Because industry consumes more energy than any other sector in the country, discovering opportunities to improve industrial energy efficiency and use clean, renewable energy technologies can strengthen our economy, help protect our environment and ensure greater energy independence. Through the Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) helps industries in every state of the nation use energy more efficiently.
After many years of successful collaborations, ITP is expanding its work with the states in some promising new areas. For example, a new financial agreement with the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) is now in place to help ITP with outreach activities to the state energy offices (SEOs). The SEOs then provide information and assistance to organizations in their states that work on energy efficiency with industrial partners. Other new activities include partnership programs in Indiana (see the related article in this issue) and Wisconsin.
A new Web site focuses on the states
In addition to providing resources, energy assessment opportunities, and training to state organizations in these and other states, ITP has a new state-focused Web site designed to promote greater awareness and deployment of industrial energy efficiency practices and technologies in your state. By clicking on any state in the map on the site, readers can obtain the following:
- Statistics on industries in that state
- Economic indicators and a snapshot of industrial energy use in the state
- Links to training opportunities in the state that can help improve its industrial energy use
- Ways to contact experts who can provide services and resources to help increase the state's industrial energy efficiency.
The site lists ITP activities in these four categories:
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Save Energy Now large-plant energy assessments, which are provided to qualifying facilities at no cost
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Energy, waste, and productivity assessments provided by DOE's university-based IACs, which also can be obtained at no cost
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Events and training to improve the efficiency of energy-intensive motor, pump, process heating, steam, and fan systems
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R&D conducted at laboratories, universities, nonprofits, and private companies across the country to bring advanced energy and economic solutions to industry.
A sampling of ITP's work with states
Here is a snapshot of some of the information you will find on the new Web site. For example, in the State of New York, ITP has worked with more than 30 partners on R&D projects, such as one to develop intelligent extruder software for use in polymer compounding (PDF 940 KB), and on uncovering opportunities for savings through large-plant assessments conducted under DOE's Save Energy Now initiative. Download Adobe Reader. ITP also supports a university-based Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) at Syracuse University; IACs provide free energy assessments to eligible small and mid-sized industrial plants and make recommendations that can save the plants both energy and dollars.
Missouri is also home to an IAC based at the University of Missouri-Columbia. And ITP is working with at least 13 partners in the state on cost-shared R&D and on recommendations for obtaining near-term industrial savings through Save Energy Now. Successful R&D projects include one to develop new chromium tungsten alloys that can be used in designing hydrocracker and chemical reactors (PDF 1.3 MB). Download Adobe Reader.
ITP has been working with more than 45 partners in Texas on R&D projects and on identifying opportunities for industrial savings through Save Energy Now. In one project, ITP sponsored the development of an emissions control technology for the wood products industry that could provide significant energy and cost savings as well as environmental and health benefits (PDF 1.1 MB). Download Adobe Reader. The program currently supports an IAC at Texas A&M University that provides free industrial energy assessments to small and mid-sized plants while training the engineers of the future.
Farther west, in California, ITP is working with more than 30 partners on R&D projects and on assessments to uncover industrial savings opportunities through Save Energy Now. One R&D project of note was carried out to develop a high-efficiency, ultra-low-emission, integrated process heater system for the petroleum and chemicals industries (PDF 292 KB). Download Adobe Reader. ITP also supports IACs at San Diego State and San Francisco State universities and at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Be sure to visit the new ITP State Activities site to learn more about industrial energy efficiency and savings opportunities in your state.
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