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ITP E-Bulletin

September 2008

Industrial Technologies Program E-Bulletin: Your Online Connection

Welcome to this edition of the E-Bulletin — your connection to news and resources from DOE's Industrial Technologies Program (ITP). Each monthly edition brings you the latest industrial news highlights, and announcements about new tools and resources, training events, and project opportunities.

Read the E-Bulletin and tap into opportunities to improve industrial energy efficiency today...and tomorrow! Subscribe now!

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Headlines

E-Bulletin Subscribers Invited to Attend WEEC at Special Discounted Rate—Register by September 18, 2008

World Energy Engineering Congress logoThe 31st World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC) will be held October 1-3, 2008, in Washington, DC. As a WEEC Government Energy Leader, DOE invites ITP E-Bulletin subscribers to register for the event at a discounted rate of $495 per person (regular rate is $895). You must register by September 18, 2008, to receive this discounted rate. The WEEC conference is designed to provide hands-on information you can use right away to address the full spectrum of energy cost control challenges and supply uncertainties. You'll learn about the latest innovative technologies, on-site and distributed power generation options, and proven cost management strategies. Also, be sure to visit booth 217, where an ITP exhibit will be on display featuring information about Save Energy Now and the many tools and resources available to help your company improve energy efficiency. If you are unable to attend the full conference, there is an option to register separately for the free expo and workshops.

DOE to Invest $26 Million in Projects to Improve Energy-Intensive Industrial Processes

On August 22, 2008, DOE announced that it will invest more than $26 million in federal funding over three years for cost-shared development of energy-efficient industrial processes in the steel and other energy-intensive industries. "The Department is committed to the research, development and deployment of cleaner, more efficient technology options for American industry, from laboratory to the plant floor,” said DOE Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy John Mizroch.  

These projects support the Energy Policy Act of 2005 goal to reduce U.S. industrial energy intensity 25% in 10 years, as well as contribute to significant reductions in greenhouse gas and other emissions. The eight awarded projects are:

  • Energy reduction and advanced water removal via membrane solvent extraction technology
  • Research, development, and field testing of thermochemical recuperation for high temperature furnaces
  • Paired straight hearth furnace - transformational ironmaking process
  • Induction consolidation/molding of thermoplastic composites using smart susceptors
  • Prototyping energy-efficient thermo-magnetic and induction hardening for heat treat and net-shape forming applications
  • Electrohydraulic forming of near-net shape automotive panels
  • Inorganic membranes for refinery gas separations
  • Ultra-efficient and power-dense electric motors for U.S. industry.  

For details about these projects, please see the DOE press release.

DOE Identifies Energy Savings for Maine Paper Mill

Save Energy Now logo

The Katahdin Paper Mill in Millinocket, Maine, was looking for ways to pinpoint energy-saving measures when DOE performed two Save Energy Now energy assessments at the mill. DOE Energy Expert Tom Tucker utilized DOE's Steam System Assessment Tool software to analyze the mill's powerhouse steam system, and Energy Expert Dick Reese also conducted an assessment on the mill's paper machines.  

"The technical experts sent by the Department of Energy were very practical in their approach and potential application of energy conservation ideas and projects," said Segre Sorokin, Manager of Katahdin Paper's Millinocket facility. "They assisted us with identifying new heat- and steam-saving opportunities and offered very solid advice on initiatives already in progress."  

Learn more about efforts to boost industrial energy efficiency in your state by visiting ITP's State Activities Web site, featuring the latest data on the energy use in each state, R&D projects and successes, and state and regional contacts. Each page also includes a link to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's State Energy Efficiency Policy Database, which serves as a comprehensive gateway to detailed information on a variety of state energy policies.  

In addition, there is still time for your company to take advantage of the no-cost energy assessments offered by ITP in 2008. Apply today.   

Be Hurricane Ready: Access ITP Web Site for Information Geared Toward Plants

If your plant is located in a hurricane-prone area, it's time for you to implement safeguards if you haven't already done so. ITP's Hurricane Ready Web site features a fact sheet, Is Your Plant Prepared for a Hurricane?, that provides information about planning and preparing for hurricane season. Planning helps operators understand when and how to shut down operations and start them up again. Being prepared can minimize downtime, facilitate restarts, reduce property losses, and minimize damage to assets and records. The site also includes links to additional resources for hurricane forecasts and storm tracking, state contacts, and hazards and mitigation following a hurricane.

