Variable Speed Drives Program
MidAmerican Energy's Variable Speed Drives program offers our commercial and industrial
customers in Iowa rebates for installation of energy-efficient variable-speed drive
equipment.
When Should You Install a Variable-Speed Drive?
Commercial and industrial energy customers should consider installing variable-speed drive
equipment if the motors are utilized for increased operating hours and have a higher
variability of loads on the system (pumps, fans and blowers) or the application of use
includes mechanical throttling (valves, dampers, etc.). Variable-speed drives match the
speed of the motor-driven equipment to the process requirement. Applications with low
variability of loads such as vibrating conveyors, punch presses, rock crushers, machine
tools and other applications where the motor runs at constant speed are not good candidates
for a variable-speed drive. The variable-speed drive rebate is $50 per horsepower of
the driven motor or 70 percent of the installed cost (reasonable labor and material). Cost
of clean rooms to house variable-speed drives may be used in the total installed cost
calculation.
Program Requirements
- Minimum of 3,000 annual operating hours
- Must be for new installations or failed variable-speed drives with bypass capability only
- Variable-speed drive must be controlling a system or process with a variable load
- For use with fans, pumps or blowers
- Process must be automatically controlled; manual controls do not qualify
Drives ineligible to receive a rebate from this program include:
- Replacement of working variable-speed drives
- Single-phase variable-speed drives
- Installation of variable-speed drives for the sole purpose of soft starting
- Variable-speed drives for spare inventory
- Installations where applicable code requires a variable-speed drive
- Mechanical-type drives or gear boxes, Eddy Current drives or magnetic coupling, etc.
- Variable-speed drives in heating, ventilating and air conditioning where required by applicable code (ASHRAE 90.1-2007 or IECC 2009)
Consider These Benefits
Variable-speed drive improvements generally will:
- Reduce energy costs
- Improve plant efficiency and load factor
- Ensure precise control of process flow and pressure
- Reduce maintenance costs by reducing stress on the connected motor
For additional resources regarding pumping system improvements, visit
www.pumpsystemsmatter.org.
A free guidebook on motors and variable-speed drives is available from the Consortium for
Energy Efficiency at
www.cee1.org.
Note: MidAmerican Energy also provides financial incentives to help customers implement energy-efficient equipment
and systems that are not included in our prequalified equipment lists or addressed in other EnergyAdvantage programs. Cash incentives will be customized and are based on the qualifying equipment’s higher incremental cost, peak demand reduction,
annual energy use reduction and annual energy cost savings. An application for the Custom Systems program must be received
and preapproved by MidAmerican Energy prior to the customer’s purchase and installation of equipment or systems to be
eligible for a rebate. MidAmerican Energy can provide technical assistance to expedite the rebate application process.
View our
Custom Systems guidelines for additional information.
Although noted in the nonresidential prescriptive program brochures’ Terms and Conditions
(“Rebates exceeding $10,000 require preapproval by MidAmerican Energy Company.”),
preapproval is
NOT required for nonresidential prescriptive projects exceeding
$10,000. Preapproval is still required in the Custom Systems program.
Brochure and Application Form
Learn how adding flexibility to production processes can make a big difference in
operational efficiency by reviewing a
full brochure
of our Variable-Speed Drives program. If you're planning a purchase of qualifying equipment
or if you've recently purchased qualifying equipment, print and complete our
variable-speed drive application form to apply for a rebate.
You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your hard drive to view PDF files.
Download a free copy by visiting the
Adobe Download Site.
Questions?
Call our representatives at
800-894-9599.