Pilot approved to measure and verify voltage optimisation savings

As part of his remarks to an audience of power industry professionals attending an event Baltimore Gas & Electric (BG&E) chief executive Officer Calvin Butler, Jr. expounded upon BG&E being the first utility in North America to approve a pilot for Powerstar, a leader in consumer based voltage optimisation technology.

Butler has previously commented that BG&E — with more than 1.2 million electric customers and 650,000 gas customers – has one of the most aggressive energy-efficiency programmes.  At the request of BG&E clients doing business with Powerstar distributor EnTel, the utility - in coordination with leading Smart Grid players, Navigant and Itron - will independently measure and verify savings in two installations being brought forward as custom incentive rebate applications for a municipal-owned building and the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

Powerstar claims to provide a 100% guaranteed permanent reduction in electricity consumption plus increased equipment performance. With average savings of 12% to 15% on electricity bills, Powerstar voltage optimisation technology works by lowering the voltage coming in from the grid so that it more closely matches the specifications for running electrical equipment.

British-based manufacturer and EnTel partner EMSc, has installed over 6,500 Powerstar units worldwide including sites such as the London Stock Exchange, London City Hall and throughout the ASDA supermarket chain, owned by Wal-Mart.