U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Industrial Technologies Program

FY 2000 Budget in Brief

The following summarizes the FY2000 Industrial Technologies budget.

Increased Productivity with Cleaner Industrial Processes
Efficient use of energy by industry is critical to the nation's productivity. Three-fourths of the energy consumed by the U.S. industrial sector goes to the pulp and paper, primary metals, chemical, petroleum, glass, mining, and agricultural industries. Virtually every manufacturing process uses more energy than is necessary. In addition, these industries generate about three fourths of industrial waste and pollution. Advanced technologies improve industrial productivity by lowering energy costs, providing innovative manufacturing methods, and reducing waste and emissions.

The EERE Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) works with energy-intensive industries to improve energy efficiency, environmental performance and productivity. OIT's goal for 2010 is to reduce industrial energy use per unit of output by 25 percent. In partnership with industry groups, we are developing new technologies for heat recovery, energy utilization, and industrial waste management and making process improvements for manufacturing pulp and paper, steel, and chemicals. Applied research in combustion, biotechnology, advanced materials, and heat transfer is providing the foundation for future advances.

Ongoing Programs

Industries of the Future (Specific)

Our Industries of the Future program aligns its resources with our principal customers — the energy- and waste-intensive industries that have developed an industry-wide consensus on improving energy and environmental performance. Industries of the Future partnerships provide the catalyst for tapping into America's vast capabilities in R&D for the development and deployment of advanced energy and material-efficient technologies.

The Industry of the Future process begins with the development of an industry-wide vision statement. This vision projects the changes needed over a 20-25 year period for the industry to remain competitive through improved energy efficiency and environmental performance. Industry of the Future partners then prepare a technology roadmap that defines the technologies to be pursued in cooperative research and development aimed at realizing the vision.

• Forest Products: As part of the EERE Bioenergy Initiative in cooperation with industry and other EERE offices, OIT will develop biomass and black liquor gasification technologies which have a significant positive impact on climate change while improving the energy efficiency of pulping processes. OIT is also developing energy efficient technologies to reduce emissions and reuse effluents in the forest products industry and reduce energy use, specifically in the drying of wood and paper products.

• Steel: OIT is conducting research that will improve performance of the major energy using components in the steelmaking process. Improved design, modifications to equipment and control systems, and changes in operational practices resulting from this research will increase efficiency, reduce emissions, and lower costs in the steelmaking process.

• Aluminum: An accelerated research program will be initiated for the development and implementation of an advanced technology with the potential to reduce energy consumption by 27 percent and greenhouse gas emissions nearly 5 million metric tons of carbon equivalent by 2020 over a business as usual scenario. Implementation of an advanced cell of this kind would be the most significant advancement in aluminum production technology since the development of the Hall-Heroult process in 1886. Saltcake recycling will be demonstrated at pilot-plant scale and R&D will be conducted to develop sensors and controls to sort aluminum scrap at high speeds.

• Metal Casting: OIT is working with more than 21 universities and research organizations performing research through the Metal Casting Industry of the Future Research Program. The program is developing advanced techniques, new tools and sensors to improve the energy efficiency of casting processes. Research in these areas includes the development of new model and metal pouring techniques, which will improve metal cleanliness, reduce casting defects, increase energy efficiency, increase productivity and increase U.S. competitiveness of the metal casting industry.

• Glass: OIT works on process modeling, furnace refractory materials, and sensors for measurement and control of production processes. OIT is targeting research on the energy efficiency of production, environmental protection, recycling and development of innovative uses for glass.

• Chemicals: OIT will conduct a second solicitation in support of Industries of the Future technology roadmaps for separations, materials technology and materials of construction, catalysis, and alternative synthetic pathways in the chemical industry. Industry-lab consortium projects will be continued in computational fluid dynamics, demonstration of new fabric-like electrode for chlor-alkali production to reduce electricity consumption and the associated carbon dioxide emissions, development of a new production pathway for succinic acid from an inexpensive wood-based material, and a new membrane process to recover ethylene and propylene more efficiently.

• Agriculture: OIT will focus research and development on some of the top priorities identified in its industry partners' roadmap for renewable bioproducts, specifically targeting the areas of processing and utilization of homegrown crops, trees, and agricultural wastes as biomass resources for the production of potentially a huge range of consumer goods, such as paints, plastics and adhesives. A broad-based coalition from the American agricultural, forestry and chemical communities supports the goal of winning 10 percent of the market share of industrial feedstocks by 2020. The "Renewables Vision 2020" effort will be integrated with other programs in government, industry and academia for increased use of biomass for electricity generation, transportation fuels, and industrial and chemical products under the new EERE Bioenergy initiative.

• Mining: OIT will investigate innovative technologies for efficient mining and processing, improved exploration, and advanced resource characterization for U.S. mining. The mining initiative is focused on safe and efficient technologies to crosscut and benefit the breadth of the industry.

Industries of the Future (Crosscutting)

The Industries of the Future program recognizes the importance of developing technological advances required by more than one specific industry. The Industries of the Future-Crosscutting program encompasses research and development aimed at crosscutting technologies that are applicable to all energy-intensive industries and provides integrated technical and financial assistance to advance the deployment of highly efficient and productive technologies.

• Enabling Materials: The program addresses the critical technology challenges partners face for developing: 1) new, advanced industrial materials and ceramic composites that can reduce energy use, lower emissions, increase component life, optimize process operating conditions, and reduce down time; 2) high-efficiency, clean combustion technology that can produce uniform, high-quality end products at high production rates; and 3) sensors/control systems that can operate in high temperatures and harsh environments while increasing process efficiency.

• Distributed Generation: The program seeks to develop 1) new high-efficiency industrial power/cogeneration systems, including Advanced Turbine Systems, microturbines, and reciprocating engines; and 2) industrial distributed generation systems, including combined heat and power technology. Advanced Turbine Systems are expected to be 15 percent more energy efficient, 80 percent cleaner than conventional power systems and reduce the cost of electricity by 10 percent.

• Financial Assistance: In FY 2000, OIT will launch an integrated delivery of financial assistance services. The goal of the program, which includes the Inventions and Innovation Program and the NICE3 Program, is to 1) provide critical financial assistance to speed the development of new energy efficient technologies; and 2) leverage industry and other resources to demonstrate and promote the adoption of clean, energy-efficient industrial technology.

• Technical Assistance: In FY 2000, the integrated delivery program will bring a full range of tools, technical assistance and technology to thousands of plant sites. One important way OIT works with industrial firms is to host a plant-level showcase of many OIT and DOE technologies. In addition to deploying specific emerging technology from the R&D technology portfolio, OIT will depend heavily upon the technology resources offered from the core OIT technical assistance programs, Combined Heat and Power, Motors, Steam, Compressed Air, and the Industrial Assessment Centers.

FY 2000 Highlights

In FY 2000, the Office of Industrial Technologies will initiate the development of a technology road map with the petroleum refining industry, one of the nation's most energy-intensive industries. With the Industries of the Future (Specific) partnership with the Forest products industry, OIT will support demonstration of biomass and black liquor gasification technologies. Industries of the Future (Crosscutting) will expand development of combustion and sensor/control technologies for all industry. OIT will also increase its integrated delivery of technical assistance through industrial plant showcases that provide information on industrial motors, use of steam and compressed air, and combined heat and power.