U.S. Navy Saves with Plug Load Controls

Field demonstrations of newly proven energy-efficient technologies are yielding valuable results for the U.S. Navy, helping it meet energy goals.

In partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) recently demonstrated eight technologies at installations in Hawaii and Guam and the initial results have encouraged the Navy to move forward with broader implementation of several of the technologies. One technology that paid off was plug load controls.

Advanced power strips, a plug load control technology that cuts power to devices plugged into electrical outlets when they are not in use, were installed in an office building with capacity for roughly 100 staff. While plug load savings depend on what can be turned off and for how long, the demonstration identified measurable savings. The elimination of unnecessary nighttime and weekend plug loads reduced overall plug load use by 28% and lowered the entire building’s energy consumption by 8%, saving the Navy 15 megawatt-hours/year. Given the small investment required, this office application will pay for itself in less than two years.

To learn more about the demonstration projects, visit nrel.gov.