PQI’s ESCO/END USER RETROFIT PROCESS

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT

The first step towards a successful transformer replacement project is the Preliminary Assessment. PQI conducts an onsite survey of the facility’s electrical distribution system.

The following information is collected:

• Quantities and descriptions of existing transformers to be replaced
• Pictures of the transformers’ nameplates to identify kVA sizes, primary and secondary voltages,
  options built into the existing units, and any special characteristics
• Potential installation issues and location concerns
• Access points and/or potential concerns
• Facility and grounds information applicable to the project

INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT (IGA)

If the Preliminary Assessment demonstrates that the facility is a viable candidate for energy savings by transformer replacement, an Investment Grade Audit (IGA) should be performed. During the IGA PQI will perform electrical testing and gather necessary measurements and location information in order to create a project specific Custom Design Guide (CDG). The information used to build the CDG will assist PQI with engineering and delivering a seamless custom solution based on the specific facility’s electrical needs and spatial restrictions.

Information necessary to complete the IGA:

• Electrical measurements of each transformer involved in the project
• Electrical conditions that qualify the facility for PQI’s NEXT LEVEL SAVINGS
• Dimensional measurements and crucial information at each location
• Detailed pictures of each existing transformer and its surroundings
• Any potential footprint and/or clearance issues
• Designate each existing transformer with its own ID tag to ensure that a new, corresponding
  transformer is installed in the correct location
• Detailed measurements of all access points (doorways, elevators, etc.)
• Any weight restrictions associated with access points such as elevators, and moving equipment
• Sizes and capacities of connected electrical equipment such as breakers, conductors, etc.

FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT

Now that all information necessary to quantify energy savings has been gathered and the CDG has been formulated, we’re ready to calculate what savings we can deliver. An invaluable tool we use to calculate energy savings is The PQI Calculator™. Unlike most spreadsheet calculators, the credibility and accuracy of The PQI Calculator™ resides in the fact that its algorithms are based on, and strongly adhere to IEEE Standard C57.110. As such, the mathematics behind The PQI Calculator™ have been validated time and again by numerous utilities and third‐party engineers.

The Financial Assessment phase consists of the following:

• Enter the facility’s electrical measurements into The PQI Calculator™, which compares the
  performance of the existing transformer to the proposed PQI replacement transformer while
  subjected to identical operating conditions
• Calculate the reduction of losses in the system and connected loads accomplishable by
  implementing PQI’s NEXT LEVEL SAVINGS
• Use The PQI Calculator™ to calculate and quantify annual savings, Return on Investment (ROI),
  project and payback periods

PQI Proposal

Once we’ve calculated the savings associated with the project, we will aggregate all financial benefits into a proposal.

Based on what we’ve found through the process of our Financial Evaluation, our proposal will consist of the following components:

• Two or more solution‐based options (if applicable)
• A detailed explanation of each option, including cost, loss reductions, and savings
• Environmental impact
• Copies of The PQI Calculator™ for each transformer (or predetermined grouping)

ENGINEERING & DESIGN

After acceptance of our proposal we progress to the Engineering & Design phase. During Engineering and Design, we follow the steps in the CDG created for your project.

Our Engineering and Design phase consists of the following:

• Analyze the information gathered about each transformer during the IGA
• Compare the footprint of each transformer with its replacement
• Analyze potential installation and/or clearance issues
• Engineer solutions for each transformer (both electrical and physical)
• Incorporate custom features into enclosures to avoid installation issues (where applicable)
• Work with the installer before final design as well as during installation to solve any issues

MEASUREMENT & VERIFICATION (M&V)

A PQI Transformer Performance Meter (TPM) is built into each transformer (See Market Differentiators). After all transformers are installed and the system is operational, we return to the facility and perform a high‐level inspection of the newly installed PQI transformers.

The M&V process consists of the following:

• Gather all pertinent details from each PQI TPM
• Compare the new electrical measurements with those taken during the IGA
• Calculate the reduction of losses and monetary savings, and compare them to the those
  predicted during the proposal phase
• Deliver an M&V report summary showing the improvement of electrical measurements and
  financial success of the project