Trade fair assists federal energy customers Published Sept. 8, 2009 By Thea Skinner 21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Energy managers, facility managers and environmental gurus from multiple installations along the Front Range gathered at a trade fair Sept. 2 at The Club. Many experts who participated are members of the Regional Utilities Working Group, which was created in late 2008. The fair is the first of its kind established by the group - comprised of multi-service federal employees including the Army National Guard and the General Services Administration. The innovative tools provided at the seven-hour trade fair assist federal customers and installation personnel. About 25 exhibitors, based throughout the U.S., showcased their latest innovations aimed at energy conservation and low environmental impact. "We are looking at some projects and different sorts of potential renewable energy and energy conservation products that would benefit the federal customers in the Front Range," said David Clapp, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron deputy base civil engineer and working group chair. "In dealing with the federal customer base - we can look forward to initiatives to help reduce energy on our existing facilities and long-term development of renewable energy products that we will be able to utilize." Fueled by the emerging Colorado new energy economy, coined by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, military leaders aim to supply renewable energy to the state utility grid system with the assistance of contracted personnel. "We are hoping to get additional resources," said Jim Jacobson, 21st CES, base energy manager. "We are considering adding a solar hot water heater for the pool through the thermal water heating system vendor. All the bases in the area can see this particular energy without having to meet with each manager individually. It enables us to see their products and find out what their services are in the area." The Airius Thermal Equalizer was one of many products at the fair that is on the radar of Oscar Reyes of 21st CES. The equalizer distributes the heat flow regulating the difference between the floor temperature and the ceiling temperature in a building, and potentially conserving about 15 percent energy. The equalizer is used in C-130 hangers in Wyoming. Mr. Reyes is considering adopting the technology for C-130 hangers at Peterson. "Each manager has a variety of projects trying to get accomplished. We are looking at different places we can use solar or thermal storage," Mr. Jacobson said. John Nunley, energy manager at F.E. Warren AFB in Northern Colorado expressed an interest in investigating small wind turbine use at remote sites. F.E. Warren AFB recently initiated a large scale solar panel project. "We have used up all available land with large turbines," Mr. Nunley said. Group members are working to meet Air Force, state, and U.S. goals, mandates and regulations to develop renewable energy resources. "These are the folks whose responsibility it is to conserve energy based on executive orders and energy reduction goals - people working to try to achieve these goals and mandates," Mr. Clapp said. "We have sort of grabbed the low hanging fruit and now we will seek the larger scale conservation and renewable energy products." The Regional Utilities Working Group is formulating a charter and mission statement to drive the projects that federal customers and installation personnel are establishing.