Recognizing that over 25 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. is used to power pumps, the Hydraulic Institute developed the HI Energy Rating Label program to help manufacturers differentiate their higher efficiency products and provide ways for commercial and industrial customers to save energy. The rating label identifies energy-efficient pumps and provides a tool for the developers of energy efficiency programs, electric utilities, distributors, and customers to identify energy-saving products. The pumps with the higher ER rating will provide greater energy savings than similar pumps with lower ratings.

With the HI Energy Rating, energy-efficiency program administrators have a new way to encourage adoption of more efficient technology. Through incentives to distributors or rebates to equipment purchasers, programs can encourage commercial and industrial facilities to install more efficient pumps.

HI initiated the development of the energy rating to take advantage of the new U.S. Department of Energy’s  clean water pump regulation. HI worked collaboratively with its members, the Northwest’s Regional Technical Forum, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy to develop the ER Label program. The program will accelerate the adoption of more efficient pumping systems into the marketplace and contribute towards broad-based energy savings for end-users in commercial and industrial sectors including agriculture and building services.

“The Hydraulic Institute is paving the way for pump end-users to be better informed as they purchase pumps and pump systems,” NEEA Senior Product Manager, Geoff Wickes said. “The Hydraulic Institute’s collaborative work with the DOE, industry groups and energy efficiency organizations to develop a verifiable test procedure, lab accreditation and a market friendly label will help users gain a competitive edge in their equipment purchases.”

Through this effort, HI, along with DOE and the RTF, developed measures that provide the infrastructure to help interested utilities to create rebate programs for products with the HI ER Label. The ER Label verifies product efficiency performance through certifications, and labeled products are listed in a database to provide verifiable energy savings for upgraded equipment.

“NEEA commends the systems-thinking approach of the Hydraulic Institute and all the many entities in the Northwest, which resulted in efficiency levels for more than 3,400 clean water and 40 circulator pumps being verified and designated using HI’s labeling program,” Wickes said. “This presents an excellent opportunity to support efficiency efforts in the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors.”

This labeling program and platform will help many parties identify new opportunities for efficiencies. “ACEEE commends HI and the pump industry for its willingness to work with the energy efficiency community through the U.S. Department of Energy standards process, and take leadership in building this initiative on top of the consensus framework,” said Ethan Rogers, Program Director at ACEEE. “The HI Energy Rating Label will provide purchasers with new information that enables businesses to make more informed decisions on how to reduce operating costs and save energy.”