Webinar introduces utilities to industrial energy-efficiency tools

An ITP energy expert take measurements during a Save Energy Now energy assessment. The assessments have helped manufacturing facilities save an average of $2 million on their total energy costs. (Photo by U.S. Department of Energy)

Utilities know that large industrial facilities are not only important loads, but also valuable assets to the entire community, and that keeping those customers economically healthy is a top priority. What many power providers may not know is that no- and low-cost resources are available through DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) to help them reduce their industrial customers' costly energy bills.

A series of energy management webinars sponsored by ITP, Western and the American Public Power Association (APPA) is about to change that. The first event, Exploring Options for Keeping Industrial Customers Competitive, will take place Aug. 20 from noon to 1:30 p.m., MDT. Participants will learn about the Save Energy Now initiative (SEN) to drive a 25-percent reduction in industrial energy consumption in 10 years, and how utilities can leverage SEN resources to benefit their industrial customers.

Customer efficiency benefits utilities

Those resources include Energy Assessments, software tools, training and recognition programs. "To utilities that don't have the funding to start industrial energy-efficiency programs, our message is, 'Don't panic—you don't have to start from scratch,'" explained Sandy Glatt of DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "ITP is a ready-made resource utilities can give to customers to help them understand how they use energy, and how to use it better."

In addition to an overview of ITP tools, the webinar will cover the reasons why utilities should consider partnering with DOE. Utilities once worried about losing sales if large customers improved their energy efficiency. "Now the choice is often between helping customers control operating costs and losing industrial loads entirely," Glatt said.

There is plenty of positive motivation for utilities to offer their industrial customers ITP services, added Mary Medeiros McEnroe of Silicon Valley Power. Medeiros McEnroe, SVP acting Public Benefits Program coordinator, will give a presentation on her utility's experience working with the ITP program.

Helping facilities to compete keeps valuable manufacturing jobs in the area, noted Medeiros McEnroe, and it attracts more businesses to the community. "The assessment provides contact with the customer, and that opens the door to communication on many issues," she said.

Also, faced with load growth, SVP has found that energy efficiency and conservation are a lot cheaper than building a power plant. "It frees up the utility's resources to serve more customers, and reduces the carbon footprint of both the business and the power provider," Medeiros McEnroe concluded.

SVP learns from customer

ITP tools are helping SVP to realize those benefits, and Medeiros McEnroe wants to get the word out to other utilities. "We had to learn about the SEN program from one of our customers," she admitted.

Owens-Corning approached SVP in 2007 about upgrading several systems in its Santa Clara plant. The utility pays rebates to customers for energy-efficiency improvements through California's Public Benefits Charge, and offers a program targeting compressed air equipment. "But the other systems Owens-Corning were looking at were outside the scope of our program," Medeiros McEnroe recalled.

Fortunately, Owens-Corning had participated in SEN on the corporate level and went through ITP to get assessments on its pump and fan systems. "It turned out that the consultant that provides our compressed air assessments also performs Energy Assessments for DOE in our area," said Medeiros McEnroe.

The fan assessments resulted in projects that will potentially save Owens-Corning more than one million kWh each year. The savings from the pump project are estimated to be more than 200,000 kWh, and the compressed air project, when completed this fall, will save another three million kWh annually. SVP paid the manufacturer $400,000 in rebates for the projects. "One of the advantages of the utility being involved in the assessments is the ability to ensure the projects meet all the qualifications for receiving the rebates," Medeiros McEnroe said.

Utilities central to action plan

Working with DOE on the energy assessments led SVP to participate in a meeting ITP held last winter for utility stakeholders. Representatives from utilities, utility associations, state energy offices and power administrations gathered to discuss what ITP and utilities needed to do to meet ITP's 25-in-10 goal. From the meeting came Utilities Working with Industry: Action Plan, outlining the highest priority activities.

Those activities include establishing a partnership between the utility sector and ITP, the ultimate purpose of the webinar series. "Utilities provide a powerful means of expanding the program's outreach," said Glatt. "Their relationship with their industrial customers will help impact greater energy reductions across the U.S. manufacturing sector."

As Silicon Valley Power learned, that relationship strengthens when utilities are able to help their customers Save Energy Now. "The Owens-Corning project gave us a whole new set of tools we can offer other key accounts," Medeiros McEnroe stated. "And it was a great opportunity to learn about a customer's operations from the inside out. The Industrial Technologies Program has a lot to offer utilities."

Learn more about ITP tools by registering today for Exploring Options for Keeping Industrial Customers Competitive. ITP is offering the webinar free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Register online or contact Jamey Evans at 303-275-4813 for more information.

Resources

American Public Power Association

ITP Save Energy Now initiative

Silicon Valley Power

Owens-Corning

Webinar registration

People

Sandy Glatt

Mary Medeiros McEnroe

Jamey Evans

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Energy Services Bulletin, August 2008
Web site of the month: DOE EERE Industrial Technologies Program

Energy Services Bulletin, October 2006
Insulation plant participates in DOE energy assessment program

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