La Moncloa Complex saves more than 70.000 € in its annual power bill thanks to the introduction of automatic capacitor banks

Aener Energia is the company responsible for the supply of equipment for power factor correction capable to annul the reactive power which is punished in electric bills.

Madrid, June 28, 2011. – La Moncloa Complex, consisting of the President’s official residence and of the Ministry of the Presidency, which is composed of several buildings on 60,000 square meters, it has got to reduce nearly 6.000 Euros per month its electric bills thanks to the installation of power factor correction equipments,  consisting of automatic capacitor banks, capable to annul the reactive energy of the complex.

Through a Cooperative Agreement between the Ministry of the Presidency and the IDAE (Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy), signed in 1998 for energy optimization and cost reduction, they launched a series of measures. Between them the installation of 19 power factor correction equipments of Aener Energia was made, which has reduced the electric supply and billing costs of La Moncloa Complex. Thus, since its installation in 1998 to the present, and through preventive maintenance of equipments, estimated total saving exceeds 70.000 € per year, plus 860.000 € since its launch.

Project of IDAE for the Ministry of the Presidency
The electricity consumption of La Moncloa Complex represents an important part of the operating expenses of the Ministry of the Presidency. These costs are due to electricity consumption of indoor lighting and recipient equipments, plus consumption generated by the air conditioning of buildings and those from the high consumption power installed in outdoor lighting.

The IDAE developed a project for the Ministry of the Presidency, which included the installation of automatic capacitor banks and was encompassed within the austerity measures of the State Budget.

Project Methodology
The methodology used for the realization of this important project in La Moncloa Complex has involved:

-         Analysis and processing of the previous electric bills

-         Engineering work, for getting measures and technical characteristics of the facilities;

-         Installing a network analyzer in boards of power, distribution and measurement of each of the eight buildings with the aim of studying the parameters of power and detect the presence of harmonics

-         Negotiations with the electricity supply company;

-         Implementation of the proposed optimization utility billing, to adapt the electrical contracting operating costs to a minimum.

For the development of this project was performed, on the one side, the implementation of the contracted power adjustment, correction of billing demand meter, the choice of the most appropriate rate and time discrimination were performed. Furthermore, the power factor correction applied by installing automatic capacitor banks and compensation equipments for power transformers of Aener Energia in the power supplies buildings, has managed not only to avoid penalties that came supporting for reactive power consumption, but get the maximum bonus for such concepts in electric bills after the starting-up of the new equipments installed.

The results
With this reform, it has got to adjust the power factor to values ​​between 0.99 and 1. This improvement has meant moving from an average monthly surcharge of 4,2% of reactive energy  to a monthly bonus of 3,7% and 4%; more than 70.000 € per year.

About Aener Energia
Aener Energia is a 100% Spanish company based in Madrid which was established in 1994, specialized in saving and power quality. Its main activities are focused on manufacturing of power capacitors, automatic capacitors banks and equipments for the network’s quality such as UPS’s and voltage stabilizers.

From the beginning, Aener Energia has been characterized by providing to the power factor correction market relevant aspects such as integrated product management and service and constant work of R&D+i. Its symbol of identity is the production of a high quality service and attention and personal relationship with its customers.

Aener Energia is member of AMEC-AMELEC and AECIM-CEIM, has got ISO9001-2008, DURE approval (Cuba) and IDAE recognition. It has also got the certification and approval of the Spanish Ministry of Defence and United Nations.