by Brianna Crandall — April 30, 2014—ZF Energy Development LLC and the Perfect Power Institute are launching the first PEER-certified industrial energy projects. Developed by the Perfect Power Institute, a nonprofit that aims to apply LEED-style grading to energy microgrids, the new Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) program is designed to implement best practices in system design and set the standard for consumer, municipal, and industrial electrical system performance. ZF Energy Development’s project certifications initiative marks the inaugural implementation of the PEER industry standards program in the industrial and commercial sectors.
“Our goal at the Perfect Power Institute is to spark innovation and change the way power systems are designed and operated so that safe, reliable, clean and affordable energy is available for consumers and industry alike. We’re proud and enthusiastic about the PEER program partnership with ZF Energy Development (Z-FED), which takes that goal and makes it a reality,” said John Kelly, executive director of the Perfect Power Institute. “Z-FED’s premise is the concept of industrial lean energy delivery. Their approach and projects embody the principles of efficient energy provisioning while accounting for the minimization of waste emissions, production process improvement, and profit maximization, essential social and corporate objectives that not only meet PEER standards, but also forward them for industrial energy implementation.”
“Like the LEED standards did for the green building industry, the PEER program can change the way we evaluate energy solutions and delivery in this country,” said Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and Alcoa CEO, Paul O’Neill. “The program takes ideals and talked-about goals, and gives them verifiable form for energy service providers and users, marking the first program of its kind in the world. More importantly, the ZF Energy Development and PPI partnership will lead the charge for on-the-field implementation and expansion of the PEER standards in critical industrial and commercial sectors, which account for approximately 63% of total energy use in the United States.”
“As industrial energy solution providers with a laser focus on the bottom line, ZF Energy Development initiates every project with clear metrics to exceed objectives in energy efficiency and productivity, five sigma or better reliability, production processes, and ROI,” said Michael Overturf, ZF Energy Development’s CEO. “To do that, we had to begin from a new premise and transform the way industrial energy solutions are developed. And, we’re doing just that with arbitrage-based lean energy solutions. Our partnership with PPI gives our customers the confidence and guarantee that our solutions comply with high and proven standards in terms of reliability and quality.”
John Zabilowicz, Z-FED COO, added, “Now industrial and commercial enterprises will have guidelines they can use to evaluate providers and solutions, while technology providers and ESCOs will have performance parameters they will have to meet if they want to be considered an energy company that is applying the latest best practices. The PEER program will set the bar for standards that systematically advance what industry expects in energy delivery and management, and we’re thrilled to be joining the Perfect Power Institute as partners.”
The ZF Energy Development engineering team, led by John Zabilowicz, will be certified in PEER standards and will train other engineering and project managers in PEER program parameters. Mr. Zabilowicz will also serve on the Institute’s industrial energy standards committee.
ZF Energy Development is a best-in-class industrial lean energy solutions provider that reduces energy costs and improves power reliability for industrial and commercial organizations. The company’s goal is to help customers drive their energy costs toward net zero while achieving five-sigma or better uptime. Z-FED designs, implements, and manages networked on-site generating assets and end-to-end energy management solutions that leverage markets to increase energy productivity, improve processes, and achieve lower energy costs. The group’s project portfolio includes projects in the health, food production, educational, aviation, chemical, and other manufacturing and commercial industries.
The Perfect Power Institute is the evolution of the nonprofit Galvin Electricity Initiative, founded by former Motorola CEO and esteemed leader of American industry Robert W. Galvin following the massive Northeast blackout in 2003. PPI’s mission is to help electricity and energy industry stakeholders build the capability to accelerate investment and innovation that dramatically improves the sustainability of energy delivered to users through education, evaluation, and demonstration projects that leverage PEER. PEER, modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, is a sustainable design and performance assessment system for energy microgrids. PPI is motivated by the conviction that dramatic improvement in the electricity system is vital to ensuring U.S. cities and businesses continue to compete globally.
