Two recent jobs for Service First in Sidney have saved enough energy to power around 50 households for an entire year.
These types of contracts, say owners Rick and Paul van Adrichem, are a partnership between their company, their clients, suppliers and B.C. Hydro.
They generally involve replacing end-of-life air compressors with new technology. Compressing air, they say, means a lot of wasted energy. While an older unit might continually use its motors to provide constant pressure, new machines only kick in when necessary, offer variable power levels and are, in general, a lot more energy efficient.
Service First recently completed a project for Victoria Shipyards, to be used in its sandblasting work. Such projects, while representing a significant cost for a client, can bring long-term energy savings, said Rick. Paul added that when Hydro is involved, those costs can be reduced by up to 75 per cent. Their latest project — two compressors in a recycled sea container — will save around 300,000 kilowatt hours per year, or what 25 households might use in the same time frame.
“It’s a good thing to do,” said Paul about the energy efficiency and filtering capability of the unit. “People are getting more and more aware of (going green).”
The van Adrichems offer energy-saving advice for entire operations. Service First can then help provide their industrial clients with the equipment to make it happen.
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