DOE to Help Manufacturers Increase Energy Efficiency


(by Greenbiz) - Washinton, USA – Through a new agreement with the National Association of Manufacturers, the Department of Energy will help speed the adoption of energy management programs, clean and efficient technologies and energy-intensity reduction programs.

The partnership is a step to help advance President Bush’s Twenty in Ten Initiative, which promotes greater energy security through increased efficiency and diversification of clean energy sources.

“Increasing energy efficiency is not only good practice, but it can also be good business,” Energy Secretary Samuel M. Bodman said. “Today’s agreement between DOE and NAM represents a significant commitment between government and the private sector to help curb our nation’s energy use and enhance energy security while also reducing emissions.”

The memorandum of understanding, signed this week, states that DOE and NAM will share their specific expertise to create a consolidated catalog of tools and technologies, as well as a website for access to tools and services.

DOE and NAM both aim to provide companies with quicker, easier access to the tools and technologies, such as technical assistance, a consolidated user-friendly library of tools, and a roadmap necessary to implement an effective energy management program that will allow for increased commercial deployment of clean, efficient technologies.

“Entering into this partnership with DOE to increase energy efficiency builds on the unique strength of American manufacturers as the world’s leaders in energy efficiency and conservation,” NAM President John Engler said. “Energy efficiency is an important contributor to our future energy security. Building upon manufacturers’ leadership in this area doesn’t just make energy and economic sense, but common sense.”

The DOE estimates that if the U.S. industrial sector were to reduce energy intensity by 25 percent in ten years, the U.S. could save 8.4 quadrillions of energy, an amount equal to heating every U.S. household for one year. As part of DOE’s “Save Energy Now” campaign, energy experts using DOE software identified nearly $500 million in potential energy saving at 200 of the most energy-intensive manufacturing plants in the U.S. in 2006.

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