AEP Ohio Rewards Delphos for Energy Efficiency
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As part of the three-phase project, PDG helps Delphos reach their energy and process efficiency goals for their wastewater treatment plant.
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DELPHOS - Efforts to increase the Delphos Wastewater Treatment Plant's energy efficiency is reaping double benefits for the city, thanks to a donation Wednesday from American Electric Power Ohio.
AEP Ohio presented a check to the city for more than $97,000 to recognized its efforts to save electricity at the wastewater plant by installing new filtration membranes that have a smaller footprint in the plant and require less equipment to operate, resulting in less electrici
ty consumption.
"We decided to do a project out at the wastewater treatment plant to change the membranes out, and all the time we were talking about doing it, we wanted to reduce our energy," Delphos Mayor Michael Gallmeier said. "So we have gone into this project and we've reduced our energy by 60 percent right now, and it's still doing the job, which is really exciting."
AEP Ohio has an Energy Efficiency Rebate Program for businesses, municipalities and private residences since 2009, and when the city applied for the rebate, the provider was very excited.
"This program has been very successful," AEP Ohio customer service principle engineer Jim Bifulco said. "It's something we worked out with the commission and is part of the electric bill. We collect the money that way and distribute it to those participating in energy efficiency programs."
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For Gallmeier, saving energy was not a means to get a rebate from AEP Ohio, but was instead a laudable end unto itself.
"It's the right thing to do," he said. "This is an after effect. We heard that there was AEP Ohio money out there for rebates, so we applied. This is an added bonus."
This membrane replacement program is still a pilot project, with a third of the total project currently in place.
"Once we get through all that, we'll make the determination, and if everything works the way they're talking about, we'll do the full build," Gallmeier said. "When we get done, we may even be able to go after some more rebates, hopefully, since we're putting more motors in."
The rebate money is expected to go back into the wastewater treatment plant fund.
