The U.S. Department of Energy has released a request for information (RFI) on reducing industrial energy intensity. Section 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) seeks reduction of industrial energy use by 25% by 2017. Section 106 of EPAct authorizes the Secretary of Energy to enter into voluntary agreements with industry with the goal of reducing energy intensity by not less than 2.5% each year during calendar years 2007 through 2016.

The DOE is seeking information from industry and industry associations regarding the most beneficial and efficient way to reduce industrial energy intensity to implement this goal. The information received will be used by the DOE for internal planning and decision making purposes. Topics for the RFI include:

• Experience or lessons learned from energy management activities
• Challenges, pitfalls (what not to do) learned from these activities
• Roadblocks and concerns that industry may have with reducing energy intensity by 2.5% per year
• How essential is reducing energy consumption to your company’s economic competitiveness
• The most effective way(s) to motivate industry to participate in this initiative, including possible incentives
• The most effective way to conduct a federal government-supported program to reduce industrial energy intensity
• How to document and verify the industrial energy savings in order to evaluate the success of these voluntary agreements
• The level of interest in participating in the planning or in partnering with the DOE to achieve this goal
• The need for national and/or international standards on industrial energy management
• Specific technical, technology or plant assessment tool support considered critical for your participation and the achievement of the initiative’s stated goal.

The Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has a history of partnering with the industrial sector to improve the energy and carbon intensity of manufacturing equipment, processes and final products while improving the competitiveness of this critical sector of the U.S. economy. The ITP is leading the DOE’s efforts to help industry achieve even greater control of the energy inputs to produce the items needed by our nation every day. The DOE and ITP encourage the broadest involvement and participation in this program from across the industrial sector.

The purpose of this RFI is solely to solicit input for DOE consideration in determining the most beneficial and efficient way to implement Section 106 of EPAct. Comments in response to the RFI should be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF to ITP@go.doe.gov by September 18, 2007. Questions relative to responding to this RFI may be sent to this same mailbox in advance of responses, and will be answered via the mailbox only. The RFI can also be accessed online.

Links

• DOE Industrial Energy RFI