DOE to invest $60M for university-based Industrial Assessment Centers
The U.S. Department of Energy announced it would invest $60 million at 32 universities across 28 states for Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs), which will provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers with energy-efficiency assessments.
The investment is part of the Biden administration’s goal of removing barriers to decarbonization across the manufacturing sector and achieving a clean energy economy.
“America’s best and brightest university students are successfully helping local manufacturers reduce pollution, save energy, and cut their electricity bills,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE’s university-based Industrial Assessment Centers are assisting small- and medium-sized businesses – particularly those in disadvantaged and underrepresented communities – in the transition to a clean energy economy, building the next-generation energy workforce, and propelling America toward a carbon-free future by 2050.”
The IACs will focus on improving productivity, enhancing cybersecurity, promoting resiliency planning, and providing training to entities located in disadvantaged communities. Each of the IACs will work with local manufacturers at no cost to assess facilities for their energy efficiency, as well as solutions on how to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs and how to train the next generation of workers to be energy-efficient.
Selected universities include West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.V.; Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo.; Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga.; Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore.; and Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
“West Virginia University continues to represent the Mountain State at the highest levels, and I am pleased WVU has been selected yet again to help small and medium-sized manufacturers across America lower their energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while remaining globally competitive,” said U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Today’s announcement is further acknowledgment of WVU’s groundbreaking engineering programs, world-class students, and first-rate faculty. Investments like this will provide students with more opportunities, ensuring that the next generation is equipped with the skills and training necessary to keep West Virginia on the cutting edge of innovation.”
One of the DOE’s longest-running programs, the IACs program has provided nearly 20,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers with assessments and made more than 147,000 recommendations. The typical assessment identifies more than $130,000 in potential annual savings opportunities.
“The Colorado School of Mines is a leader here in Colorado and across the country and the world for their research and work to advance knowledge in the areas of renewable energy sources and technology, advanced water treatment, high-performance computing, and more,” said U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO). “I’m pleased to see the institution chosen as an Industrial Assessment Center to work with small and medium-sized businesses and their employees to become more sustainable, efficient, and resilient.”