INEAP Meeting Highlights Collaboration Between ITP Industrial Assessment Centers and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership

DOE hosted the U.S. Department of Commerce’s (DOC) Interagency Network Enterprise of Assistance Providers (INEAP) meeting on July 23, 2008, to address how to improve government support of small-to-medium businesses by exploring and facilitating interagency cooperation. One example underscored during the meeting is the collaboration between ITP’s Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) and DOC's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Over the past 17 years, the MEP has established 59 centers throughout the United States that provide manufacturers with an array of services that focus on growth, productivity, and efficiency. The MEP refers companies to IACs, which are located at universities around the country and provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers with no-cost energy assessments and workshops to help improve efficiency. In turn, IACs may recommend that companies contact a MEP center for energy-related technical assistance. In addition to IACs, ITP offers a variety of BestPractices technical resources such as software tools, training, and publications. Companies can also contact the engineers and technical staff of the EERE Information Center for technical advice about industrial process systems. Call (877) 337-3463 or submit your question online.

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Technology Spotlight

ITP-sponsored technologies help U.S. industry save energy, boost productivity, and reduce emissions. Below you will find new technologies to help increase energy efficiency at your company.

Good Vibrations: Power Harvesting Device Enables Wireless Sensors to Operate Continuously

Photo showing a grouping of objects, including three sensors that are circular in shape and black in color with metal affixed to the top of each; a USB device; and a flat computer screen depicting measurements.

The Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Kit includes a set of integrated wireless sensors, software CD for the sensor network and data display and archiving, and a USB dongle receiver/transmitter for the host computer.

Through a DOE Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant, KCF Technologies has developed a power harvester that eliminates the need for batteries in wireless sensors, reducing life-cycle costs by 70%. The harvester is available in a Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Kit (PDF 696 KB) designed to help current or potential wireless sensor users realize that vibration power harvesting is a practical solution to powering wireless sensors.

The harvester functions as a self-charging power source by capturing vibration energy, such as that generated by an electric motor, and converting it into electrical energy. It eliminates the need for battery replacement, enabling designers of wireless sensor networks to achieve the reduced installation and life-cycle costs promised by wireless sensors. This new technology has the potential to greatly expand the use of wireless sensors in industrial applications, including monitoring the energy performance of equipment in plants and buildings. The kit was recognized with a "Best of Sensors Expo" Award in 2008. Learn more about ITP's sensors and automation R&D efforts.

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Upcoming Events

Attend these key events to learn about the latest energy-efficient technologies and practices, and network with industry peers.

The Utility Integrated Resource Planning Conference will be held September 8-10, 2008, in Atlanta, Georgia, and will provide the opportunity to discuss options for determining the best combination of resources to serve customer needs with a focus on the importance of adopting energy-efficiency programs.

Attendees at the International Manufacturing Technology Show, September 8-13, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois, can view more than 15,000 new machine tools, computers, software, controls, components, systems, and processes that can improve efficiency from 1,500 exhibitors.  

The Predictive Maintenance Technology Conference and Expo will be held September 15-18, 2008, in Omaha, Nebraska, and will provide equipment engineers, maintenance managers, and others involved in condition-based maintenance/predictive maintenance programs with the leading techniques and case studies for analysis, testing, and other condition monitoring technologies.  

Nine industry-related shows will take place under one roof at National Manufacturing Week September 22-25, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois. The three-day event will feature products and services for design engineering, plant engineering and maintenance, industrial automation, sustainable manufacturing, and more.  

The 31st World Energy Engineering Congress is returning to Washington, DC, October 1-3, 2008. End users and energy professionals in all areas of the energy field can attend the multi-track conference to learn more about the technologies and services available to them, including energy efficiency and energy management, combined heat and power, cogeneration, distributed energy, integrated building automation, boiler and combustion controls, and more.  

DOE's Federal Energy Management Program is presenting a seven-part, no-cost Webcast series that can help federal industrial facility managers comply with new federal building energy-efficiency requirements. Several presentations have already taken place, but there is still time to register for Session 4, Integrated Building Design: Bringing the Pieces Together to Unleash the Power of Teamwork, September 18, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PDT; and Session 5, Sustainable Design, September 25, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PDT. Visit the Web site to view presentations from previous sessions and watch for dates and registration information for Session 6: Advanced Energy Design Guides; and Session 7: How to Build 30% Better. 

