This week we drove to Allentown, PA to attend a training session for PPL’s new rebate program, E-power Direct Discount.  Greener World Technologies had heard that PPL’s new program was offering significant rebates for lighting and refrigeration efficiency technologies, so we attended the training with one of our fellow princetongreen.org associates, Kirven Talone.

Small Business Gets a Break!

PPL, whose program is facilitated by KEMA (they do this nationwide), is funded by Act 129, and provides significant incentives directed toward small business.  Often small businesses would jump at a chance to reduce their energy usage and save money, but purchasing technologies that increase energy efficiency is cost prohibitive. 

With E-power Direct Discount, the small business does not have to pay the full cost of the technology plus installation fees, but only pays what the rebate doesn’t cover.  The rebate check goes directly to the contractor.

They’re On the Ball

PPL/KEMA is aggressively getting the word out about their program.  They’ve already blitzed Allentown, Bethlehem and Scranton and plan to blitz other areas as well. 

They have developed marketing materials that we can use, and soon Greener World Technologies’ name and contact information will be listed on their website, enabling us to say we’re an approved Direct Discount contractor.

Marching On

We at Greener World Technologies are committed to keeping up to date on the rebate programs that power utility companies offer.  We are market partners with a number of them, which gets us listed on their websites as approved contractors.  We’ve got great products, and we’re doing whatever we can to offer valuable energy efficiency products to the marketplace, ones that will help them save energy and save money too.

Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy ejournal

Clean Energy: An Extremely Quick Tour around the Globe Around the world, societies are wrestling with the move toward clean energy and energy efficiency to approach zero carbon emissions. While brilliant minds are collaborating in new ways, crossing geographical boundaries on computer networks to share ideas, the shape of the research remains largely determined by the characteristics and needs of specific nations and regions. This became evident, if only in a blurry way, in lectures and discussion at the 2011 International Green Energy Economy Conference held last week in Arlington, Virginia.

The effort is truly international. The idea is not to move in lock step, but to have a dialogue about what’s working, and for countries to bolster each other, according to Rich Duke, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Change Policy. He discussed the Clean Energy Ministerial, wherein 24 countries have convened, under the auspices of U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, to accelerate the transition to clean energy. Different countries will play to their strengths and interests; for instance, the United States and Italy are working on off-grid lighting, Korea is providing leadership on the smart grid, and China is moving ahead with electric vehicles. Broader goals include building 500 fewer power plants across the globe over the next twenty years and helping the world’s poor gain access to solar lighting.A roundtable discussion provided a quick tour of major issues around the world. Swerving away from this blog’s more customary American-centricism, I’ll discuss other major players. Most fascinating was the information regarding China that Deng Xiaoping in 1980 mandated quadrupling the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) while only doubling energy, according to Mark Levine of the China Energy Group. While this seems impossible, at the time Deng was not to be contradicted, and by 2002 China's GDP had multiplied six to eight times while energy use had grown at only half that rate.

Shortly after, however, China adopted a more free-wheeling market philosophy, and energy use began to grow far faster. Yet a recent move toward energy efficiency and renewables is changing this once again; notably, in 2008 China announced a goal of 20% improvement in energy efficiency. My take-home message here is that if a country puts its mind and will behind something, it can, indeed, achieve great change.An overlooked story is South Korea, which plans to invest $36 billion in clean energy by 2015 and create 1.5 million new jobs by 2030 (Clean Technica, 2011). Kyun-Jin Boo of the Korea Energy Economics Institute discussed a variety of ways to stimulate clean energy development including market-based mechanisms, funding resources, government research and development, and tax incentives. Perhaps the most successful mechanism is the feed-in-tariff—notably used to incentivize solar power—which offers individuals payback for their investment.The feed-in tariff originated in Germany, which has, arguably, been the global leader and innovator in implementing clean energy. Peter Lund of Aalto University in Finland explained how Europe is planning to be 60 to 80% renewable by 2050. Although consisting of 27 nations with different policies and characteristics, the European Union expects to become one energy market, united by a single grid. This will allow it to dispatch renewable energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed, greatly alleviating the intermittency problem; for instance, solar from Spain will be used throughout Europe. (The United States, with an abundant land mass and rich renewable energy resources, could easily follow such a policy, although we’d need a comprehensive plan to rebuild our grid). Germany remains ambitious and, following Fukushima, is phasing out all nuclear plants and greatly increasing its already abundant renewables.

It will be fascinating to see whether this bold goal can be achieved and how the politics plays out around its implementation.To cover the somewhat overlooked developing world, Lawrence Agbemabiese of the United Nations Environment Program discussed the needs of Africa, explaining that sufficient knowledge exists to move to clean energy, but an actionable green strategy is missing. He believes that such a strategy would greatly alleviate poverty while moving the continent on an environmental path. (This contradicts theories that developing nations need to follow a dirty development path, and only become clean once they’ve developed a strong middle class). Agbemabiese discussed the need to close gaps between those who know what do to but have no power and those with power but lacking knowledge.

This can be achieved through three domains: grassroots, the public sector, and civil society. He gave the example of providing efficient stoves throughout Ghana, which greatly improves quality of life as dirty stoves cause severe health problems. The problem, explains Agbemabiese, is to scale up, to get information out, to share best practices and successful innovation on an international scale.Finally, Robert Marlay from the U.S. Climate Change Technology Program reinforced that different countries bring different items to the table. He compared the United States, with its research enterprise, spirit of entrepreneurship, and massive computational ability, to China, which is able to build prototypes very quickly, creating new urban environments whole blocks at a time. The complementarities will benefit us all in the move to sustainability.Lest anyone think that this normally bleak blog is too optimistic, I’ll end by summarizing a contrarian lecture, given by Michael Klare, Professor of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College. He warns that the next thirty years will be a period of international stress and conflict as we embark on an energy transition. While oil and other fossil fuels become increasingly dirty and difficult to attain, new energy sources will move to full-scale production.

All nations will be struggling for market share, to survive and thrive in this rapidly changing, unpredictable environment. Klare discussed only economic conflict, although the most dystopian scenarios, echoing science fiction, would include military clashes—throw in climate change and other environmental and population stresses, resource scarcity, and refugees, and an apocalyptic vision arises.We are, then, at a global crossroads. Let us hope that we will be able to achieve the peaceful, innovative, cooperative global society bringing together the best of multiple societies, envisioned throughout most of the conference.

The Frigitek demo unit is, bar none, the best sales tool you could ever use.  We at Greener World Technologies have it seen it happen time and time again.  Sometimes it takes as little as 30 seconds, but most people that witness the Frigitek demo unit in action recognize the value of the technology right away.  It’s black and white, before-your-eyes proof. 

Rest assured, when marketing energy efficiency products, you’ll encounter a great deal of skepticism.  Your Frigitek demo unit is best brochure you can bring to a meeting!

Telling a prospect about the energy savings that Frigitek motors and controllers provide is great, but demonstrating those energy savings is so much more effective. 

Picture this.  You’ve scored a meeting with a restaurant owner.  After a brief explanation as to how Frigitek works, you place the demo unit on a table.  Instantly, the owner is able to see the type of motors in his box now compared to Frigitek’s electronically commutated motors.

Typically, if the restaurant owner has invited other people to the presentation, they all gather around the demo unit, they touch, ask questions.  It’s a tactile experience as they feel the air.

And they literally see the results.  They can see the proof, that the unit is pulling 1/10 of an amp instead of 2.1 amps. 

One of our dealers, Dustin, has closed sales that he says he otherwise would not have without the unit.  He says that the Frigitek demo unit is so helpful in converting the naysayers – demonstrate the numbers and stats, and they can’t argue.

So how do you get your hands on a Frigitek demo unit?  You can order one from Ed and Al at Energy Control Equipment.  And it’s affordable.  Just send them a check for $600.  They won’t do anything until they have that check.

Take your Frigitek demo unit with you wherever you go.   It fits inside a 33” suitcase, so you can take it with you when you fly to make presentations to prospects.  

This post is a continuation in our series about becoming a successful Frigitek dealer.  Let’s talk about the importance of getting to an installation of Frigitek motors and controllers.

