ESCO. Lighting suppliers and
contractors, HVAC contractors, and others can provide
you with the materials and expertise you need to make
retrofits that will improve one or more aspects of your
facility’s operation. On the other hand, consider
aggregating a number of smaller efficiency projects, so
that you can capitalize on the benefits of taking an
integrated approach to energy efficiency.
Will
the ESCO take care of my equipment once it is
installed or if I have a breakdown?
Most performance contract projects include the
maintenance of all or some portion of the new energy
efficiency equipment over the life of the contract. Your
ESCO in most cases will fold these maintenance costs
into the overall cost of the project, thus giving you
the benefit of reduced maintenance costs in addition to
reduced energy costs.
Is training
available for my staff?
Most ESCOs include specialized staff training in their
performance contracts, so that you and your staff
understand how your energy efficiency measures work and
can maintain them at the end of the contract period. |
