April 9, 2007—The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced in March that it has reached its goal of conducting 200 Energy Savings Assessments (ESAs) at the nation’s most energy-intensive industrial facilities.
The assessments completed over the last twelve months have identified opportunities to save more than 50 trillion Btu of natural gas, the amount used by 725,000 average US homes. If implemented, the improvements could save almost half a billion dollars per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.3 million metric tons annually, says DOE.
The free three-day assessments, which primarily focus on steam and process heating systems, typically identify savings that equal five to 15 percent of a plant’s total energy use. DOE plans to conduct 250 Energy Savings Assessments in 2007 and continue offering cost-sharing options with industry, utilities, and other partners.
The ESAs are part of the national Easy Ways to Save Energy campaign, launched in October 2005. The results of the assessments are available on the Save Energy Now Web site. Facilities interested in being considered for an ESA can apply online on the Save Energy Now Web site.
