Hydraulic Institute Launches Energy Rating Certificate Program

Each certificate will be listed in the Energy Rating Database where it can be used by utilities for deemed incentives.

A beneficial feature of the HI Energy Rating program is that it has a provision to capture downstream savings when controls are added by the end user or third party, which is missed in the U.S. DOE requirements. This feature is only applicable when a motor and/or control is added to a pump listed in the Energy Rating database. Using the standard calculations within the U.S. DOE regulations, it allows you to calculate a new Energy Rating after inputting the data for the motor and/or control that is being added to the pump. You will then have the option to generate a unique certificate specific to that pump configuration which can then be used for deemed incentives.

The ER Certificate adds value to the pump marketplace since a significant number of pumps are stocked by distributors without motors or VFDs attached. The ER Certificate allows distributors to capture the additional power savings when adding a high efficiency motor to a bare pump to raise the ER above a utilities constant load baseline. It also allows distributors to add a VFD or VFD and motor to a constant load pump to raise the ER above the utility’s variable load baseline.

The Energy Rating metric is a direct calculation from the regulatory required PEI value and represents the percent power savings over a U.S. DOE minimally compliant pump. As pump efficiency regulations come into effect and more incentive programs for efficient pumps are launched, the HI Energy Rating Label and Certificate have become more valuable than ever.