CoolSys™, the refrigeration, HVAC, engineering and energy solutions company, announced that the Denver division of CoolSys Energy Solutions has earned the 2021 Energy Efficiency Partner Award from Xcel Energy for its work with Albertsons Companies in the Denver metro region.
As a large utilities company in Colorado operating in eight states in the West and Midwest regions, Xcel Energy presents this award on an annual basis to recognize customer projects that result in energy savings.
Authority comment
“It’s rewarding for our team to be recognized for our commitment to excellence in developing effective energy-saving solutions for one of our long-term and most strategic partners,” comments Anthony Tippins, PE, president of CoolSys Energy Solutions.
Energy efficiency projects
In each of the past two years, the Denver division of CoolSys Energy Solutions has completed 25 to 30 projects with Safeway, which is a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies.
The energy efficiency projects recognized by the award involved full-store LED retrofits at Safeway stores
The energy efficiency projects recognized by the award involved full-store LED retrofits at Safeway stores throughout the region to replace fluorescent lighting, amounting to thousands of bulb replacements per store for inside and outside fixtures.
About half of the projects also included energy management system (EMS) upgrades to building controls and the addition of energy-efficient variable frequency drives (VFD).
Significant impact
As grocery stores generally consume an enormous amount of energy, energy upgrades can have a significant impact on energy savings.
Projects at each Safeway store were estimated to save at least 300,000 kilowatt hours on lighting, and with the EMS upgrades, these energy savings doubled or tripled.
In addition, these energy upgrades can play an important role in reducing stress on the power grid and pressure for energy companies like Xcel Energy to expand their infrastructure.