The Strategic Energy Management program’s purpose is to improve efficiency, lower cost, and reduce environmental impact. The program has achieved its goal of reducing electricity and natural gas use by 5% per year for four years. These reductions were made possible through process changes and minor capital project expenses.
Model
In cooperation with Energy Trust of Oregon, Energy350, and the City of Albany started in 2014 by developing a model to accurately benchmark progress:
(click to enlarge graph)
Projects
Staff identified potential projects and processesand started tracking their progress in accordance with the model:
- HVAC systems/temperature adjustments
- Lighting fixtures in/on buildings
- Hot water heaters
- W3 pressure adjustments
- Shutting down redundant Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
- Pumping scheme adjustments
- Adjusting aeration in VLRs
- Adjusting chlorination, mixing
Council also approved $475,000 for 3 energy projects in the Capital Improvement Program to occur between 2018-2019:
| Project | Cost | Incentives Received | Payback Period | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repair leaking blower line | $295,000 | $119,000 | 3.5 years | April 2018 |
| Install “banana” mixers in aeration basins | $200,000 | $100,000 | 3 years | October 2018 |
| Install a VFD on 1 blower (250 hp) | $60,000 | $30,000 (anticipated) |
Results
The Albany Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility is saving 3,500 kWh per day on average.
This may continue to improve with the VFD project still in progress. That's equivalent to:
Power for 117
U.S. homes
1,280,000 kWh per year
$96,000
per year
Actual Water Reclamation Facility Energy Performance
(click to enlarge graph)
Overall Power Cost
(click to enlarge graph)
Overall Savings & Incentives at the Albany-Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility
| Item | kWh | Incentive/Savings | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEM Program | $22,500 | ||
| Energy Saved to date | 2.75 million | $199,000 | |
| LED Lighting | $14,000 | $33,400 | |
| TWG Actuator | $4,500 | $9,000 | |
| Blower Line Repair | $119,000 | $295,000 | |
| Banana Mixer Installation | $100,000 | $200,000 | |
| Blower VFD Installation | $30,000 | $60,000 | |
| Total | $489,000* | $597,400 |
*Will continue to save approximately $96,000 annually in power costs.
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If you live inside the Albany city limits you can use this calculator to see how much of the taxes you pay go to the City compared to other organizations. This calculator uses rates from FY2024-2025 and the example shown is approximately the average Assessed Value (AV) in Albany. You can find your property's assessed value using your tax statement (Linn County Assessor / Benton County Assessor) and enter it below.
2024-2025 Linn County Property Taxes
In 2024-2025 you paid $5,048 in Linn County property taxes.
Of that total, City departments receive $1,842 (36%).
That's about $5 per day for round-the-clock public safety and EMS services, libraries, parks, and other services you use every day, often without knowing.
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