Photo By Brian Adam Jones | Opting to leave the lights off and taking other measures to conserve energy can both...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - The summer season generates an increase in energy consumption, and experts at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point forewarn the boost in usage could impact the environment and the air station’s infrastructure.
“To ensure that we remain below our contracted electrical demand, load shedding may be implemented intermittently throughout the week,” Bob Ruffin, Cherry Point’s energy manager, wrote in an e-mail to all air station personnel, July 16.
The load-shedding system shuts down air-conditioning for up to 20 minutes at a time and is run by a computer that calculates when the air station is at risk of reaching the peak amount of electrical usage, said Gilbert W. Lawrence, a supervisor for the contacts and special projects branch at Cherry Point.
“Hangars and warehouses are the first to be shut off,” Lawrence said. “Barracks are the last.”
Because of the way the system is designed, if Marines in one unit are wasteful with their energy consumption, it can be to the detrimant to another unit’s air-conditioned comfort.
“We need to stay below a peak line,” Lawrence said. “Once we go above that line, the cost per kilowatt-hour goes up significantly.”
Load shedding is just one method the air station uses to limit its energy usage.
“Cherry Point has lowered its consumption through other measures, so we have been able to decrease our dependence on load shedding.” Craig Bruns, the electronic industrial control mechanic work leader for the utilities, monitoring and control office.
Bruns said small things like installing new energy efficient light bulbs in the offices have contributed to the decrease.
According to the website for the U.S. Department of Energy, there are several endeavors that individual offices should engage in to cut down on how much energy they use.
The website, http://www.energysavers.gov/your_workplace/, specifically says offices can turn off computer screens when they are not being used, cut down on how many photocopies are made, turn off lights near windows, and plug in appliances like coffee makers or printers only when they are being used.
Being mindful of how much energy is consumed on the air station can benefit the environment and ensure every air station Marine, Sailor and civilian has air-conditioning this summer.
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2010 12:35 |
| Story ID: | 53225 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 205 |
| Downloads: | 186 |
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