The Society of Plastics Engineers New Technology Symposium will be held November 11-12, 2008, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Speakers from academia and industry will focus on emerging, leading, and cutting-edge technologies including nanotechnology, biotechnology, and advanced energy storage. 

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New Products

ITP offers technical publications, software tools, and other resources to help you address your company's industrial energy needs. Here are the latest products from ITP.

Become a Qualified Specialist and Help Industry Save Energy Now

Have you participated in DOE end-user software tool training? Do you have substantial knowledge of one or more industrial energy systems? Becoming a DOE Qualified Specialist is an ideal next step to enhance your expertise. Qualified Specialists perform Save Energy Now energy assessments at U.S. manufacturing facilities and identify and calculate potential system improvement opportunities using DOE's software tools. Specialist Qualification training requires attending a 2-1/2- to 3-day workshop and passing a rigorous qualifying exam. Upcoming trainings include:    

See the training calendar for additional workshops and Webcasts.  

Save Energy Now CD Features Updated Versions of Software Tools

The popular Save Energy Now CD, which contains a wealth of products and information to help industry plant managers and engineers save on energy costs, has been updated with the most recent versions of DOE's software tools for analyzing system energy use. This includes: AIRMaster+ Version 1.2.2, which replaces earlier versions of the software and corrects unit labeling errors in some screens of the English version; and the Steam System Assessment Tool (SSAT) Version 3 that also replaces earlier versions of the software and correct errors associated with Microsoft Excel and the tool's calculation template. In addition to software tools, the CD brings together—in a single product—a sampling of ITP's BestPractices portfolio of resources such as technical publications and case studies, and provides links to additional information located on the Web site. The CD is available at no charge. To order your copy, contact the EERE Information Center online or call (877) 337-3463.

New Case Study Highlights Savings Opportunities for Steel Industry

Find out how Save Energy Now energy assessments have helped steel manufacturers reduce costs and energy use in a new case study published by ITP. The case study features the top identified savings opportunities for the steel industry based on payback period, an overview of the assessment process, some of the potential barriers to implementation, and benefits of participating in an assessment. Download it now (PDF 351 KB). See other Save Energy Now case studies.

Visit the ITP Web site for more BestPractices technical publications, software tools, and case studies to help you improve efficiency, productivity, and the bottom line.

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Project Opportunities

ITP awards cost-shared funding for R&D and plant assessment projects through a competitive merit review process.

Solicitation Provides Opportunity for Organizations to Partner with ITP to Improve Industrial Energy Efficiency

State energy offices, economic development entities, regional energy efficiency groups, utilities, academic institutions, and not-for-profits can apply to receive funding to work with industrial customers to achieve energy savings. This solicitation is part of ITP's Save Energy Now effort to reduce industrial energy intensity 25% in 10 years. Organizations that receive funding will work at local, regional, and state levels to increase awareness about ITP resources that can help industrial facilities save energy. Activities may include:

  • Training centers
  • Energy assessments
  • Technology demonstrations
  • Commercialization of emerging technologies
  • Project implementation
  • Piloting the ANSI-Accredited Plant Certification.    

Up to $9.5 million in total funding is available through this solicitation over three years; awards will range from $100,000 to $300,000 per year. To apply, you must submit a letter of intent by September 15, 2008; applications are due October 16, 2008. Learn more and apply

DOE Requests Industry Input on Development of Supply Systems for Cellulosic Biofuels Production

DOE has issued a Request for Information (RFI) from industry, academia, and other biofuels stakeholders regarding supply systems used to handle, transport, and deliver high-volume biomass feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels production. DOE plans to support the continued increase of sustainably produced domestic biofuels from cellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural residues, energy crops, forest resources, and sorted municipal waste. This RFI provides an opportunity for agri-forest businesses, industrial equipment manufacturers, universities, researchers, and others to provide input about what's needed to modify or create equipment and logistics systems that can support this growing area in the United States. The closing date is September 19, 2008. Read the full solicitation (PDF 2 MB). 

To learn more about project opportunities, visit ITP's solicitation page.

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