Commercial electric contest can spark bright ideas

Nation's Restaurant News, Jan 11, 1993 by Patt Patterson

Each year we've run brief descriptions of commercial entrants in the Edison Electric Institute's annual Marketing Achievement Awards. The reason? The concepts described in these entries give you an idea of the range of services available from electric utilities -- many of which are not publicized or promoted.

In 1992, EEI held its 12th annual contest. Four of the foodservice entries have ideas which might be utilized by any operator.

The use of a radio-controlled switch operated by the local power company saved money for McDonald's Corp. in the area served by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. The switches cut one of the air conditioner compressors on the roof of company restaurants during the peak demand period for electricity.

According to Louis W. DeMay, account representative for BG & E, in 1990, the electric switch Energy Manager Program concept -- which had been thoroughly tested in residential use -- was offered to commercial firms. McDonald's agreed to try the idea.

McDonald's units in the area used four to six roof top compressors in the five- to 10-ton range to provide zone cooling for the various areas of the fast-food restaurants. Under the BG & E program, only half of each restaurant's air conditioning compressors would be off at any one time -- and only in 15-minute intervals. To maintain customer comfort, the switch does not affect fan operation.

Since the peak demand for electricity in the summer occurs between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. in that area, the cut off fell during McDonald's afternoon off-peak periods. After approval by the restaurant chain's corporate energy office in Chicago, approval was given to install the switches in all of the 170 units within BG & E's service area.

The radio-controlled switches are operated by signals sent from the BG & E stations and are activated only during the peak demand period. Tests indicated that customer comfort was not affected by the intermittent switching off of half of the compressors for 15-minute intervals.

In 1991, the total savings in electric power consumption by McDonald's units was 1.5 megawatts. The earned credit for the program to McDonald's was $24,000 for the summer of 1991. As a result, as part of McDonald's construction program, all new restaurants will participate in the program.

Becky Horton, commercial sales consultant for the Indianapolis Power & Light Company, conducted a test of a new, spatterless electric deep fat fryer against a gas fryer at a fast-food franchise in the Indianapolis area. The electric fryer utilizes a heating principle that eliminates spatter, even when an ice cube is dropped into the hot oil.

Two of the electric fryers were installed in one unit, to be compared with two gas fryers in a comparable unit. The gas fryers were the ones normally used by the fast-food firm.

An electric meter/recorder was installed to record the kilowatt electric consumption, line voltage and current for the electric fryers. A special gas meter was installed to measure gas flow to the gas fryers.

During a two-week period, from January 12 to January 25, 1992, the store management carefully tracked all products prepared in the fryers in each store. Meter readings were logged for both gas and electricity.

The results: The electric fryer had higher cooking efficiency than the gas fryer. Operating costs decidedly favored the gas-fired fryer. Yet the operator continues to order electric fryers.

The reason given is that the operator has found that the electric fryer has lower maintenance costs. There is a savings in oil, since the electric fryer requires changing oil every third day, while the gas fryers require oil changing every other day. And, finally, there are fewer workman's compensation claims for employee burns when the spatterless electric fryers are used.

The study underscores the importance of partnerships between utilities and equipment manufacturers to best meeting the needs of the foodservice operator. In this case Edison Electric Institute research funds were made available to support the study.

A trend that has been gaining in utilities across the country is the culinary competition. Two entries for EEI awards in 1992 involved that type of activity.

The Arizona Public Service Company claims the distinction of being the first electric utility in the nation to promote a statewide, all-electric cooking competition at national/international professional standards. The event, which was held in September 1991, was the entry of Paul W. Riggs, director of marketing and economic development for APS.

APS held its first annual All-Electric Arizona Culinary Competition in conjunction with the 1991 Arizona Restaurant and Lodging Show. Cooperation was received from the Chefs Association of Greater Phoenix, the Arizona Restaurant Association, and the Arizona Hotel and Motel Association.

Five Olympic-style electric kitchens were set up for the two-days of competition. APS brought the "star" judge, Roland Henin to town weeks before the event to demonstrate the equipment to participating chefs. Chef Henin is the 1990 regional and national winner of the American Culinary Federation's annual Chef Professionalism Award. He is corporate chef, research and development, at Truitt Bros., Inc. an Oregon-based food processor. He was also coach of the 1992 Culinary Team USA.