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

    New Initiative Focuses on Pumping System Performance

    May 9, 2005

    Optimization of pumping systems has the potential to save significant amounts of money and energy while reducing maintenance costs and increasing productivity for U.S. companies and municipalities. In fact, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) studies show that pumping systems account for nearly 20% of the world's electrical energy demand and range from 25% to 50% of the energy usage in certain industrial plant operations.

    To help industrial end users learn more and seize these opportunities for savings and improved performance, DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) has joined with the Hydraulic Institute (HI), a DOE Allied Partner, to begin a new education and outreach initiative, Pump Systems Matter™.  The vision for this new effort is to help industrial pump users in North America gain a competitive business advantage through strategic, broad-based energy management and system performance optimization approaches.

    Pump Systems Matter™ will provide end users, engineering consultants and pump suppliers with tools and collaborative opportunities to integrate pump system performance optimization and efficient energy management practices into everyday business operations. With energy costs continuing to rise, Pump Systems Matter™ will bring to light the most compelling energy savings opportunities that can improve the bottom line.

    HI, a trade association for the North American pump industry, hosted a strategic planning session on May 3 that included several key stakeholders in the initiative. ITP participated in this session, along with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and the Alliance to Save Energy, among others.

    ITP and HI have worked together to develop several resources to help pump users better manage and optimize performance of their pumping systems. These include the Pump Life Cycle Costs: A Guide to LCC Analysis for Pumping Systems, Executive Summary (PDF 672 KB), and Variable Speed Pumping: A Guide to Successful Applications: Executive Summary (PDF 1.1 MB). In addition, HI provided technical input for the development of ITP's Pumping System Assessment Tool (PSAT), which helps industrial users assess the efficiency of pumping system operations, and offers ITP's training for Qualified Pumping System Specialists and Pump System Assessment.

    HI is seeking partners and stakeholders to help define and assure the success of Pump Systems Matter™. The first organizational meeting will be during the ACEEE Summer Study (www.aceee.org), July 20, 2005, in West Point, NY. Find out more by contacting Robert Asdal, HI Executive Director, 973-267-9700 ext.13, or by visiting www.pumps.org.