Industrial Efficiency Alliance Welcomes Food Processing Expert
Industrial Efficiency Alliance Formed To Help Northwest Industries Develop More Efficient Energy-Management Practices
Group Names Nine Energy Efficiency Experts to Work with Industry, Suppliers, Utilities
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (Alliance) announced the launch of an Industrial Efficiency Alliance, a group that has been formed to help Northwest industries adopt more energy-efficient business practices. Bob Helm, P.E., the Alliance's industrial sector senior manager has been named to lead the effort. His support team includes seven energy management specialists who will assist industry representatives in achieving effective energy management goals.
"Our objective is to help industries and their suppliers understand how the adoption of energy-saving business practices, products and services can increase profitability, reduce costs and improve competitiveness," said Helm. "To assist industries and their suppliers in making energy efficiency part of every business decision, we offer training, information on best practices and cooperative marketing opportunities."
Helm said that the Industrial Efficiency Alliance would work with industrial plant managers, corporate officers and their suppliers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington to use energy more efficiently – all the way from the acquisition of raw materials to the delivery of finished products. In addition, the Industrial Efficiency Alliance will work with two primary industries at first – food processing and pulp and paper – and add others once the program is underway.
"We developed this approach because we want to reach two of the heaviest energy-using industries up front," said Helm. "But to be successful, we realize that we need to combine this direct approach with support from the entire supply chain. With suppliers' help, we can foster a holistic approach to changing business and industry practices when it comes to energy use."
With help from suppliers, which include engineering consultants and equipment manufacturers, the Industrial Efficiency Alliance supports industry in taking a "whole systems" approach – pumps, motors, compressed air, and refrigeration – to energy efficiency, as opposed to merely swapping out individual components. This approach offers customers energy savings of 10 percent or more, compared with two to three percent for components alone.
The Industrial Efficiency Alliance's goal is to save 130 average megawatts by 2015, enough to power 90,000 households for a year.
"Our two-pronged approach – business practices and whole systems optimization – can produce significant results for high energy consumption industries," said Helm. "In addition to suppliers, we are working with trade organizations to help create change. For example, we have a partnership with the Northwest Food Processors Association designed to inform, educate and motivate its members to join our program."
To effectively address the unique needs of each participating industry sector, the Industrial Efficiency Alliance has named nine technical energy efficiency specialists. These experts will address industry requirements, provide training opportunities and build partnerships among industrial businesses and their suppliers, Bonneville Power Administration, utilities, public benefits administrators, state and federal governments, public interest groups, and energy-efficiency industry representatives.
The new team of specialists at the Industrial Efficiency Alliance includes:
- Compressed Air: David Vanderbeek – an expert in air systems evaluations
- Food Processing: Edward Birch – an expert in manufacturing processes for business and industry
- Pulp and Paper: Michael Roberts – a specialist more than 33 years of experience in the process and pulp and paper industry
- Pumps and Motors: Gunnar Hovstadius, PhD – a world renowned authority in pumping systems, energy related issues and Life Cycle Cost, and a steering committee member for the U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) Motor Challenge/Best Practices Program
- Refrigeration: Greg Jourdan – director/instructor of Environmental Systems & Refrigeration Technology, and Industrial Electronics for Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) in Wenatchee, Washington
- Refrigeration: Marcus Wilcox, P.E, Robert Morton P.E., and Josh Bachman of Cascade Energy Engineering, a company that has managed more than 150 large refrigeration projects throughout the U.S. and Canada
- Utility: Roger Spring, an expert at energy efficiency program design, implementation and marketing support services for utilities and energy service organizations throughout the west coast
Other additions to the Industrial Efficiency Alliance team include the selection of Ecos Consulting, a company committed to energy and environmental concerns, as project administrator, and the licensing of One-2-Five, a diagnostic tool of the EnVINTA Corporation. EnVINTA is a leader in the development of energy efficiency management practices and products. Its One-2-Five methodology is a global standard process – a "quality system" for energy – that helps energy-intensive companies evaluate existing energy management business practices and implement effective improvement programs.
The Industrial Efficiency Alliance helps Northwest industries use energy more efficiently by making energy management a normal part of their business operations. Currently focused on the food processing and pulp and paper industries, the Industrial Efficiency Alliance provides energy management assessments, training, educational tools and collaborative opportunities to support companies interested in making an organizational commitment to effective energy use. The Industrial Efficiency Alliance is a multi-year strategic effort of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – a nonprofit corporation that makes affordable, energy-efficient products and services available in the marketplace. For more information, contact the Industrial Efficiency Alliance at 888-720-6823 or www.industrialefficiencyalliance.org.
Source: The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (Alliance)