Ohio State to Sign Industry of the Future Memoradum of Understanding, June 5, 2002. The Ohio Governor and DOE officials will sign a compact to collaborate on research and development, share technical resources, and collaborate wherever possible to support Ohio industries in enhancing energy efficiency, pollution prevention and sustainability. The collaboration will initially focus on Ohio’s glass, chemicals, metal casting and steel industries, with others to be added in the near future.
Cost Reduction NOW Presentations. These briefings, which discuss case studies and technical details on cost-cutting options for your plant, may be offered following the Ohio Industry of the Future State Compact Signing, and possibly again in October preceding the Glass Problems Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Watch the OIT website for final dates and times.
Regional Industry Technology Showcase, Akron, Ohio. If your glass manufacturing facility has completed energy-efficiency upgrades and is located within approximately 100 miles of Akron (including West Virginia and Pennsylvania), you may wish to participate in the Regional Industry Technology Showcase this September. This event demonstrates how a comprehensive approach to improving plant operations can lead to increased productivity and cost and energy savings. The effort includes an independent, third-party validation of technology performance and costs in comparison to baseline practice. For more information about the benefits to your firm, visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/showcase.shtml.
Glass R&D Solicitation, Spring 2002. A solicitation for glass making process-related energy improvements is expected to open around mid-April. Collaborative industry teams with promising concepts are encouraged to apply for cost-shared support from OIT.
Plant-Wide Energy Efficiency Opportunity Assessments, Spring 2002. Glass manufacturers interested in identifying savings opportunities in their own plant through cost-shared third-party assessments will want to watch for another solicitation due out later this spring or summer. It will be announced on the OIT web site (address above).
Inventions & Innovations Solicitation. The Inventions & Innovations (I&I) program provides financial assistance for significant innovations in glass making processes. Winners of the 2002 program solicitation (now closed) will be announced in May. Past winners of the I&I solicitation include can be found online at http://www.oit.doe.gov/inventions/folio/folio_iof.shtml.
NICE3 Solicitation, Spring 2002. OIT’s National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics (NICE3) program will provide grants of up to $525,000 (on a cost-shared basis) for demonstrations of energy-saving technologies assigned priority in the glass technology roadmap. The solicitation opened on April 1. Full details, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, are available at http://www.oit.doe.gov/nice3.
G+ Program and Results. Each year, GMIC members multiply their membership dollars in laboratory credits at the DOE National Labs. Member companies have access to expertise, equipment and lab time—up to $24,999 worth—through the Laboratory Coordinating Council and GMIC. Sample G+ projects include “Controlling Emissions from Borosilicate Glasses,” “Asymmetrical Windshield Construction,” “High Temperature Thermocouple Degradation” and “Reduction of Corrosion of Tank Refractories.”
Technical & Economic Analysis. Glass Problems Conference attendees (October 2002) will receive a copy of this new report that describes technical details and benefits of all glass making technologies, both current and attempted in the past 50 years. The report will include (where possible) patent information, technology evaluation and commentary of benefit to the entire glass industry.
Other glass industry resources supplied through the OIT/GMIC partnership include: