Bulacan State University

Recommendations for Efficient Energy

Conservation at Government

Establishments

Prepared by:

John Israel F. Dela Cruz

2023
 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays the demand on electricity in the Philippines is high, especially

during summer season were the climate is at peak. Some areas in the Philippines

experience rotational brownout; rotational brownout happens due to some reasons

such as insufficient power supply that results from power plant outage. Most of the

power plants in the Philippines are coal fired that requires high maintenance,

considering that these are more than 20 years. As population continuously rises in the

Philippines, the demand on electricity is in proportion, resulting to power generating

plant to fail in producing enough power to satisfy the demand. In addition, coal fired

power plant produces harmful by-products like carbon dioxide, thus resulting to a

much hotter environment. To control the heat, people tend to use air conditioning

units that consume larger electricity than the traditional electric fan, in doing so, the

consumption of electricity is approximately 70% -80% higher, hence innovative

technologies are endorsed in the market that aim to lessen the consumption of

electricity like Inverter, solar powered devices, and other alternative sources of

energy.

Inverter is an energy saving technology that eliminates wasted operation in

motor driven devices such as air conditioner, fan and refrigerators by efficiently

controlling the motor speed. Air conditioner maintain the set temperature by cooling

when room temperature rises above the set temperature and heating when the room

temperature falls below the set temperature. Inverter fan also known as variable speed
fan converts AC power supply into DC, which allows fans to maintain their

uninterruptible pace even when the electricity drops down allowing the motor to

adjust its speed based on the cooling needs of the room. Also, this inverter fan has a

brushless dc motor to reduce electricity consumption by approximately 50% compare

to the non inverter. Inverter Refrigerator with inverter compressor have precise

temperature control, they automatically adjust to low and high speeds based on

surrounding temperature, operating mode and variance in temperature caused by

opening and closing of the refrigerator door. Inverter technology limits the

consumption of electricity by converting the alternating current AC to direct current

AC. In direct current the voltage are constant and the electricity flows on a certain

direction. In contrast, in alternating current, the voltage periodically changes from

positive to negative and from negative to positive, and the direction of the current also

periodically changes accordingly. In such a manner, direct current is easy to control

compare to alternating current that fluctuates.

Solar powered devices such as solar lights, solar cooker, solar water heaters,

solar fans, solar charging station utilized the energy from the sun to function. It uses

battery to store the converted sun energy to store the electricity by means of

photovoltaic cell. A photovoltaic (PV) cell, commonly called a solar cell, is a non

mechanical device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. This follows the 3 rd

law of thermodynamics, stating that the energy can neither be created nor destroyed,

only altered in form. Solar powered devices convert the energy of the sun to a much

useful for us, the electricity without producing a harmful by product like carbon

dioxide and other greenhouse gases

Alternative sources of energy like solar, hydro, tidal, geothermal, wind power

plants are increasing. As of 2022 26% of power plant in the Philippines are renewable
energy, and the others are in coal powered plant. Renewable energy sources

minimizes the production of carbon as it doesn’t need a fuel to combust with oxygen.

Coal fired power plant on the other hand, use fuel to be burnt, as a result, the carbon

from the fuel reacts on the oxygen of the air producing a carbon dioxide. Carbon

Dioxide is a heat trapping gas that when reach the atmosphere, traps the UV rays

coming from the sun. Instead of reflecting the UV rays back to the atmosphere the

carbon dioxide works like a dome covering the earth that reflects back the heat;

warming the earth than its normal limit.

We are in the transition of greener environment by converting coal power

plant to a renewable power plant. We must be a part in decreasing the electricity

demand by making our equipment function as intended by utilizing our equipment by

conducting a Regular maintenance, using equipment that use lesser consumption of

electricity, use of device that help to consume lesser electricity, turning off equipment

when not in use, right allocation of equipment such as HVAC equipment in offices.

Many are the reasons behind immoderate consumption of electricity like

improper use of equipment, using non-efficient devices such as inappropriate size and

non-inverter air conditioning units, in-utilized equipment like Light bulb, water pump,

elevator/escalator, computers. Even we are using energy saving devices like inverters,

year after year as equipment gets old, our devices became less efficient resulting in

high consumption of electricity than before.

Having mentioned the different energy saving devices that may help to lessen

the consumption of electricity, the researcher had come up in conducting a research

on what are the effective ways to conserve energy that may suit the needs of
government establishments. In such the researcher will determine the applicable

energy saving procedures for government establishment.

