Major Airport Walks Away with Savings and with New Motor Efficiency Rebates

Motorized walkways and escalators are an efficient means of moving vast and constant numbers of people. And at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, efficiency is the golden rule. So when it came to maximizing the efficiency of the motors used to move millions of people, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) turned to Xcel Energy for help.

One walkway and one escalator in Terminal 1 (Lindbergh Terminal) were retrofitted using a unique electronic power device – a system called “NOLA,” named after the NASA engineer who invented it. A NOLA device is a type of motor starter/controller for AC motors that provides energy savings during motor operation without interfering with the motor speed.

The devices are a slight premium over standard efficiency equipment, but the long-term energy savings are often worth the short-term investment.

Now, both the walkway and the escalator run at maximum efficiency and are estimated to bring significant savings in energy consumption.

The Result of MAC’s Energy Efficiency Efforts

• Energy savings: 9,364 kWh
• Xcel Energy rebates: $428
• Estimated annual energy cost savings: $443

Additional Impacts

• Extended life expectancy of motor components
• Decreased stress on mechanical systems
• Measurable results in just months
• Improved power factor

Xcel Energy offers a variety of energy-saving solutions that can help your business make decisions that not only meet your business goals, but deliver energy efficiency solutions designed to keep your business running at peak performance. It’s that easy, and the Motors/Variable Frequency Drive program is just one of many ways Xcel Energy is working with local businesses to ensure choosing efficiency is one of the easiest and most environmentally friendly decisions they can make.

For more information, visit xcelenergy.com/rebates today, or call our Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700.