October 4, 2013—More manufacturers are beginning to make smart investments to save on energy costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve their bottom lines, say officials within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), who recently lauded more than 120 manufacturers who appear to have made the most progress by being a part of the DOE’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Program.
During keynote remarks at the World Energy Engineering Congress held recently in Washington, DC, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency Kathleen Hogan praised Better Plants partners for their energy efficiency accomplishments and welcomed 12 new companies that joined the program over the last year. Through the program, more than 1,750 plants across the United States have saved about $1 billion in energy costs and approximately 190 trillion British thermal units—equivalent to about 11 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, says the DOE.
“Through the Better Plants program, American manufacturers are cutting energy waste and saving millions of dollars each year,” said Hogan. “These manufacturers are leading by example—demonstrating the promise of energy efficiency, increasing competitiveness in the private sector, and reducing harmful carbon pollution.”
Across the United States, manufacturers spend more than $200 billion each year to power their plants. Through the DOE, American manufacturers can sign a voluntary pledge to reduce energy intensity by about 25 percent over ten years, or an equally ambitious level for their sector. To date, participating companies represent nearly eight percent of the total U.S. manufacturing energy footprint. These partners also consume close to 15 percent of the U.S. chemical manufacturing sector’s energy use and 23 percent of energy used across the nation’s transportation equipment manufacturing industry.
While speaking at the World Energy Engineering Congress, Hogan recognized five companies—AT&T, Cummins, Metal Industries, TE Connectivity, and United Technologies Corporation—for exceeding their 25 percent energy intensity reduction goal. Along with the other Better Plants participants, these companies are modeling cost-effective energy management practices that save money and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, the DOE says.
The Better Buildings, Better Plants Program is part of President Obama’s broader Better Buildings Initiative to help American commercial and industrial buildings become at least 20 percent more energy efficient over the next 10 years, notes the DOE.
