An Interview with Dale Desmarais, Director of Sales and Marketing for Aegis Energy Services, Inc.
1. What are the primary markets for the small scale CHP modular technology?
Primary markets are large Multi-Unit Residential, Nursing Homes, Senior Assisted Living, Hotels, Education, Health Care Facilities, Museums and Industrial that use Hot Water in their process.
2. Tell us about your existing product offering
a. Size ranges?- 75kW and 100kW models (Systems range from 60kW – 400kW)
b. Efficiencies? - 85% total system efficiency
c. Best market applications? – Central Boiler plant, Master meter or large “house” meter, 150+ beds/rooms/units in one facility, Heated pool is great, High electric rates and building heated with hot water make excellent applications.
d. Approximately how many do you sell per year? 50
3. What are the competitive advantages of your product compared to other small scale CHP technologies?
We are a single source provider (True Vertical Integration), Exceptional Service and Monitoring Capabilities (Including 7 day a week service availability from Aegis Staff.) Conservative and Data-based financial modeling based on site’s current usage. Large install base of over 500 systems from ME to Washington DC. Integrity to install good fit/right size projects. (Not just trying to push more machines to meet a sales goal)
4. Tell us about your new/newer products you are bringing to the market this year?
Our newest product is a 100kW system.
a. What are the key benefits of these new products? – Higher electrical and thermal output, Qualifies for higher grant funding, more standby loads to tie into when building loses grid power.
b. Any specific target market you plan to pursue with these new products? - Buildings that need the additional outputs either thermally or electrically.
5. Can your product(s) reduce impacts on the environment and, if so, how?
Yes, by avoiding purchasing/generating energy for the Central Power Plant, a facility can reduce its carbon footprint by about 50%.
6. What misconceptions do you deal with when talking to potential customers about your product?
Customers think that they need high pressure gas at their site to implement CHP, when actually our technology can operate with as little as 6 – 14 inch Water Column pressure at the machine.(Most building with “cooking gas” at their building can use our systems.) Also, many customers assume that installing CHP in their building require a large “out of pocket” capital investment. The fact is, that more and more customers are taking advantage of this technology with zero outlay of cost to the building. Aegis pays for the design, engineering, installation, maintenance and monitoring of the system and the site enjoys the benefit of a reduced energy bill and sometimes they even get additional standby power for free in the process. Aegis even pays for the fuel that goes into the system.
7. Who is your direct customer – a property/homeowner, a contractor or a distributor, and why?
Property manager, Building owner, Board of directors, Facility director. Basically anyone responsible for reducing the energy costs at a building.
8. What are your corporate strategies to communicate with and educate potential customers about your products?
Trade shows, Conferences, Lunch & Learns, Industry trade publications, Internet presence, Website, Social Media, Monthly Newsletter and Direct Sales. In addition we have a network of trade allies that help bring our product to market.
9. What are the market barriers to greater deployment of your product?
Education (or lack of), State and Federal incentives, Utility resistance (Spot and Area networks still off limits because they hold the best, most lucrative customers for the utilities), Unqualified CHP vendors that hurt the industry with false information and confuse the customer in an effort to make a quick dollar with no real understanding of what is needed to execute proper installation of one of these systems, Even a perceived larger company can hurt the industry by oversizing a system (just to sell machines) when their shareholders are looking for quick profits.
10. What could gas utilities do to promote the deployment and acceptance of your product?
Many are tied to the electric Utility and have some influence on opening up the spot and area networks to CHP implementation. They can offer discounted gas pricing for the fuel used to power these energy efficient systems. (NY and CT do this now.) They can partner with our sales team to go visit (on face to face visits) to the “best fit” customers to explain why CHP can help the site.
