Save Energy Now Energy Assessment Application

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is now accepting online applications for Save Energy Now energy assessments.

Save Energy Now Energy Assessment and Training Application Process

To apply, please review the following information and complete these steps:

Review the eligibility requirements
Agree to actively participate in the assessment and trainings
Gather the necessary information. View an example application form (PDF 650 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Complete the online application form.

Review the Eligibility Requirements

Only manufacturing facilities in the United States and territories are eligible for a Save Energy Now energy assessment. To be considered for an assessment, applicants must complete and submit the online application form. All assessments will be completed by December 31, 2008. Applications will be selected based on overall energy consumption. Depending on size, a facility will be considered for one of the following:

Large plants: The energy use guideline for large, energy-intensive plants selected for a 3-day system assessment is consumption of at least 0.3 trillion (i.e.,300 billion) British thermal units (Btu) of combined energy per year, or its equivalent. Based on the applications received, DOE may adjust this guideline to meet our goal. If your plant uses less than 0.3 TBtu per year of energy, but you have special circumstances that you believe make a strong case for receiving an assessment (for example, your company has a corporate energy management program), please explain that in the application. These assessments will be available for steam, process heating, pump, fan, and compressed air systems.
Small and medium-sized plants: If your annual energy use does not qualify your plant for a 3-day system assessment, you will be given priority consideration for a 1-day plant assessment by one of DOE's university-based Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) in your region, or receive a customized energy efficiency consultation by the EERE Information Center.
All plants: Industrial plants of any size will be eligible to receive technical assistance from the EERE information Center.

New for 2008!

Group applications have been discontinued. However, smaller facilities can qualify on their own, as the awards will be based on applications received. Natural gas use will be given additional consideration in the selection process. Third parties may apply on behalf of a plant or company.

Agree to Actively Participate

Save Energy Now energy assessments are training assessments. They are intended to help a company's staff develop the expertise they will need for the plant to continue the process of reducing the amount of energy used to produce its product. While an Energy Expert will guide your assessment, the success of the assessment depends on the involvement of your staff throughout the process. Representatives from the plant hosting the assessment are required to participate fully in the assessment. In addition, DOE encourages (but does not require) representatives from other company facilities to participate.

On the first day of a 3-day assessment, the Energy Expert will teach participants about the DOE software tools and the approach to identifying energy savings opportunities using the tools. In addition, DOE encourages staff from the plant submitting the application to attend either an in-class DOE training session or an energy efficiency Webcast on the system to be assessed. In either case, we recommend completing the training before the assessment or as soon after it as possible. In-class trainings are held at locations throughout the country. The 2-hour Webcast sessions are held monthly and cover various energy system topics. Information on training sessions is available on the BestPractices Web site. Training schedules are available on the BestPractices training calendar.

DOE requires the use of the Quick Plant Energy Profiler (Quick PEP) tool before the assessment. Quick PEP is a Web-based tool that quickly provides the user with answers about where their fuel is being used, where the greatest potential is for reducing energy use, and what resources are available to help. Using the Quick PEP tool will allow the applicant to develop a picture of the overall energy use in the plant and to obtain a preliminary estimate of potential energy and cost savings. In addition, data developed using Quick PEP can be used to fill out the application.

When applying for an Energy Savings Assessment, please keep in mind these requirements for participation. You will be required to:

Provide a single point of contact for coordination with the Energy Expert.
Provide a set of available dates for the 3-day assessment. You are not required to provide this on the application, but doing so will expedite scheduling.
Consider investing in the energy-saving opportunities identified in the assessment, consistent with corporate financial policies, and production/maintenance-downtime schedules.
Participate in the assessment. Please remember that these are intended as training assessments.
Consider attending either a 1-day in-class training session or a 2-hour Webcast training before or after the assessment.
Work with the Energy Expert to identify energy savings opportunities.
In collaboration with the Energy Expert, provide a confidential final report to DOE on the energy savings ifentifies. View a blank report template (PDF 35 KB) Download Adobe Reader. This information must be provided to the Energy Expert so that a draft report can be developed within 10 business days of the completed assessment. If at all possible, you will review the draft report, provide comments to the Energy Expert, and approve the report as final within 15 business days of the completion of the assessment.
Work with the Energy Expert to provide a public report giving highlights of the assessment to be posted on the Save Energy Now website.
Provide information to DOE on progress toward implementing the identified savings at 6, 12 and 24 months after the assessment, as well as replication data, if applicable.
Allow DOE to recognize your company on the Save Energy Now Web site.

Gather the Information You'll Need to Apply

Before you begin the online application, please gather the following information:

Point-of-contact information for the individual who will be responsible for working with DOE throughout the scheduling, assessment, and follow-up process.
Name, location, and industry type of the plant being considered for an assessment.
Amount of fuel and electricity purchased over a recent 12-month period. You will have the option to input various types of fuel.

For faster scheduling, DOE also requests the following information as part of your application

Type of system assessment: Process heating, steam, pumps, compressed air or fans.
Preferred assessment dates: Provide at least three available weeks or at least three periods of 3 days each. DOE understands that these dates are not firm, however, and that they can change at the plant's discretion.
Any other relevant information you feel DOE may need for scheduling. This could include a preferred Expert, if you know or have one on staff; any training a visitor will need to enter your plant or plant floor; any wardrobe requirements; and so on.

In addition, you can obtain information and technical assistance from the EERE Information Center, either online or by calling 1-877-337-3463.