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Solar Power Generation and Renewable Energy Installation
June, 2010 - Henneman Engineering is focused on renewable energy with the installation of Photo Voltaic (PV) solar arrays at their State Street office in Champaign, IL. Henneman Engineering has received a $30,000 grant from the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a $30,000 federal tax credit to subsidize funding of the solar energy project. The payback for this system is approximately 2.5 years and about 60 percent of the installation costs were covered by grants. In order to apply for a state grant or federal tax credit, certain qualifications must be met and a rebate agreement form must be submitted. More information about federal and state grants in support of renewable energy can be found at this link: http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling/Energy/Clean+Energy/01-RERP.htm
The PV system at the Henneman Engineering office has a peak power production of 11,500-Watts and will produce up to 21,681-kwh of energy per year while supplying 3 to 4 percent of the office’s energy needs. If more energy is being produced than used at the Henneman office building, the unused energy is fed through the utility meter back to the Ameren utility company electrical grid.
HWS Energy Partners provided a turn-key installation for the PV array at Henneman Engineering (www.hwsenergy.com/). HWS President Lyle Wachtel believes that, “with the help from the sun, PV systems are able to produce an endless supply of clean, non-polluting energy which is completely safe for our environment”. HWS has already developed three solar PV installations of approximately 12-kW each in the state of Illinois.
The PV panel used in the installation at Henneman Engineering is manufactured by First Solar (www.firstsolar.com/en/index.php). First Solar “is committed to significantly reducing solar electricity costs globally by sustainably advancing module technology”. PV panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. Sunlight excites electrons in a solar panel and then sends the electrons through an inverter that changes those photons into usable electricity. The panels are made with crystalline silicon that are electrically charged in a semiconductor and then spread out in between two pieces of glass. Each of the PV panels installed at Henneman Engineering has a maximum power output of 75-Watts. At this maximum power output, each panel will produce 68.2-Volts DC and 1.10-Amps. These panels can provide an 89% reduction in harmful air emissions if used to displace conventional energy generation technologies.
The DC energy produced by the PV panels flows through two inverters and then into the electrical distribution system at the Henneman office. Inverters convert the direct current electricity generated by solar panels into grid-compatible alternating current. The inverters at Henneman Engineering are manufactured by Sunny Boy (www.sma.de/en_US.html) and are suitable for a combined load of up to 12,000-Watts. The output of the inverters is 208-Volt AC, single-phase. Each inverter is rated for 6,000-Watts nominal and is operating at 4,500-Watts peak.
Solar energy provides certain advantages when can be compared with other types of renewable energy. Solar is advantageous over wind systems due to the following reasons: lower maintenance costs, silent operation, easier to find a suitable location to install, safety and no moving parts to wear out.
When being burdened with high energy costs, solar energy will help realize a reduction in these costs while minimizing pollution. With the aid of state and federal grants, we can all participate in the effort to preserve our environment with renewable energy.
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Building Design and Construction has named Henneman Engineering one of the “Giants” of the design industry.
Henneman Engineering ranks 34th on Building Design and Construction magazine’s list of the nation’s top design engineering firms. Companies were selected based on the volume of commercial, institutional, industrial, and multifamily residential building work completed in 2008.
Building Design and Construction conducted three special reports this year, of which Henneman ranks in two this year: 138th in largest green design firms and 172nd in top building team LEED APs.
Building Design and Construction evaluates companies in 14 different sectors, of which Henneman ranks in five this year: 70th in healthcare design firms, 70th in university design firms, 35th in industrial design firms, 45th in institutional design firms, and 79th in reconstruction design firms.
For more information, visit www.bdcnetwork.com
Henneman Engineering has once again been ranked among the “Giants” in engineering.
Consulting-Specifying Engineer announced their MEP Giants 2009—the largest engineering firms based on MEP design revenue in the previous year. Henneman Engineering comes in at #41 on the list. (Last year, our ranking was #59.)
To read the full article in the August issue of CSE, click on the following link.
Henneman Engineering, Inc. Announces Partnership with ENERGY STAR®
Champaign, Illinois – Henneman Engineering, Inc. today announced a fundamental commitment to protect the environment by becoming an ENERGY STAR partner. Henneman Engineering, Inc.’s voluntary partnership with the Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR means that they will be working toward helping their clients improve the energy efficiency and performance of their facilities; Henneman Engineering, Inc. believes that an organization-wide energy management approach will help their clients enhance their financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations.
“Henneman Engineering is doing its part to meet the world’s growing energy demand by actively advising our clients on conservation techniques and the use of renewable fuels such as solar, wind and biofuels. In the new energy future we’ll need to think the impossible is possible. Our goal is to help our clients reduce environmental and greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions when designing, engineering, constructing and operating buildings”, says Michael J. Henneman, Chief Executive Officer.
In partnership with ENERGY STAR, we will help our clients to:
- Measure and track the energy performance of their facilities in all locations.
- Set a goal to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings by 15% or more, in support of the ENERGY STAR Challenge.
We will also:
- Encourage our staff and community to learn about the benefits of energy efficiency and to implement appropriate energy efficiency measures.
- Encourage other firms with whom we work with to join ENERGY STAR and take the ENERGY STAR Challenge.
By helping our clients reduce energy consumption by 15%, Henneman Engineering can save ~$2.76 Million per year in energy costs.
ABOUT ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary partnership between businesses, government and others united to protect our environment for future generations by changing to energy-efficient practices today. ENERGY STAR works with more than 9,000 partners to improve the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. Businesses can use ENERGY STAR to improve efficiency, enhance profits, and create a competitive advantage. In 2006 alone, ENERGY STAR helped businesses and consumers save more than $14 billion in energy costs while reducing global warming emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles. See www.energystar.gov
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