You may still have questions about Frigitek motors and controllers.  Watching an installation will serve two purposes.  You'll learn more and you'll support the installer at the same time.

Last week we installed Frigitek motors and controllers at a Nando’s restaurant in Washington, D.C. 

It was the first installation of the energy savings technology for Sal of Tech 24, Nando’s refrigeration company. 

Sal did a phenomenal job – the installation went quite smoothly.

What if it hadn’t, however?  Had we not been there, Sal might have had questions he couldn’t answer.  Let’s say that happened.  If the manager of the restaurant, Alan, (who was already concerned about budgeting for the installation), had discovered that Sal was floundering during the install, he might have envisioned his money going down the drain as Sal spent extra time trying to figure things out on his own.

So many things seem very obvious once you’ve done them.  For those things that your installer can’t figure out, Greener World Technologies and Ed/Al from ECE are available to answer questions right on the spot during the installation.

As Sal was installing the Frigitek motors and controllers, we were able to establish rapport with him, helping him feel that the task was not just dumped on him.  Though we are confident he could have figured out the installation on his own, it was gratifying to be able to offer our expertise to help the process flow smoothly.

Every time we’ve been to a Frigitek installation, we’ve learned more about the technology. 

Frigitek dealers need to be perceived as experts in the technology.  Like medical salespeople who sell hip replacements sometimes observe hip replacement surgery, dealers that are present at Frigitek installations learn the lingo and the technology even better, and set themselves apart as experts in their field.

Nothing will boost your confidence in the validity of the Frigitek technology more than watching the lights come on for the business owner and/or refrigeration company.  When you monitor the before and after readings, not only does it confirm the validity and savings potential of the Frigitek motors and controllers, but you can demonstrate their power to your customer as well.  

Watch Sal’s reaction to the demonstrable energy savings.  

With these types of reactions, you may have an expanded lead source or a new dealer for your business!

Being at the installation of Frigitek motors and controllers allows you to better understand the needs of your customer.  A successful install of Frigitek might lead to suggestion/implementation of other energy savings technologies.  GWT’s ultimate goal would be to develop a 2-3 year relationship where each successful implementation would lead to another. 

By getting to the installation, your customer will see you as a value-added energy consultant, not just a salesperson of the product.

So who do you talk to about Frigitek’s energy savings technology?

To state the obvious, anyone who has commercial refrigerators, and especially companies that want to save energy and reduce their costs.

(Which begs the question, does Frigitek work with every commercial refrigerator?  Frigitek does not work with ammonia flooded coil systems, which usually applies to larger refrigerated warehouses.  This should be the first question you ask of a new prospect.)

All good salespeople know it’s important to keep of list of prospects and add to that list on a regular basis.  Start a list and keep adding names.  Call those prospects on a systematic basis.  Someone that is not interested at the present time might be interested in the future.

Following is a list of types of companies that could benefit from Frigitek’s commercial refrigeration energy savings technology. 

• Refrigerated warehouses
  
• Beverage distributors
  
• Floral warehouses
  
• Restaurants
  
• Schools
  
• Hotels
  
• Convenience stores
  
• Grocery stores
  
• Franchise groups
  
• Refrigeration companies
  

It’s good to talk to prospects that have multiple locations, especially if they are not located close to you.  We installed Frigitek motors and controllers yesterday in a restaurant that is part of a chain of over 1000 restaurants worldwide.  We are counting on their being happy with their new Frigitek motors and controllers.  When they are, we plan to install in as many of those 1000 restaurants as we can.  We’re leveraging our time, even though the restaurant we installed Frigitek in is 3 hours away from us.  If you prospect a chain, find out who is the owner or franchise group, so that if you install in one, you might be able to install in the whole chain.

So, what if you know someone who has a single restaurant?  Though you’ll do a fair amount of work for that one restaurant, keep in mind that restaurateurs are typically quite networked.  Should your acquaintance be happy with the Frigitek motors and controllers, he or she will most like recommend other restaurants for you to prospect.  We all know the value of referrals!

