by Brianna Crandall — September 19, 2014—The U.S. Department of Energy announced on September 17 expansions of its Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative (CEMI) in support of the American manufacturing sector and a new initiative to support President Obama’s goal of doubling energy productivity by 2030. By advancing the development of innovative manufacturing technologies, investing in substantial energy efficiency upgrades at production plants across the country, and training American workers for the advanced manufacturing jobs of tomorrow, the Department of Energy’s goal is to help make America’s manufacturing sector even stronger in an intensely competitive global market.
“In part due to a dramatic increase in domestic energy production and the Obama Administration’s policies and support, the U.S. manufacturing sector has seen a resurgence in recent years, adding 700,000 jobs since 2009,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “Continued smart investments in advanced manufacturing technologies, and the American workforce today, will strengthen our competitive edge for decades to come.”
Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030
In support of President Obama’s 2013 call to double energy productivity by 2030 and cut energy waste in half in U.S. homes and businesses over the next 20 years, the Department also announced a partnership with the Council on Competitiveness and the Alliance to Save Energy to launch Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030. Private sector and state and local leaders can engage in energy productivity dialogues, commit to the goal, and share best practices for capturing the economic benefits of improved energy productivity. Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030 will create a national roadmap to grow the economy while reducing energy costs.
Investing in innovative advanced manufacturing technologies
U.S. manufacturing is more competitive than it has been in decades, according to the DOE. Manufacturing output has increased 30 percent since the end of the recession, growing at roughly twice the pace of the economy overall, the longest period where manufacturing has outpaced U.S. economic output since 1965.
In order to accelerate American innovation and boost competitiveness in the manufacturing technologies of the future, the Department also announced nearly $23 million for 12 projects across the country to advance technologies aimed at helping American manufacturers dramatically increase the energy efficiency of their manufacturing facilities, lower costs, and develop new manufacturing technologies. These Innovative Manufacturing Initiative project selections leverage federal investments with additional cost share from the private sector to develop leading-edge materials, tools, and techniques that will save U.S. companies money by reducing the energy or materials needed to make their products.
Increasing the efficiency of U.S. manufacturing
Across the United States, manufacturers spend more than $200 billion each year to power their plants, says the Energy Department. Through the DOE’s Better Plants Program, American manufacturers voluntarily commit to reduce energy intensity by about 25 percent over ten years, or an equally ambitious level for their sector. As part of this announcement, DOE also welcomed the 23 newest partners to the Better Plants Program from all across the country, including leaders in industry such as General Mills, Comau Inc., General Sheet Metal Works, and Novelis.
All together, the Better Plants Partnership has grown to encompass more than 140 industrial companies, representing about 2,300 facilities and almost 11 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing energy footprint. By cutting energy waste in their factories, American manufacturers in the Better Plants Program have reported close to $1.7 billion in cumulative energy savings over the past four years, notes the Department.
Training American workers for advanced manufacturing jobs
Training America’s workforce for the jobs of the future is a crucial component of the Department’s goals to boost clean energy innovation. For example, the DOE is supporting veterans with workforce training to help them land skilled manufacturing jobs after completing their service to our nation and sponsoring collegiate student competitions, such as the recent Collegiate Wind Competition, to help develop leaders in the clean energy workforce of the future. The Department’s Industrial Assessment Centers also provide hands-on training for hundreds of engineering students while providing energy assessments to small- and medium-sized manufacturers.
