Why independence matters
Ekster & Associates sells no hardware: no blowers, analyzers, actuators or control valves. It sells no automation platform, and no service contract that places a vendor inside plant operations. Its control systems run on the plant's existing SCADA system and blowers, with instruments from any supplier that meet Ekster & Associates' recommended performance specifications.
What this means for a utility
- Equipment is chosen on its merits. Blowers, instruments and valves can be bought from any supplier, through the utility's normal procurement.
- No platform replacement. The control systems exchange data with the existing SCADA system using the standard OPC protocol. The plant's own controllers continue to operate the equipment.
- Operations stay with the utility. The plant's own operators run the plant. They set the targets and limits and can override the control systems at any time, and faulty readings are not acted on.
- Savings are attributed openly. Because the control system is separate from the equipment, its contribution can be measured separately. At Pomona, the U.S. Department of Energy final report states the blower step (34%) and the control step (a further 30%) separately.
How other approaches differ
| Approach | What the utility buys | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Control supplied by a blower supplier | Blowers with the supplier's controls | The control is tied to that supplier's equipment |
| Control supplied by an instrument supplier | Analyzers with the supplier's control modules | The control is tied to that supplier's instruments |
| Automation platform | A distributed control system or automation platform | A platform change, usually through a system integrator |
| Outsourced operating service | A vendor team operating or advising remotely | A vendor inside plant operations |
| Advisory product | Recommendations that operators apply by hand | No automatic control |
| Ekster & Associates | Control systems on the existing SCADA system and equipment | Automatic control, with operators in charge and equipment from any supplier |