by Brianna Crandall — February 7, 2014—The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program has announced its new Web site, which the DOE says is a valuable resource for manufacturers who want to prove their achievements in energy management and lower plant energy costs.
SEP is a certification program applicable to facilities of all sizes in all manufacturing sectors. Built on the ISO 50001 energy management standard, SEP creates value by helping companies establish energy targets and then track, maintain, and verify sustained improvements in performance.
Manufacturing facilities professionals may be interested to know that results from the facilities already certified show an average investment payback of 1.7 years. No-cost and low-cost operational measures have reportedly posted annual savings ranging from $87,000 to $984,000.
According to the DOE, any U.S. industrial plant can now enroll or apply to become SEP certified. Facilities with ISO 50001 experience and a strong record of energy savings can begin the SEP certification process, while others may use the SEP process to strengthen energy management skills and build toward certification readiness.
Other features on the new Web site include certification results, case studies, details on how to certify a facility, tools and resources, and more.
ISO 50001, a key element of SEP, is growing internationally, says the DOE. As of mid-January 2014, over 5,000 sites have earned ISO 50001 certification worldwide, greater than a 230% increase from this time last year (based on Peglau data, January 2014). Facilities planning to implement ISO 50001 may find it expedient to do so within the SEP process, both to take advantage of the available tools and guidance and to position themselves for future certification and the market recognition that it brings, notes the DOE.
The U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office worked with the industry-led U.S. Council for Energy Efficient Manufacturing (U.S. CEEM) partnership, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board to develop SEP as a transparent system for certifying improvements in energy performance and management practices.