The researchers aimed to encourage the Provincial Government of

Bulacan to use energy saving devices, and conduct efficient energy saving acts. In this

way, the problem with uncontrolled consumption of electricity will be lessen and

maybe eradicated.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The General problem of the research study is: “What are the effective ways to

conserve energy in Provincial Government of Bulacan? Specially, this study aims to

provide input into these problems:

• Maximizing equipment specifications

a. Motor rating

b. Equipment wattage

c. Energy per hour

• Proper Maintenance procedures

• Device to be installed to regulate the consumption of electricity.

• Budget Planning and preparation for the initial cost.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The researcher came up with an idea of analyzing the energy consumption of

the Provincial Government of Bulacan that can therefore use as a guide for an

effective usage of energy in the aforementioned. The researcher believed that the

analysis when applied will benefit the government by cutting the consumption of

electricity by 10% to 40% in a span of 4 years. It is believed that the study will deeply

analyze the reason of uncontrolled consumption of electricity and find a way to

properly utilized and maximize the equipment specifications.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS

This study was exploratory in nature that focus on the effective energy

conservation practices. The researcher only focused on how to efficiently lessen the

consumption rate of electricity that may benefit the government. This analysis could

help with what was aimed in this study.

The researcher analyze the cause and effect of uncontrolled and immoderate

consumption of electricity by taking samples and testing of different equipment.

Comparing each equipment’s designed specification to the actual reading, making it

easier to find out the losses of energy on the device. On the other hand making

solutions to lessen the losses of energy will make this study helpful
 CHAPTER 2

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This chapter includes review of theories, literatures, and studies related to

recommendations for efficient energy conservation at government establishments and

also, hypothesis of the study, definition of variables and the conceptual framework.

RELEVANT THEORIES

1.1 SOLAR POWER ENERGY

Since solar panels will be introduced as one of the devices that will

contribute for efficient conservation of energy, it is essential to know the principle

behind it which is the solar energy. This is a type of energy generated by the sun that

is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Solar energy is considered as the

cleanest and the most abundant renewable energy source discovered. Through the

help of technology, energy can be harnessed for variety of uses, such as generating

electricity, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use.

In order to harness solar energy, photovoltaics cells can be

incorporated. Through this cell, electric voltage is generated once the light strikes the

junction between a metal and a semiconductor or the junction between two different

semiconductors. The power generated by a single photovoltaic cell is approximately 2

Watts. In order to meet a certain demand of electricity, the individual cells are to be

formed in a large group which is pertained as solar panel with an efficiency that

ranges from 15-20% and can withstand a temperature of -20 degree Celsius to 70

degree Celsius.
 To ensure that the energy conservation is maximized, the efficiency of the

solar energy incorporated technology shall undergo a thorough consideration.

(https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy/Electricity-generation)

1.2 INVERTER

An inverter is a small part within a variable frequency drive (VFD). Another

component in the VFD is the rectifier that converts the alternating current power

coming from the house sockets into direct current. If the flow of the energy is still in

direct current, the VFD is given an opportunity to change the frequency from the

standard of 60 Hz to the power required by the motor of a certain appliance.

Following this process, the inverter will intervene to convert the direct current with

the changed frequency back to alternating current of which the appliance can use to

power the operation. Hence, this reduced draw in electicity translates to an improved

energy efficiency and better energy saving.

When a certain appliance is equipped with an inverter, the electric current will

pass through the inverter prior going to the motor. As the inverter converts

alternating current to direct current, it also changes the frequency, thus controlling the

motor speed depending on the requirement, which therefore saves energy. Usual

appliances that incorporates this principle are air-conditioning, refrigeration, and

washing machines.

In the Capitol of Provincial Government of Bulacan, approximately four

hundred (400) air-conditioning units are currently installed. In this manner, this

appliance is one of the contributors to the high electricity of the building. For this

reason, incorporating an inverter technology is a substantial aid to conserve the

energy.
 (https://101appliance.com/inverter-technology/)

1.3 MOTOR SPECIFICATION

As a building requires different equipment in order to provide the needs of its

tenant to ensure that the productivity is met, it is also necessary to know the motor

specifications of each appliances to determine its power consumption. These are as

follows: Voltage, Current, and CSPF

The voltage is the pressure from an electrical circuit's power source which

pushes the charged electrons through a conducting loop, therefore enables them to

produce work such as illuminating a light. Voltage can be either an alternating current

voltage or direct current voltage. Measuring the voltage is useful to determine when a

load is operating in normal conditions.

(https://www.fluke.com/en-us/learn/blog/electrical/what-is-voltage)

On the other hand, current is the movement of electric charge carriers. In

addition, it is a measure of the quantity of charge that passes through any point of the

wire per unit time. In an alternating current, the motion of the electric charge is

periodically reveresed in contrary to the direct current. Current is primarily one of the

basis of how high is the power consumption. The higher its value, the higher an

appliance consumes an electricity.

