Glass Companies Sign on to DOE's Save Energy Now LEADER Program

Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the launch of the Save Energy Now® LEADER Program last week, which he says will provide technical assistance and resources to companies that pledge significant improvements in industrial energy efficiency. Thirty-two companies representing a broad spectrum of the U.S. industrial sector, including glass manufacturing, signed a voluntary pledge to reduce their industrial energy intensity by 25 percent over the next decade.

“These companies’ commitments to energy efficiency not only generate significant energy and carbon savings, but also show the entire business community the profitable steps that can be taken to move us all toward a clean energy future,” said Secretary Chu. “Working together with American manufacturers, we will leverage the potential of energy efficiency to create new jobs, make our economy more competitive, and reduce carbon pollution.”

The LEADER program is a new component of the existing Save Energy Now initiative through which companies partner with DOE to conduct energy audits and assessments designed to identify the opportunities for energy and cost savings in the companies’ operations. Participating businesses also have access to tools and training to implement recommendations designed to help reduce their energy use and lower operating costs. More than 2,000 plants received energy assessments through Save Energy Now from 2006 to 2009, according to the DOE.

The 32 LEADER companies marked their commitment to the 25 percent energy intensity reduction goal by signing a voluntary pledge. These charter member companies agreed to establish energy use and energy intensity baselines, and develop an energy management plan over the next 12 months. Companies that signed on include 3M, The Dow Chemical Company, Ingersoll Rand/Trane, Owens Corning, PPG Industries, Serious Materials and Sherwin-Williams.

As an Energy Star partner, PPG has been involved in a number of initiatives to improve its facilities’ energy-efficiency and create an energy management plan.

“Energy Star puts out a list of criteria, the main thrust of which is to have an energy management program,” explains Jeff Yigdall, director of engineering and international business of PPG - Glass Business & Discovery Center in Cheswick, Pa. “The outline of the components of that energy management program includes, obviously, the measurement of energy and putting together plans for meeting energy goals. It’s the typical sequence of having goals, setting milestones, getting measurements, creating action plans, reviewing the action plans and renew … PPG did indeed, not only in glass but corporate-wide, set an energy intensity goal.”