It’s not necessarily who you know, but who the people you know know.  Don’t rule any prospect out.  If they themselves cannot use Frigitek in their business, ask if they know someone else that might.

When you become a Frigitek dealer through Greener World Technologies’ dealer network, you can purchase your motors and controllers directly through Energy Control Equipment. Contact us and we’ll walk you through the easy dealer application process.

We discovered Frigitek through a prospect to whom we were introducing tCube.  We researched it, made multiple phone calls to Al Linder, the inventor of Frigitek, and his partner Ed Kersten, General Manager at Energy Control Equipment.  We flew twice to CA to spend time with them at ECE and cemented our business relationship with them. 

Why become a member of GWT’s Frigitek dealer network?

Benefits

• You can purchase any of ECE’s products at 25% off the retail price.
  
• There are no volume requirements.  
  
• You don’t have to go through GWT.  Purchase directly through ECE.  They’ll ship right to you!
  

But the best part is…



You get to work with us!  We are committed to supporting you. 

So how do you get set up as a Frigitek dealer with Greener World Technologies?  It’s simple.  Just send us an email at Kathi@gwtonline.net and tell us you’d like to start.  We’ll prepare a contract for you in conjunction with ECE, all parties will sign, and you’ll be on your way.

Becoming a dealer of Frigitek motors and controllers is a wise business move, as the market for these products is heating up.  Companies everywhere are researching ways to save energy and go green.  Doing the following 10 things will place you on the path to success with Frigitek.

1. Establish a Dealer Contract
When you become a Frigitek dealer through Greener World Technologies’ dealer network, you can purchase your motors and controllers directly through Energy Control Equipment (ECE) at 25% off retail, with no volume requirements.  Contact us, and we’ll walk you through the easy dealer application process.

2.  Brainstorm Prospects
It’s not necessarily who you know, but who the people you know know.  Start a list and keep adding names.    Do you know a restaurant owner?  Start there.  How about someone who works for a refrigeration company?  That’s a great place to begin as well.

3.  Purchase a Frigitek Demo
The Frigitek demo unit is, bar none, the best sales tool you could ever use.  We at Greener World Technologies have it seen it happen time and time again.  Sometimes it takes as little as 30 seconds, but most people that witness the Frigitek demo unit in action recognize the value of the technology right away.  It’s black and white, before-your-eyes proof!  A demo unit can be ordered from ECE.  

4.  Study your Sales Materials 
There is a lot to learn, but the time you spend will be worth it.  Once you become a dealer, you will have access to our back office tools and study materials such as cut sheets, flyers, technical bulletins, case studies, ROI spreadsheets, etc.

5.  Get the Frigitek Video
It’s really simple to get a copy of the Frigitek video.  Email David Peters at david@gwtonline.net and he will send you a link you can place on your website or email to prospects.  The video is the next best thing to the demo unit.

6.  Learn What to Say to a Prospect
Introducing Frigitek to a prospective business doesn’t need to be long and drawn out.  We can help you with a simple script.  One great strategy is to let your tools do the talking.  Use the video; use the demo. 

7.  Stay in Touch with GWT
We want you to succeed.  We know you will have questions and that you will need help and guidance.  We are here to help you.  You can contact us via email or by phone.  Visit our contact page for contact information.

8.  Learn how to do a Site Survey
We can’t stress this enough.  Learn what to look for.  Preparing an accurate site survey can mean the difference between a smooth, successful installation and potentially having to go back and make changes to the motors or to how what they were installed.

9.  Get to a Frigitek Installation
You will find that watching someone install Frigitek motors and controllers will answer quite a few of your questions.  Nothing will boost your confidence in the validity of the Frigitek technology more than watching the lights come on for the business owner and/or refrigeration company.   In addition, if a refrigeration company does the installation, you may have an expanded lead source or a new dealer for your business!

10.  Get to know Frigitek’s Manufacturers, Energy Control Equipment
Al Linder and Ed Kersten of ECE are ready and willing to help you as well.  They are the experts, and will take your phone call to answer your questions.  Keep in mind that they are on PST.

