by Brianna Crandall — March 16, 2022 — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just announced that 93 
U.S. manufacturing plants earned the agency’s Energy Star certification in 2021. Energy Star-certified plants are verified to be among the most energy-efficient plants within their industries. Together, they prevented more than 5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector, which is responsible for nearly a third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan remarked:
As these companies demonstrate, improving energy efficiency serves to confront climate change while strengthening our economy. Manufacturing plants that reduce energy consumption as part of the transition to a zero-emissions future save money and create the resiliency needed for the long-term health of their operations, our economy, and our planet.
Thanks to their superior energy performance over a single year, these plants avoided nearly 90 trillion Btus of energy consumption and prevented emissions equal to the annual energy use of nearly 650,000 American homes. Since the first plants were certified in 2006, Energy Star-certified plants have cumulatively saved manufacturers more than $7 billion on energy bills when compared to average-performing facilities.
Energy efficiency cuts energy waste and is an essential action for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for both the United States’ Long-Term Strategy and the sustainability of the manufacturing sector.
To assess energy performance, plants use EPA’s Energy Star energy performance indicators (EPIs), or, in the case of petroleum refineries, the Solomon Associates Energy Intensity Index (Solomon-EII) scoring system. Plants must score 75 or higher on these 100-point scales—indicating that they are more energy efficient than at least 75% of similar facilities nationwide — to be eligible for Energy Star certification. Energy Star certification is available for 20 manufacturing sectors, from cement and steel to glass and commercial bakeries.
Since 2006, the ENERGY STAR Industrial Program has annually certified manufacturing plants for performing within the top 25% of energy performance in their industries nationwide. More than 230 plants have achieved this distinction since 2006. For more information, see: ENERGY STAR plant certification. For a list of all certified plants, see: ENERGY STAR Certified Building and Plant Locator. To learn more about how EPA and industry work together, see: Industrial Energy Management.
For a complete list of all 93 Energy Star certified manufacturing plants in 2021 by state, or certified plants by state from previous years beginning with 2015, visit the Energy Star Industrial Plants website.
