DOE SAVE ENERGY NOW Plant-Wide Assessment Case Studies and Summaries

Plant-wide assessments (PWA) investigate overall energy use in industrial facilities and identify energy- and cost-saving opportunities for best practices in energy management for industry, including the adoption of new, energy-efficient technologies and process and equipment improvements. The U.S. Department of Energy cost-shares such assessments, usually through an annual competitive process. Read more about that process on the BestPractices Solicitations web page.

A case study is published for each completed PWA. Read the case studies below and find out how the companies have conducted plant-wide assessments and identified measures for energy and cost savings, often also finding ways to improve productivity and reduce environmental impacts. And now, for some companies, we provide short summaries that emphasize the PWA's bottom-line benefits. These documents are designed for corporate decision-makers whose time is limited.

You can replicate PWA savings by learning about and implementing the cost- and energy-saving projects identified in these case studies. Frequently, projects can be replicated across many industries. Find out which projects could benefit your company!

Aluminum

Alcoa Lafayette: Operations Energy Efficiency Assessment
Alcoa: Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Finds Potential Savings at Aluminum Extrusion Facility
Alcoa World Alumina: Plant-Wide Assessment at Arkansas Operations Reveals More than $900,000 in Potential Annual Savings
Commonwealth Aluminum: Manufacturer Conducts Plant-Wide Energy Assessments at Two Aluminum Sheet Production Operations
Pechiney Rolled Products: Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Identifies Opportunities to Optimize Aluminum Casting and Rolling Operations

Chemicals

3M: Hutchinson Plant Focuses on Heat Recovery and Cogeneration during Plant-Wide Energy-Efficiency Assessment
Akzo Nobel: Morris Plant Implements a Site-Wide Energy Efficiency Plan, PWA Summary: $1.2 Million in Savings Identified in Akzo Nobel Assessment
Bayer Polymers: Plant Identifies Numerous Projects Following Plant-Wide Energy-Efficiency Assessment
Dow Chemical Company: By-Product Synergy Process Provides Opportunities to Improve Resource Utilization, Conserve Energy, and Save Money
Formosa Plastics Corporation: Plant-Wide Assessment of Texas Plant Identifies Opportunities for Improving Process Efficiency and Reducing Energy Costs
Neville Chemical Company: Management Pursues Five Projects Following Plant-Wide Energy-Efficiency Assessment
Rohm and Haas: Chemical Plant Uses Pinch Analysis to Quantify Energy and Cost Savings Opportunities at Deer Park, Texas
Rohm and Haas: Company Uses Knoxville Plant Assessment Results to Develop Best Practices Guidelines and Benchmark for Its Other Sites
Solutia: Massachusetts Chemical Manufacturer Uses SECURE Methodology to Identify Potential Reductions in Utility and Process Energy Consumption
W. R. Grace: Plant Uses Six Sigma Methodology and Traditional Heat Balance Analysis to Identify Energy Conservation Opportunities at Curtis Bay Works

Forest Products

Appleton Papers: Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Saves Energy and Reduces Waste, PWA Summary: $3.5 Million in Savings Identified in Appleton Assessment
Augusta Newsprint: Paper Mill Pursues Five Projects Following Plant-Wide Energy Efficiency Assessment, PWA Summary: $1.6 Million in Savings Identified in Augusta Newsprint Assessment
Blue Heron Paper Company: Oregon Mill Uses Model-Based Energy Assessment to Identify Energy and Cost Savings Opportunities
Boise Cascade: Mill Energy Assessment, PWA Summary: $707,000 in Savings Identified in Boise Cascade Assessment
Caraustar Industries: Energy Assessment, PWA Summary: $1.2 Million in Savings Identified in Caraustar Assessment
Georgia-Pacific: Palatka Plant Uses Thermal Pinch Analysis and Evaluates Water Reduction in Plant-Wide Energy Assessment, PWA Summary: $2.9 Million in Savings Identified in Georgia-Pacific Assessment
Georgia-Pacific: Crossett Mill Identifies Heat Recovery Projects and Operational Improvements that May Save $6 Million Annually
Inland Paperboard and Packaging: Rome Linerboard Mill Energy Assessment, PWA Summary: $9.5 Million in Savings Identified through Inland Assessment
Weyerhaeuser Company: Longview Mill Conducts Energy and Water Assessment that Finds Potential for $3.1 Million in Annual Savings

Glass

Corning Inc.: Proposed Changes at Glass Plant Indicate $26 Million in Potential Savings
Anchor Glass Container Corporation: Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Saves Electricity and Expenditures, PWA Summary: $1.6 Million in Savings Identified in Anchor Assessment

Metal Casting

AMCAST Industrial Corporation: Energy Assessment, PWA Summary: $3.6 Million in Savings Identified in AMCAST Assessment
Ford Cleveland: Inside-Out Analysis Identifies Energy and Cost Savings Opportunities at Metal Casting Plant

Mining

Alcoa World Alumina: Plant-Wide Assessment at Arkansas Operations Reveals More than $900,000 in Potential Annual Savings
Coeur Rochester, Inc.: Plant-Wide Assessment of Nevada Silver Mine Finds Opportunities to Improve Process Control and Reduce Energy Consumption
Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation: Facility Utilizes Energy Assessments to Identify $930,000 in Potential Annual Savings

Petroleum

Chevron: Refinery Identifies $4.4 Million in Annual Savings by Using Process Simulation Models to Perform Energy-Efficiency Assessment
Martinez Refinery: Completes Plant-Wide Energy Assessment (Equilon), PWA Summary: $52 Million in Savings Identified in Equilon Assessment
Paramount Petroleum: Plant-Wide Energy-Efficiency Assessment Identifies Three Projects, PWA Summary: $4.1 Million in Savings Identified in Paramount Petroleum Assessment
Valero: Houston Refinery Uses Plant-Wide Assessment to Develop an Energy Optimization and Management System

Steel

Jernberg Industries, Inc.: Forging Facility Uses Plant-Wide Energy Assessment to Aid Conversion to Lean Manufacturing
Full PWA Report: An Assessment of Energy, Waste, and Productivity Improvements for North Star Steel Iowa
North Star Steel Company: Iowa Mini-Mill Conducts Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Using a Total Assessment Audit
Weirton Steel: Mill Identifies $1.4 Million in Annual Savings Following Plant-Wide Energy-Efficiency Assessment

Supporting Industries

Metaldyne: Plant-Wide Assessment in Royal Oak Finds Opportunities to Improve Manufacturing Efficiency, Reduce Energy Use, and Achieve Significant Cost Savings