Lastly, the Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor (CSPF) is a star rating that

determines the efficiency of an appliance, particularly the air-conditioning unit. It is

as computed as below

CSPF = Cooling Seasonal Total Load / Cooling Seasonal Energy

Consumption
 Whereas:

Cooling Seasonal Total Load (CSTL) is defined as the total annual amount of

heat energy that is removed from the indoor air when the equipment is operated for

cooling in active mode.

Cooling Seasonal Energy Consumption (CSEC) is the total annual amount of

electrical energy that is consumed by the equipment when it is operated for cooling in

active mode.

For the reason that each equipment varies from one another, reviewing their

motor specifications is essential in order to ensure that only those with the lowest

current, appropriate voltage, and high CSPF will be used.

(https://www.doe.gov.ph/sites/default/files/pdf/announcements/1.%20PELP

%20IG%20-%20Air%20Conditioners%20Feb%2023_1614034534.pdf)

(https://www.britannica.com/science/electric-current)

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 SOLAR SYSTEM

Solar system is essential to convert the solar energy into useful electricity in a

certain building. A system is primarily composed of Solar Panels, Inverter, and

Battery.

To elaborate the function of each composition, the solar panel is responsible in

collecting the energy from the sun in the form of sunlight, and convert it to electricity.

The inverter on the other hand converts the direct current electricity that the solar
panel generates, into alternating current. Lastly, the battery is responsible for storing

the excess electricity generated by the solar panels of which can be for future usage.

Furthermore, in the discussion of "Focusing on in-depth knowledge and best

practice for Solar PV Computation & Design" by Engr. Melkee Ocray of Maya

Technologies Solutions, solar system is classified into three types: On-grid, Off-grid,

and Hybrid.

Off-grid set-up is a type of solar power wherein the system is totally

disconnected to the supply of power distributor such as MERALCO. Thus, the

establishment has its own source of electricity.

Fig 2.1 Off-grid Solar System

On the other hand, on-grid set-up requires the building to be connected to its

electric company. Its relative disadvantage is that in the event of a blackout, the

building is included in the loss of electricty supply.

 Fig 2.2 On-grid Solar System

Meanwhile, in the hybrid set-up there are three power sources: the solar panel,

the electric company, and the battery. This allows flexibility in case that the building

requires more than the stored load in the battery of the solar power incorporated.
 Fig 2.3 Hybrid Solar System

In this study, the hybrid set-up will be used due to its advantage. In the event

that the tenants require a load that is higher than the capacity of the solar panels, they

can import from the electic company. In such cases that there is black-out in the

vicinity, the operation will still continue since they are independent from the supply of

the power distributor.

2.2 APPLIANCE/EQUIPMENT

In the research that is published by the Office of Energy Efficiency &

Renewable Energy, appliances account for the high percentage of electric

consumption in a commercial building.

(https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/energy-savings-potential-and-rdd-

opportunities-commercial-building)
 Fig 2.4 Commercial Primary Energy Consumption by End-Use with Energy Saving

Technologies

In this particular aspect, appliances and other equipment with low Wattage

will be thoroughly selected. Different factor will be used for estimation for air-

conditioners.

Referring to the guidelines issued by the Department of Energy - Energy

Utilization Management Bureau, namely Section 9 of Department Circular No. 2020-

06-0015 "Prescribing the Guidelines of the Philippine Energy Labeling Program

(PELP) for Compliance of Importers, Manufacturers, Distributors, Dealers of

Electrical Appliances and Other Energy-Consuming Products (ECP)", the air-

conditioner with a three-star to five-star rating will be used in every establishment to

efficiently conserve energy.

Table 2.1 Energy Efficiency Performance Rating (Window Type & Split Type)

of Department of Energy

2.3 BUDGET PLANNING

In order to reduce the energy costs and become more energy efficient,

calculation of the energy usage shall be also considered. Gathering the motor

specifications of the equipment, the projected monthly electricity bill can be

identified. The data produced hence will give an overview as well of which among the

selections of brands per equipment category are within the budget in terms of its

initial equipment cost and monthly electricity bill.

Below is the formula in order to obtain the monthy cost for the energy per

equipment:

Monthly Electric Bill = [(Equipment's Wattage x Hours Used per Day)/1000]

x kWh rate of Electric Company x 30 Days

(https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/how-to-calculate-electric-bill)

2.4 MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

In order to not just prolong the lifespan of an equipment, but to also avoid high

energy consumption proper maintenance is highly essential.

 According to Hydrokleen, a dirty air-conditioner leads to an increase in energy

consumption. (https://hydrokleen.com.au/the-consequences-of-a-dirty-air-

conditioner/). Therefore, it is advised to have the filters cleaned once every two weeks

(Daikin Global https://www.daikin.com/products/ac/services/maintenance_tips) and

the whole system semi-annually.

