Plant-Wide Energy Assessments Lead to Multiplied Savings

October 5, 2004

Since 1999, when ITP first launched its cost-shared plant-wide energy assessment (PWAs) initiative, 35 PWAs have been completed, identifying total potential annual savings of $186 million.

ITP works with companies to investigate overall energy use in industrial facilities, and identify cost-effective measures for best practices in energy management, including new technologies and process and equipment improvements. Plant-wide assessments have good results in themselves, but replication multiplies the successes.

Here are just some of the companies who are leaders in replicating energy and cost savings throughout their facilities.

Alcoa is a leading producer of aluminum and operates more than 350 facilities worldwide. In partnership with ITP, Alcoa conducted PWAs at three processing facilities, and identified $6.5 million in cost and energy savings opportunities, with over $3.7 million realized to date. By partnering with DOE on energy assessment, incorporating ITP tools and resources, and establishing its own Energy Efficiency Network, Alcoa expects to save $100 million per year by 2006. Based on replication of the PWA projects at other plants, Alcoa has achieved additional savings exceeding $15 million. Read more.

AMCAST, a metal products manufacturer, applied a systematic PWA to identify cost and energy savings opportunities at its Wapakoneta, Ohio plant. The assessment resulted in 12 separate projects that would improve efficiency of production processes, decrease energy consumption, and reduce scrap rate, with total savings opportunity of $6 million per year at the Ohio plant. Encouraged by these savings, AMCAST replicated several of the PWA methodologies at five sister plants that could result in a savings opportunity of $36 million for all six plants. Review the case study.

Caraustar Industries is a major manufacturer of recycled paperboard and converted paperboard products, operating 15 mills nationwide. With ITP support, Caraustar conducted a PWA in 2000 at the Rittman Mill in Ohio, using a systems approach to evaluate the efficiency of plant processes, and identified annual savings of approximately $1.7 million. Many of the efficiency measures identified, including opportunities for steam system and process efficiency improvements, can be replicated at other Caraustar mills. As a result of the PWA success, Caraustar management established a Corporate Energy Team comprised of representatives from the 15 mills, which will review efficiency measures throughout the company. Read about it.

Review the complete list of companies that have conducted plant-wide assessments and identified measures for energy and cost savings, improved productivity, and reduced environmental impacts. Consider applying for a PWA and explore the benefits of implementing these measures at your facility!