In this article, Third Partners explains how industrial energy assessments can uncover cost-saving opportunities and help companies build a stronger, long-term approach to energy management.
Energy is a major operating expense for manufacturers and industrial facilities. Yet many companies lack the time, technical expertise, or internal resources needed to determine where energy is being wasted and which improvements are worth pursuing.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program gives industrial companies access to technical assistance, training, tools, and other resources designed to improve energy performance. Qualifying facilities may also be eligible for no-cost industrial energy assessments that identify practical ways to lower energy use and recurring operating costs.
What Is the DOE Better Plants Program?
The DOE Better Plants Program works with manufacturers and other industrial organizations to improve energy efficiency and competitiveness. Participating companies typically commit to reducing energy intensity across their U.S. operations by approximately 25% over 10 years.
Better Plants partners may receive support from a technical account manager, along with access to:
- Industrial energy assessments and technical screenings
- Energy management software and analytical tools
- In-plant training for employees
- Guidance from national laboratory experts
- Assistance identifying appropriate efficiency technologies
- Recognition for progress toward energy performance goals
The program serves industrial organizations of many sizes, from family-owned manufacturers and water utilities to large national companies.
No-Cost Industrial Energy Assessments Are Still Available
Although federal energy priorities may change over time, the DOE continues to provide technical assistance that helps U.S. industrial companies reduce energy use and operating costs.
Qualifying small- and medium-sized manufacturers may receive a no-cost assessment through a regional Industrial Training and Assessment Center. The DOE also maintains regional technical assistance partnerships that work with industrial facilities and other large energy users.
During an assessment, an engineering team evaluates the facility’s major energy-consuming equipment and processes. Depending on the operation, the study may examine:
- Compressed air systems
- Motors, pumps, and fans
- Boilers and process heating
- Steam systems
- HVAC equipment
- Refrigeration and cooling
- Lighting and controls
- Waste heat recovery opportunities
- Equipment schedules and operating practices
The goal is not simply to recommend new equipment. The assessment can also identify operational changes, maintenance improvements, control adjustments, and other relatively low-cost measures that may produce meaningful savings.
How Much Can an Industrial Energy Assessment Save?
The amount a facility can save depends on its equipment, utility costs, production demands, and current energy management practices.
In assessments coordinated by Third Partners, DOE engineers identified approximately $115,000 in recurring annual energy cost savings, with recommended improvements offering a simple payback of less than three years.
A facility-specific assessment gives company leaders the financial and technical information needed to compare opportunities, evaluate implementation costs, and prioritize projects based on their estimated returns.
What Happens During an Industrial Energy Assessment?
A successful assessment begins before the engineers arrive onsite. Facilities generally need to gather utility bills, production information, equipment details, operating schedules, and other data that can help the assessment team understand how energy is being used.
The process typically includes:
- Initial facility review
The company’s operations, energy use, goals, and eligibility are evaluated. - Data collection
Utility records, production data, equipment information, and operating schedules are gathered. - Onsite assessment
Engineers inspect major systems, speak with facility personnel, and collect relevant performance data. - Opportunity analysis
The technical team calculates potential energy savings, estimated project costs, and payback periods. - Final recommendations
The facility receives a report outlining opportunities for reducing energy use and expenses.
The completed report gives leadership a practical roadmap for deciding which projects to pursue. It can also help build internal support by connecting proposed energy improvements to measurable financial results.
Turning Assessment Findings Into Long-Term Savings
Receiving the final report is only the beginning. Companies must still determine which recommendations are feasible, assign responsibility, secure funding, and track whether completed projects achieve the expected results.
A strong implementation plan should consider:
- Projected annual savings
- Upfront implementation costs
- Estimated payback
- Operational and maintenance requirements
- Available staff and internal resources
- Potential effects on production
- Utility incentives or other funding opportunities
- Methods for measuring completed projects
Some recommendations may be addressed quickly through maintenance, scheduling, or control adjustments. Larger capital improvements can be incorporated into future budgets and completed in phases.
Ongoing measurement is just as important as implementation. Tracking performance allows companies to confirm savings, maintain improvements, and demonstrate the financial value of future energy projects.
Building a Long-Term Energy Management Program
Individual projects can reduce costs, but a structured energy management program helps companies sustain those savings and continue identifying new opportunities.
Third Partners supports energy efficiency programs aligned with ISO 50001 and ISO 14001. These frameworks help companies incorporate energy performance into operational planning, employee responsibilities, performance measurement, and management reviews.
Formal certification is not required to benefit from these principles. Companies can use them to create a more consistent and accountable approach to managing energy, tracking progress, and improving performance over time.
Get Started With a DOE Industrial Energy Assessment
Participating in a DOE assessment involves more than scheduling an onsite visit. Companies must find the appropriate technical assistance provider, determine eligibility, prepare facility data, coordinate with the engineering team, and evaluate the final recommendations.
Third Partners coordinates the process from beginning to end. We help companies connect with the appropriate technical assistance partner in their region, prepare for the assessment, organize the onsite study, and evaluate the resulting opportunities.
Our support can continue after the assessment. Third Partners can help translate individual recommendations into an ongoing energy management program aligned with ISO 50001 and ISO 14001.
Contact Third Partners to determine whether your operation qualifies for a no-cost industrial energy assessment and begin identifying opportunities to reduce recurring energy costs.
About the Author: John Haugen
