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Raspberry for Echelon's green networking claim
July 11, 2007 - Random musings by Dana Childs, Cleantech Group
Okay.
We're not IT experts, but just how inherently green is network-over-powerline technology?
Echelon Corporation of Silicon Valley yesterday proclaimed a customer win with the McDonald's food chain. Which is a great, high profile announcement for Echelon—kudos to them.
McDonald's intends to use Echelon's networking technology to allow various pieces of kitchen equipment in its restaurants to exchange data between themselves, the store's systems and head office over existing power lines, which will allow the chain to install the equipment without tearing out walls. Nice.
One can understand how this data could include improved business processes and reduce maintenance costs.
Frier: "Uh, my burner is dying."
Head office: "Gotcha. Replacement scheduled."
But the announcement leads with energy savings as the system's biggest benefit. It celebrates McDonald's "commitment to environmental responsibility and energy management," yet a lot of power apparently needs to be spent to manifest those savings.
To wit:
The LonWorks enabled "smart kitchen" equipment could easily integrate with other existing or planned building sub-systems, such as HVAC and lighting systems that are also based on the LonWorks protocol, in order to extend energy management capabilities throughout the entire restaurant. Such measures are an element that can facilitate LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for the restaurants, and further reduce energy use.
Now, these savings only come at the expense of installing the Echelon system, retooling all existing appliances and systems, like HVAC and lights—as well as the incremental power required to co-locate the company's i.Lon Internet Server at each restaurant.
Yet, if anything, Echelon's own marketing to the restaurant industry suggests its system could consume MORE power, in touting features like firing up burners ahead of time.
"No more waiting for kitchen equipment to warm up, no wasted set-up time between shifts, no more human error," it says.
Sure, the technology would have the ability to lower power consumption. In theory. But would it really deliver more dramatic savings, for the investment, than McDonald's existing thermostats and lights that turn themselves off at night?
We bestow a raspberry for Echelon's apparent bandwagoning on energy efficiency as a key selling proposition and positioning point.
Are we missing something?
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Comments
C'mon, if you want to post
Submitted on July 17th, 2007 by InterestedReaderC'mon, if you want to post something like this at least know something about the company and technology. Do you really think that plugging a server in is going to negate any type of energy savings? You live up in the Bay Area, go over to San Jose and tour Echelon's HQ building. I'm sure they would be more than happy to educate you on how the technology can help with energy efficiency.
Echelon energy savings at what price?
Submitted on July 18th, 2007 by Dana ChildsAm based in Toronto, sorry.Â
Server power issues aside, did you read my paragraphs after that point, above?
Sure, the technology appears to have the ability to lower power consumption. But that kind of control apparently comes at a big price. I believe it's fair to ask just how MUCH net savings are to be had at the end of the day, for the investment, versus simple thermostats and lights that turn themselves off at night.
If you have insights into Echelon's business, perhaps you can educate us more than their restaurant marketing does, which raises the possibility of the system expending MORE energy (i.e. the point about warming up kitchen equipment before employees arrive.)
Actually, little to none...
Submitted on July 19th, 2007 by InterestedReaderOne thing you have to consider is that the technology has been around for 15 years and the underlying protocol (and some signaling technologies) are the basis for standards by many organizations - ANSI, IEEE, EN, GB, SEMI, and so forth. The point is that it has been incorporated into standard product lines by many companies.
What that means is that for an end-user, putting in an automated system based on Echelon's technology cost no more, and often less, than using someone elses control technology.
Steve
Commercial Office Building Control ROI
Submitted on July 25th, 2007 by InterestedReaderI am a Senior Vice President at a Real Estate management and services company with an Echelon affiliation. We have five properties in our portfolio which I would call fully integrated using LonWorks. We have made the decision to control these properties because we have seen a good return on our investment.
I have some rules of thumb that apply to implementations of digital controls with the granular level of control commonly found using LonWorks to control lights and HVAC. For a three to five year return on investment the building should have an existing controls system (with a level of granularity roughly equivalent to the title 24 requirements in California) that is more than 8 years old, or use a typical proprietary system (ie Johnson Controls) that is 15 years old.
These numbers will vary. The most important variables that I have identified are labor and energy rates as well as climate.
Yes you are...
Submitted on July 19th, 2007 by InterestedReaderEchelon's technology, called the LonWorks(r) platform, is used by most of the world's leading providers of building automation systems - companies like Samsung Heavy Industries, Jonhson Controls, Honeywell, TAC, TRANE, et. al. You make a good point that such systems use energy and it IS true that we do not provide an alternative to fossil fuels.
Instead, we provide something more accessible today, and that's the ability to use energy more efficiently - all the time. The device-to-device nature of LonWorks based control networks enable applications, like ones for energy management, to reach deeper into a facility, return greater savings, and impact tenants less (or not at all). Look at it this way: there are hunrededs of millions of homes and buildings in the world. If each could cut its energy use by a mere 5% the net reduction in greenhouse gases would vastly exceed the production of electricity by all alternative fuels combined.
Here's a short set of links to locations with validated savings derived from energy management strategies:
Spanish grocery chain Alcampo - reduced energy usage by 20%
Balanced Office Building (BOB) in Aachen, Germany - uses 80% less energy than similar buildings
Echelon Headquarters - reduced energy use by 30% and saves more than $30,000 annually
Our blog has more thoughts on the same.
I'd be happy to host you at our facility so you can see how we use our own technology and why it's truly a green technology. I can also arrange time for you to speak to end-users to see how they're saving energy through LonWorks based control systems. Or, for that matter, I can arrange for you to speak with system integrators to discuss how they use the technology to help their customers save energy.
Steve Nguyen
Echelon
great info Steve
Submitted on July 19th, 2007 by InterestedReaderGreat to see you post that info Steve, you are the best person to speak to things like this. Those case studies are great and the blog is an awesome idea. I think there are quite a few people who follow Echelon who know there is a ton of stuff going on around the work with Lonworks and NES but have a hard time finding specific stories. Hopefully the blog will allow you guys to keep a steady stream of info going. I have followed you guys for awhile and believe that what you are doing is truly revolutionary. It has taken awhile for the rest of the world to catch up but I think the time has come. The next 5-10 years should be pretty exciting and busy for you guys.
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