Below are the maintenance procedures that are proposed to be implemented

and their impacts.

1. Perform maintenance on a periodic basis to ensure continuous access to the

equipment.

2. Identify potential access problems early within the context of the planned

maintenance system in order to plan the corrective action, ensure that it is included in

the budget cycle, and completed in a timely manner.

RELATED STUDIES

1. Energy Conservation guidelines for government office buildings in New

Delhi

Energy Conservation guidelines for government office buildings in New

Delhi is a research proposed by Peter Thomas, Bhaskar Natarajan, and S. Anand

(1991). The study stated that energy savings can be achieved by efficient operation

and utilization of building systems. Furthermore, it includes proper maintenance of

window-type air-conditioning units. The research suggested the use of efficient

lighting systems, and transition from radiant heaters to convective heaters.

 2. Energy Consumption Management of Commercial Buildings by

Optimizing the Angle of Solar Panels

Nima Amani and Abdul Amir Reza Soroush (2021) conducted a study that

involves the use of solar energy in a commercial building for the purpose of

optimizing the energy consumption in order to reduce the cost, including the

environmental pollutants.

In addition tothis, the research concluded that the optimal angle of solar panels

leads to a reduced cost and environmental pollutants. Photovoltaic modules, as stated

can achieve zero-energy system with grid connections.

According to the researchers, below are the relative results by the photovoltaic

modules simulated through a Polysun software.

 Fig 2.5 Photovoltaic effects simulation

3. Quantitative analysis of the impact of maintenance management on the

energy consumption of a hospital in Extremadura (Spain)

This study was proposed and conducted by Justo García-Sanz-Calcedo,

Miguel Gómez-Chaparro (2017). The researchers stated that an average annual

increase of 6% in time spent on preventive maintenance operations resulted to a 20%

decrease in corrective maintenance demand. This implementation in maintenance

operation led to a 500 MWh annual saving, thus reduced the electicity consumption of

the hospital. This also helped to prevent 186 tons of CO2 emmissions annually.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Technoware

Solar System 1. Data Gathering

Inverter Technology 2. Installation of Solar

Appliances System

3. Retrofitting of

Infoware Inverter Technology Recommendations for

Solar Energy Appliances Efficient Energy

Inverter 4. Training for Conservation at

Motor Specification Maintenance Government

Personnel Establishments

Humanware 5. Sourcing of HVAC

Maintenance Contractor for

Installation and

Personnel Maintenance of Air-

HVAC Contractor conditioning Units

V. HYPOTHESES

The "Recommendations for Efficient Energy Conservation at Government

Establishments" is acceptable to the government establishments considering its

reliability, efficiency and effectiveness, and accuracy. The components of the study

resembled some results of the previous studies. Therefore, the recommendations for

efficient energy conservation at government establishments is an innovative project to

solve the immoderate consumption of electricity.

 VI. DEFINITION OF VARIABLES

1. Solar System - is a system which is composed of solar panels, inverter, and

battery -that is incorporated in an establishment that aims to reduce the energy costs.

2. Inverter Technology - is an energy saving technology that eliminates wasted

operation of an appliance/equipment by efficiently controlling the motor speed.

3. Solar Energy - is any type of energy that is generated by the sun.

4. Inverter - is a component of a variable frequency drive that converts direct

current to alternating current voltage.

5. Motor Specification - is a data necessary to consider in order to determine

the power consumption of a certain equipment.

6. Infoware - record embodied documented facts, such as: design parameters,

specifications, blue-prints, maintenance and service manuals.

7. Technoware - is an object-embodied physical facilities, such as: devices,

equipment, machineries, and structures. Technoware enhances human physical

powers and controls for necessary transformation operations.

8. Humanware - is a person-embodied human abilities, such as: skills,

knowledge, expertise, and creativity. Humanware contributes to the actual utilization

of available natural and technological resources for prodctive purposes.

CHAPTER III

METHODS OF RESEARCH
 This chapter presents the methods and techniques of the study utilized to

produce a hypothesis.

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF THE STUDY

According to Burns and Grove (2001:223), research design was the blueprint

in conducting a study which maximized control over factors that could interfere with

the validity of the findigs. For this study, qualitative method on grounded theory is

applied. This method refers to the scientific method as well as the research seeking to

unravel problems with which a system, method, or device was emerged. The

researcher considered using this method in acquiring the needed information to

interpret them accurately.

Furthermore, the qualitative method on grounded theory is appropriate to the

research since it will be utilizing the established theories and practices on how the

solar system, inverter technology, motor specifications, and maintenance procedures

can relatively solve the rising problem with the immoderate consumption of energy in

government establishments.