If Southern California is any example, older golf courses could save thousands a year in energy costs by replacing old irrigation equipment with new, energy-efficient technology.
That is the primary conclusion of the “Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program for Golf Course Customers,” implemented by Southern California Edison and Golf Resource Group over a three-year period ending December 31, 2008.
The pilot program was designed to show golf course owners how much energy they could save by retrofitting old pump stations with pioneering equipment such as variable frequency drives, which enables a pumping system to adjust itself to demand, and programming with new software that offers more precise system control.
“Golf course owners who chose to purchase and install efficient equipment received a cash rebate from Southern California Edison based on the estimated annual energy savings,” explains Andrew Staples, an expert in golf course design and construction and president of Golf Resource Group headquartered in Phoenix.
Staples partnered with Southern California Edison to provide free pump station assessments to over 125 golf courses during the pilot project. He found significant opportunities for improving cost-effectiveness in almost all cases.
“Tijeras Creek in Orange County, Calif., is an excellent example,” says Staples. “Management replaced the old pump station with a new Rain Bird system and showed a 25 percent gain in energy efficiency. That represents over $16,000 savings in energy costs annually.” Incentive checks were also written to participating customers. Amounts of these checks varied from a few thousand dollars to well over $20,000.00.
In addition to the pump station, the pilot project included an analysis of other course facilities, such as the clubhouse, cart barns and pool, to identify opportunities for saving energy by retrofitting lighting.
The program produced over 4,000,000 kWh in savings, which is equal to the total annual energy used by 220 average U.S. homes. Major water savings, which were not measured during the program, were an obvious bonus.
Despite these savings, Staples found that most golf course owners were reluctant to invest in new equipment while operating costs were rising and play remained stagnant. The reality, according to Staples, is that golf courses will need to make an investment in sustainability to stay in business.
“In a time when income is down, courses resist making large expenditures,” says Staples. “However, industry leaders agree that courses must address the major issues of water and energy.
For his part, Staples has integrated what he learned during the pilot project into his own
golf course design and construction practice, incorporating energy, water and operations analyses as part of his master planning process.
“A simple analysis of a golf course’s operation and an initial investment by the course can lead to considerable long-term savings, exactly what the industry needs,” says Staples.
