The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center’s (MMAC) Office of Facility Management (AMP) Energy Team has been awarded the 2020 Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Award. All federal agencies compete annually for the DOE FEMP awards which recognize innovation and achievements in energy and water conservation. Each agency selects the best candidates to submit for the DOE for award nomination. In 2020, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation nominated the Aeronautical Center’s AMP Energy Team for installing harmonic energy conservation filters (an innovative application of an existing technology).

Harmonic filters were designed primarily to filter out "noise" (potentially harmful spikes and dips) in electrical power systems. Besides causing potential damage and malfunctions in sensitive electronic equipment, the noise also causes energy losses in electrical transformers, in the form of heat generation. The noise is caused by nonlinear electrical loads like variable frequency drives (VFDs) like those commonly installed on many building heating and cooling systems. By installing harmonic filters at the nonlinear load sources, the noise is virtually eliminated so sensitive electronic equipment receives much "cleaner" power, and electrical transformers run much cooler.

The AMP Energy Team first completed a prototype test to verify the effectiveness of the harmonic filters and potential energy savings associated with them. After the successful prototype test, a project was then developed and a contract was awarded to install harmonic filters at 105 sites across the Aeronautical Center. The result was a savings of over 1,500,000 kWh/yr – enough to power 150 average U.S. homes for a whole year! This electrical savings also equates to a reduction of more than $80,000 on the Aeronautical Center’s electric utility bill. In addition to the billed savings, the project was also a major contributor toward earning a $61,528 rebate from the utility company associated with the reduced energy consumption. This Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Energy Management Program Award is just another example of the Aeronautical Center’s commitment to improving energy efficiency. AMP is striving to be good stewards of our resources. Congratulations to the AMP Energy Team for setting the standard among federal agencies when it comes to energy innovation.