Ever had a hard time spotting your suitcase in the middle of many other similar pieces circling around a dimly lit baggage carousel? If you've flown, the answer is probably yes. Travelers deplane and swarm toward the baggage carousel. The bell rings, announcing the arrival of the luggage, and travelers jockey for a place on the front row of the baggage scramble. Some travelers are clever in their attempts to make their suitcases stand out -ties of fluorescent yarn, red reflective tape, bumper or travel stickers, photos of grandma, you name it. But finding the right luggage can still be a struggle. The Port of Seattle set out to improve that scenario.

Doug Holbrook, airport utilities manager at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, and his team installed 489 energy efficient fixtures and T8 fluorescent lights directly above 12 baggage carousels, saving almost 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and providing brighter lighting. In addition, the Port qualified for a reduction on their monthly wholesale power bill through BPA's Conservation and Renewables Discount.

Other airports in the Northwest might consider a similar solution to rising energy costs and traveler satisfaction.

-- Doug Holbrook (206) 433-4600

Adam Perry, Midstate Electric Cooperative Marketing and Energy Specialist, and Craig Ciranny, BPA mechanical engineer, presented lighting fundamentals to about 20 Midstate consumers in mid-December. Several lighting suppliers were also present.

Perry's portion of the presentation focused on the lighting program Midstate operates under BPA's ESO+ program. Ciranny explained lighting fundamentals and technology.

Attendees provided positive feedback to Midstate about the seminar.

The BPA portion of the presentation is suitable for use with other utilities. Contact Craig Ciranny to arrange for a presentation.

-- Craig Ciranny (503) 230-5865

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Midstate Electric Cooperative, La Pine, Oregon, recently completed a lighting project at the Gilchrist School using Williams Oil Settlement funds and money from other funding sources, including BPA conservation programs.

Williams Settlement funds in Oregon are administered through the Oregon Department of Energy. Some of the funds are designated for

 

energy efficiency projects at schools with high energy usage that are located in public utility service territory.

-- Adam Perry (541) 536-7264

Savings with a Twist is a Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (Alliance) market transformation project designed to encourage the use of compact fluorescent bulbs in the region.

BPA joined with the Energy Trust of Oregon, Avista, Idaho Power, Eugene Water and Electric Board, Springfield Utility Board, Columbia River PUD, and Northwestern Energy to increase the BPA contribution to the Alliance to fund this regionwide effort.

The concept was to put a top quality product within the reach of skeptical consumers with a shelf price of 99 cents. The goal was to get consumers to try the product, have a good experience, and buy more product later on. It was truly regional with participation from 138 stores in Idaho, 115 in Montana, and 300-400 stores each in Oregon and Washington. Some rural locations are still receiving product.

Total sales are expected to be in excess of 1.25 million bulbs, with almost 750,000 credited to BPA. At 40 kilowatt-hours per bulb, this is equivalent to 3.4 average-megawatts that will contribute to meeting BPA's targets in 2006.

BPA employee Ken Keating, who has worked closely in with the Alliance in market transformation, said, "As important as the regional coordination was, the most important decision was to sacrifice a few kWh to give the consumers a higher wattage, brighter product to assure a good experience with energy efficiency."

For more information about Savings with a Twist, contact the program manager Lisa Thompson at (503) 230-3059.