DOE/OIT Plant-wide Energy Assessment Experience Summary

ABSTRACT The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) is sponsoring cost-shared, plant-wide energy assessments of industrial facilities through its BestPractices Program. The purpose of these assessments is to examine plant utility and process operations and to identify opportunities for improving their energy efficiency. During the past 18 months, DOE has awarded grants to a total of 13 plants in the steel, metal casting, aluminum, forest products, chemical, and petroleum industries. All of these industries are part of the DOE Industries of the Future (IOF) Program. The average annual savings identified in these studies has been more than $1,000,000 per facility, with payback periods usually less than 18 months (some have been as short as 3 months). In some cases, the non-energy benefits identified (e.g., reduced scrap, increased productivity, and maintenance reductions) have been greater than the energy savings. This article summarizes the findings from the completed assessment...