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Industries of the Future

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy provides multiple resources that can help Idaho industries increase energy efficiency and control costs.

Save Energy Now

Save Energy Now is a national initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Industrial Technologies Program, whose goal is to reduce industrial energy intensity in 10 years. This program targets U.S. industries, investing in high-risk, high-value research and development to reduce industrial energy use while stimulating productivity and growth. Industrial companies can also participate in no-cost energy assessments and use program resources to reduce energy use while increasing profits.

Assessments

Save Energy Now assessments focus on energy-intensive systems: process heating, steam, compressed air, fans and pumps. Fine-tuning of these systems offers companies the potential to yield large savings.

Offices of Energy Resources staff conduct pump prescreening and system assessments for industrial facilities. Prescreening determines which pump systems will benefit most from, and should be targeted for, an assessment. Staff then measure flow rates, differential pressures, and power consumption for those pumps identified as having the greatest potential for savings. After comparing their power consumption with that of a top-of-the-line system, staff evaluate potential solution option and their relative costs and provide data that businesses can use to make informed decisions. For more information, contact Jeff Brooks, 208-287-4893, jeff.brooks@oer.idaho.gov.

Also available is the Pumping System Assessment Tool, which can be downloaded from the Department of Energy website.

Thermally Activated Technologies

Through its Distributed Energy Program, the Department of Energy works with industry to develop on-site energy conversion technologies that optimize delivery systems and improve the efficiency of distributed generation systems. The Department's website has more information on Thermally Activated Technologies as well as recycling thermal energy, absorption chillers and desiccant dehumidifiers.

Distributed Energy Technologies and Integrated Energy Systems

The Distributed Energy Program also offers information on the following:

Distributed Energy Technologies - small-scale, modular technologies for onsite, grid-connected or stand-alone energy conversion and delivery.

Integrated Energy Systems - systems that combine distributed power generation with equipment that uses thermal energy to improve efficiency and fuel use.