Over the coming weeks, GWT will be elaborating on each of these ten steps, so check back often to read our blog.

I immediately felt a connection with representatives of a restaurant that is fairly new to the United States, but has a footprint of over a thousand restaurants worldwide.  It’s called Nando’s, the home of legendary, Portuguese flame-grilled, Peri-Peri chicken.  (More about the food later).
Nando’s is expanding their restaurant base here in the US, so I knew Frigitek would be a great technology to help them save money, save energy and go green.  I discovered, while listening to the president, that the company supports initiatives that address the malaria problem in Africa. In partnership, Nando’s will be distributing thousands of insecticide-treated anti-malaria nets, malaria prevention information leaflets, books, and reading glasses throughout Africa.  I knew I had to talk with one of their team.

I was able to show our Frigitek demo unit to Burton Heiss, and he was really interested.  Nando’s is committed to reducing the amount of energy that they use, so after a number of phone conversations with Burton after arriving home, I hopped in the car and drove with Kathi to Washington D.C. and visited the Nando’s restaurant close to the White House. 

We closed the deal, and Nando’s will be installing Frigitek motors and Frigitek controllers in that restaurant.  Our hope is that, when they see realize the savings, they will install the motors and controllers in all of their restaurants, and maybe even spec them for future buildouts. 

A serendipity of the Nando’s deal is that their food is fantastic!  When Burton asked us what we thought of the Philadelphia market, we told him it would be a great place to open a Nando’s.  We’re hoping…

So, another deal closed, with great opportunity for expansion.  

We had the opportunity to travel with one of our dealers, Matt Reischer of Northeastern Energy Consultants to view the newly installed Frigitek motors and controllers at World Class Flowers in Egg Harbor City, NJ. 

World Class Flowers is a floral warehouse, serving a large area of New Jersey.  Their flowers are beautiful! World Class Flowers is aggressively pursuing measures to save energy and go green.   They recently completed a solar project in which they installed solar panels not only on their roof, but on freestanding parking covers as well.  "Our goal is to be as neutral as possible, drawing little or nothing off the grid," says John Fietkiewicz, the company’s controller.

When Matt approached World Class Flowers with the energy-saving option of changing out their shaded pole motors with 2-speed electronically commutated (EC) motors and installing Frigitek controllers, John Fietkiewicz was intrigued.  After due diligence (including a phone call to Watanabe Floral Inc. of Hawaii, who has also installed Frigitek), John came to the conclusion that the technology made sense and the less-than 2-year ROI made the decision easy.  He claims, “You can run the numbers.  It makes perfect sense.” 

Matt Bassett, of Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, World Class Flower’s refrigeration specialist was quite enthusiastic about the project.  He knew that the motors in the facility were inefficient, and the dirty fan motors were created further inefficiency.   The installation went smoothly.  Four Seasons' Matt and his associate, Rob, found that the installation literature was well illustrated, and that Energy Control Equipment, the manufacturer, provided all of the connectors making it, as Matt described, “very user friendly.”                                                                                                           
                                                                                               

Though the Frigitek motors and controllers are new to both World Class Flowers and Four Seasons, they’ve already determined from their real-time energy monitoring that when the motors switch to the slower speed, it really saves money.  Pre-installion analysis has demonstrated that World Class will save approximately 175,000 kWh per year or $28,000. 

They’ve also noticed that the noise in the warehouse is reduced, making it a much more pleasant place to work.  One potential benefit that they are eager to see is whether or not the number of freeze-ups is reduced. 

Matt at Four Seasons is eager to introduce Frigitek motors and controllers to other companies that he services.  “There are other shops that are looking for these things (energy savings technologies)”, because “everyone is out to save money.  We’re introducing new for the old.”

Matt Reischer agrees.  He’s eager to duplicate the success of World Class Flowers with other companies.

GWT is eager too!

Greener World Technologies was just approved as a Market Partner with Con Edison power utility of New York City, the largest power utility in the U.S.  We are aggressively selling our refrigeration efficiency product Frigitek in this market area.  Their incentive is very aggressive and is in some cases paying up to 50% of the cost of installing our product, Frigitek.