"The Board actively supports technological solutions that significantly reduce energy usage -- in supermarkets and other commercial and industrial facilities," said Commissioner Asselta.

"I congratulate the Bottino family for their commitment to the communities they serve and for successfully reducing their carbon footprint."

New Jersey businesses who take advantage of the NJBPU's NJ SmartStart Buildings program are joining in with other businesses and communities across New Jersey to meet Governor Corzine's goal of reducing our overall energy consumption approximately 20 percent by 2020.

During the ceremony, Commissioner Asselta presented store owner Jim Bottino a $100,000 incentive check for incorporating a series of energy efficiency measures addressing the refrigeration, heating and cooling, and lighting systems.

The technology upgrades are projected to save nearly 700,000 kWh annually, a 30 percent reduction in the supermarket's electrical energy usage.

"Planning for our energy and environmental needs today will have profound effects on the quality of our lives in the future," Commissioner Asselta added.

"By 2020, our goal is to save an amount of electricity equal to the amount used by 2 million people in one year. It is with the support of families like the Bottinos that we will achieve that goal."

Refrigeration typically accounts for over half of the annual electric energy costs in supermarkets. In a business known for operating on a narrow profit margin, reducing refrigeration load is an essential strategy in controlling costs.

The Bottino Family of Supermarkets opened the Millville ShopRite in August 2007 after considering a number of possible energy efficiency measures in the store's design. Working with Cold Technology of Blackwood, NJ, the store's owners incorporated a high efficiency refrigeration system -- including scroll compressors, variable frequency drives, energy efficient fan motors and display case lighting, upgraded pressure and anti- sweat heater controls, and electronically controlled thermostatic expansion valves.

Additional technology upgrades also were installed to lower heating and cooling energy requirements as well as a lighting system that can adjust illumination levels from 20 percent to 100 percent, based on time of day and building occupancy.

The incremental cost of the upgraded refrigeration system was calculated at $322,000, but with annual electric energy savings of 689,131 kWh and demand reduction of 98.64 kW, the technology is expected to reduce the store's operating costs by nearly $78,000 per year, a 30 percent reduction in energy usage.

The NJBPU's NJ Clean Energy Program incentive reduces the store's payback from a little more than four years to two years.

New Jersey's Clean Energy Program is a signature initiative of the NJBPU, and provides education, information, and financial incentives for energy efficiency measures and renewable systems.

Each year, the program provides an average of $145 million dollars in financial incentives, programs, and services to residential customers, businesses, schools, and municipalities who install measures to reduce electricity and natural gas.

Related Links
New Jersey SmartStart Buildings Program

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News