The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $10 million to support the installation of energy efficiency extended product systems (e.g., combined electric motor, variable speed drive, and pump). The funding has been made available as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal which included more than $62 billion for the DOE to deliver a more equitable clean energy future for the American people.

What this means for you and your customers is that any Taco commercial pump covered by the DOE rulemaking, which carries a qualifying Variable Load (PEIVL) or HI Energy Rating, such as the Self-Sensing SFI, SCI, SKS, SKV pumps, is eligible to receive a rebate of $25 per horsepower (HP) up to $25,000 directly from the DOE. All pumps installed on or after October 1, 2021 are eligible and the incentive is paid directly to the owner of the mechanical system in which the pumps are installed.

Helping your customers apply for this incentive shows them how you are looking out for their best interests. And, if they don’t have an energy efficiency extended product system, now is the time to invest in one.

Pump Qualifying Criteria:

The $10 million will be available until the money has been distributed, so now’s the time to talk with your past and current customers and let them know of the incentive opportunity. It’s a great way to promote Self-Sensing pump sales, including the Oe package and the new Modulating Pump Controller (MPC), and the energy savings and system benefits they provide.

*Click here to learn more about the Hydraulic Institute’s Energy Rating program, including the pump savings calculator that allows a user to calculate life cycle energy and cost savings.

Here are some other helpful links you may need to take advantage of this opportunity:

DOE Rebate Application Portal

DOE Implementation Guidance

Taco SelfSensing Catalog

If you need help with system design, information on lead times, or placing an order, please give on our sales team a call at 800-355-7061.

As part of that mission, they have launched a new campaign targeting rejecting VRF systems. In an ongoing effort to expose building owners, architects and design teams to the multitude of issues that can arise by choosing to install VRF systems, the Hydronic Industry Alliance has created a website, supported by an advertising campaign in popular industry publications and websites, which highlights the major concerns and presents first-hand experiences of those brave enough to come forward to speak about their poor VRF experiences.

The VRF industry is spending millions of dollars advertising the falsely-claimed superior energy efficiency of their systems. They are changing the business model of how systems get designed and are trying to change codes and safety protocols to allow for even greater amounts of refrigerants to be piped throughout a building.

The Hydronic Industry Alliance wants the design community to think twice before blindly choosing a VRF system over the many other viable HVAC options, like hydronics, that will almost always better meet the design, budget, safety, comfort and performance goals of the building. The hydronics industry deserves a seat at the design table, before an HVAC system type is chosen, to tell why water always wins – for everyone.

In the coming months, we will see additional information, support materials and case studies coming out of the Hydronic Industry Alliance in regards to VRF systems, the benefits of hydronics, and new design tools to make it even easier to choose the right HVAC systems. As we get this information, we will pass it along to you. In the meantime, make sure to visit www.VRFrejected.org to learn the truth about safety, energy costs, efficiency, and the proprietary nature of VRF systems.

While we support our customers with any of their needs, we encourage you to look at alternatives to traditional VFR systems when designing and building your next hydronic system. If you have any questions on this, please give us a call to discuss at 800-355-7061.

The Evolution of Boiler Controls

The technological innovation of boiler systems has drastically enhanced how users interact with their boilers. The industry continues to improve safety and efficiency standards to fit the game changing environment. Today, users seek features that influence the return on their investment. These notable features include increased energy efficiency, great zone controls and low operational costs; all of which can be achieved by selecting the right boiler control technology.

Boiler control systems have evolved through the years, reducing energy waste and providing the user with greater control over their equipment. Innovation helps to facilitate day to day processes, and allows boilers to better respond to the genuine requirements for comfort heat and hot water demand.

Prevent Boiler Short-Cycling

We all want our heating system to increase cost savings and reduce carbon emissions. However, the issue of boiler short-cycling is the primary reason for boiler inefficiency, generating high operational costs for building owners. Boiler short-cycling occurs when the system fires only to recover its standing heat losses, without genuine comfort heat or hot water demand.

In a previous era, “time delay” devices were introduced to attempt to prevent short-cycling. This device keeps the boiler from firing on fixed time delays. However, it does not take heat or hot water demand into consideration, limiting the end user’s ability to realize cost saving energy reductions.

The introduction of building management systems(BMS) and building optimization positively affected the heating industry by increasing efficiency and providing the end user with more control over their system. But once again these controls have resulted in the implementation of technology that can interfere with existing control strategies, compromising the comfort levels of a building.

Today, we use a modern and intelligent boiler load optimization control. The computer-based control allows for continuous monitoring of both flow and returning temperatures in real time. The control consists of both hardware and software, and engineers have even found a way to integrate the use of internet protocols.

The Patterson-Kelley Solution

The Patterson-Kelley NURO® control system constantly analyzes the boilers outlet temperature and compares it to the current comfort heat setpoint. This enables the control to identify and prevent the boiler from short-cycling. When the outlet temperature drops below the setpoint, the NURO® commands the boiler to increase its firing rate, and as it approaches the comfort heat set point, the control will command the boiler to decrease its firing rate. Both the Comfort Heat Wizard and the Domestic Hot Water Wizard in the NURO®, allow the end user to easily set up and tune the comfort parameter for optimal performance. The control also allows for remote monitoring through a desktop or mobile device, with the NURO® Connect App. Who better knows how to control the boilers than the boiler manufacturer themselves.

The success of this approach led Patterson-Kelley to engineer a NURO® Conversion Kit, which allows current MACH® boiler owners to convert their control to the latest technology.

We’d be happy to talk with you and answer any questions on the Patterson-Kelley Boiler Control options for your next project. Give us a call at 800-355-7061.

This post originally appeared here.