Program Profiles
The U. S. Department of Energy's Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) at Colorado State University has been providing eligible small- and medium-sized manufacturers with no-cost plant assessments since 1984, offering cost-effective recommendations for improvements in the areas of energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and productivity improvement.
Companies eligible for IAC assessments must be SIC Code 2000-3999 manufacturers; either an Industry of the Future, or a supplier to or customer of an Industry of the Future; and meet any three of the following four criteria: 1) have $100,000/yr to $2.0 million/yr in total energy costs; 2) have a maximum of 500 employees; 3) have a maximum of $100 million/yr gross annual sales; or 4) lack in-house professional expertise in energy use and conservation. Through the IAC program, manufacturers receive free, objective information to help make their plant cleaner, more productive, and more energy-efficient. On average, an IAC assessment yields recommendations that can save a manufacturing facility $55,000 annually, with an average payback period of 12 months. |
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Facility
assessments typically involve energy bill analysis, a one or two day site visit,
and within 60 days of the visit, the writing of a confidential report to the
facility management that details the analyses, findings, and recommendations of
the assessment team. Each recommendation is explained and its costs and benefits
defined. Purchase costs, installation costs, and operating costs are stated
separately, so that savings can be clearly computed and demonstrated.