Final Technical Report for Industrial Assessment Center at West Virginia University

Abstract

The Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program at West Virginia University (WVU), which is funded by the Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), has provided a unique opportunity to enhance efficient energy utilization in small to medium-sized manufacturers. It has also provided training to engineering students in the identification and analysis of efficient energy use in each aspect of the manufacturing process and associated supporting elements. The outcomes of the IAC Program at WVU have assisted the manufacturers and the students in having a heightened sensitivity to industrial energy conservation, waste reduction, and productivity improvement, as well as a better understanding of the technical aspects of manufacturing processes and the supporting elements through which efficient energy utilization can be enhanced. The IAC at WVU has conducted 101 energy assessments from 2002 until 2006. The focus of the industrial assessments has been on energy savings. It has been the IAC’s interest to strongly focus on energy savings and on waste minimization and productivity improvements that strictly have an impact on energy. The IAC at WVU was selected as the Center of the year in 2005 from amongst 26 centers and has obtained a ranking within the top 5 in the previous few years. From 2002 to 2006, the total recommended energy savings produced by the IAC at WVU is 1,214,414 MMBtu, of which the electricity accounts for 93,826,067 kWh (equivalent to 320,226 MMBtu) and natural gas for 871,743 MMBtu. The balance is accounted for in savings in other fuels, mainly coal and wood. This results in an average recommended energy savings of 928,971 kWh from electricity and 8,631 MMBtu from natural gas per facility. The total CO2 emissions saved from 2002 to 2006 is 154,462 tons, with an average of 1,529.3 tons per facility. The average recommended energy cost savings per facility is $135,036. The overall implementation rate of the assessment recommendations is 60.6% for the 101 industrial assessments conducted since 2002. The implemented recommendations resulted in total energy savings of 62,328,006 kWh from electricity, 295,241 MMBtu from natural gas, and 43,593 MMBtu from other fuels, totaling 551,557 MMBtu. The average implemented energy savings per industrial facility is 5,461 MMBtu and the average implemented energy cost savings is $ 59,879. The average implemented energy and productivity cost savings exceeds the program average of $ 60,000 per assessment. The IAC at WVU has produced a variety of energy efficiency recommendations in areas of industrial energy consumption such as Boilers and Steam systems (19), Air Compressors (15), HVAC (4), Chillers (12), Furnaces and Ovens (17), Motors (8), Lighting (20), Insulation (3), CHP and Cogeneration (4), and Process Equipment (7). The project has benefited the public by enabling the reduction of CO2 emissions by 89,726 tons due to the implemented energy saving recommendations at 101 small and medium sized manufacturing facilities. Since CO2 is a green house gas, its reduction will improve the quality of the environment significantly. The reduction in operating costs for the manufacturing facilities in terms of energy cost savings will increase the manufacturing facilities’ profits and improve their competitive edge, thus causing possible expansion in the manufacturing activities, leading to increase in good paying jobs.