The program was deployed as a partnership by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance (OPPEA), the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) at Penn State University, the Lehigh University Industrial Assessment Center, the Emerging Technology Applications Center at Northampton Community College, the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Extension Partnerships Centers, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and Penn State University Continuing Education Program.
While the core function of OPPEA is the promotion of pollution prevention and energy efficiency initiatives, the Comprehensive Statewide Pro-Active Industrial (E2) Program is designed to advance energy efficiency through technology assistance to manufacturers. This project expands activities and builds upon the successes of other programs, such as the EPA’s Pollution Prevention Incentive for States Program and The U.S. Department of Energy’s Save Energy Now program.
Purpose
The general strategy of the program is to leverage the robust partnership of complementary Pennsylvania service providers and their resources. A full array of technical services were made available to manufacturers in addition to the opportunity for all manufacturer needs to be addressed through a system capable of easily cross-referring clients between appropriate organizations.
Comprehensively, the network has included all previously mentioned service providers who worked with existing manufacturers, start-up businesses, new technologies, and developing students searching for workforce training in manufacturing and/or the energy management arena. The project has utilized the expertise of partnering organizations to implement the following activities:
- Outreach and marketing of network services.
- Multi-level energy efficiency assessments.
- Technical assistance implementing energy reduction projects.
- A pilot program for Superior Energy Performance (SEP) energy management certification program.
- Delivery of energy efficiency and energy management system training events.
Process improvement analysis and follow-up activities.
Accomplishments
PennTAP’s outreach and marketing efforts have been successful in promoting energy efficiency and energy management. With the aid of partners, PennTAP was able to reach out to more than 25 companies with on-site energy efficiency assessments and technical assistance.
The project’s activities included 9 comprehensive assessments, 6 target assessments, and 93 instances of providing technical assistance in the form of walk-through assessments or multi-targeted assessments. Twelve of these assessments and activities included student involvement for enhanced experiential learning in a manufacturing setting for increased preparation for students entering the workforce.
Additionally, PennTAP recruited four Pennsylvania companies and one New Jersey company to participate in a PennTAP led demonstration project for SEP. In its marketing efforts for this project, PennTAP interacted with more than 200 companies in promoting continuous energy improvement using a management system such as ISO 50001 and SEP.
One company participating in the SEP demonstration project implemented HVAC system upgrades and installed energy efficient lighting and occupancy sensors, reducing its electrical consumption by approximately 950,000 kilowatt (kWh) per year. These upgrades realized a savings for the company of nearly $60,000 per year.
Additionally, a powdered metals manufacturer also participating in the SEP demonstration project saved 6,300,000 kWh per year with upgrades to its hydrogen burners on an annealing furnace. This reduction saved the company $150,000 per year. The company also made a commitment to repairing compressed air leaks, which saved an additional $8,000 by reducing its electric consumption by 108,000 kWh per year.
As part of this demonstration effort, Mack Truck in Macungie, Pennsylvania, was audited September 17–20, 2013 and was recommended for SEP and ISO 50001 certification (in the Platinum-Mature Pathway). The Gerdau steel mill in Sayreville, New Jersey, was awarded ISO 50001 certification in the summer of 2014—the first steel mill in North America to achieve certification.
The other three companies continue to implement the standard and monitor their performance. It is anticipated that they will also receive certification by the fall of 2014.
During the project period, PennTAP offered six different training sessions. These sessions included DOE trainings, such as on compressed air, as well as other trainings on ISO 50001.
Program Highlights
| Program Activity | Number Completed |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Assessments | 9 |
| Targeted Assessments | 6 |
| Technical Assistance Activities | 93 |
| Trainings | 6 |
| SEP Certifications | 1 (potentially 4 more) |
Project Mission
To improve energy efficiency within the industrial sector in order to help meet the state’s goal to reduce per-capita electricity usage and peak demand 15% by 2015.
Project Funding
| Funding Source | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 | U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office |
| Funding Amount | $350,000 | $497,257 |
| Project Period | 09/30/2009 to 09/30/2011 | 5/1/2011 to 12/31/2013 |
Project Benefits
- Increasing energy-efficiency educational opportunities through training sessions and outreach services.
- Anticipated direct emissions reduction of approximately 12.4 million metric tons each year of the three-year project period, with an additional 10.7 million metric tons of indirect emission savings annually.
- Estimated energy cost savings of $2.8 million each year of the three-year project period.
Primary Investigators
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Project Award Partners
- Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Electrotechnology Applications Center at Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- IMC Business Strategies & Solutions, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- Penn State University, Statewide Continuing Education, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Manufacturing Extension Partnerships Centers, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program at Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Lehigh University, Industrial Assessment Center, Lehigh, Pennsylvania
- West Virginia University, Industrial Assessment Center, Morgantown, West Virginia
Contacts
Libby Dodson
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Pollution Prevention and Energy Assistance
Phone: 717-772-8907
Email: libdodson@pa.gov
Ralene Molina-Kreiser
Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program
Penn State University
Phone: 814-865-4527
Email: rxm174@psu.edu
Jamey Evans
U.S. Department of Energy
Advanced Manufacturing Office
Phone: 720-356-1536
Email: jamey.evans@ee.doe.gov
Sandy Glatt
U.S. Department of Energy
Advanced Manufacturing Office
Phone: 720-356-1544
Email: sandy.glatt@ee.doe.gov
Last Updated: October 2014