The Energy Department today recognized 25 winners across the federal government as recipients of the 2013 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These annual awards highlight federal agencies’ commitments to lead the nation in implementing efficiency measures to improve energy, water, and vehicle fleet management that save taxpayer money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Through their innovative efforts, winners, including staff serving the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy; the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, and Veterans Affairs; and the General Services Administration, saved a total of 1.9 trillion Btu of energy, nearly 400 million gallons of water, and more than $43 million during the 2012 fiscal year. These initiatives also helped offset more than 86 billion Btu of fossil-based energy through a combination of renewable energy generation and purchases, setting an example for other agencies to follow.
The energy savings alone are equivalent to taking 27,000 cars off the road and eliminating the average annual energy use of more than 20,000 households annually. This supports the Administration’s new renewable energy consumption goal for the federal government – consuming 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The combined accomplishments of this year's winners include:
- Implementing fleet optimization and training that saved 286 billion Btu in aviation fuel consumption.
- Implementing facility-wide changes to operations and maintenance practices, saving more than 1.6 trillion Btu by upgrading building systems, lighting, and materials. This includes saving 86 billion Btu through the installation of renewable energy systems including solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, a wind turbine, a landfill gas generating plant, and ground-source heat pumps.
- Installing significant water efficiency improvements, saving nearly 400 million gallons of water by upgrading plumbing fixtures, detecting and repairing leaks, and using more efficient irrigation practices.
- Implementing energy savings performance contracts, utility energy service contracts, and power purchase agreements to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, and greenhouse gas management projects.
The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accelerates development and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality.