Pump Systems Matter (PSM), an Hydraulic Institute (HI) educational initiative designed to help North American pump users gain competitive business advantages through pump system energy management and performance optimization, teamed up with Xcel Energy, a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company, in Minnesota (USA) to complete the area’s first Industrial Energy Efficiency Forum.

The one-day event was attended by more than 180 industrial users, equipment and facility managers, as well as project engineers interested in learning more about energy efficiency and its impact on customers and business planning. “Pump Systems Matter provided not only an opportunity for the customers to make immediate connections to suppliers, but also presenters that shared their knowledge and expertise on a wide array of systems seen in the industrial setting,” said Tami Gunderzik, Xcel’s Product Portfolio Manager. During the course of the event, numerous workshops explored real-world examples and energy-efficient techniques related to compressed air and HVAC systems, motors and variable speed drives, life-cycle costing, pump system and mechanical seals optimization, as well as water, wastewater, steam and process heating systems, among others.

These included best practices for getting energy-efficient projects approved, financed and implemented; evaluating the investment potential of energy efficient operations; and determining price versus costs when purchasing equipment. Other highlights included notable industry executives’ keynote addresses and question-answer sessions with representatives of leading companies. Pump Systems Matter is seeking to partner with other utilities to offer this type of event in their service territory, reveals the initiative’s press release.