Small to Medium Industrial Energy Savings Verification

This paper describes the approach, challenges, and results of an industrial SEM pilot with two small cohorts in Montana.

Executive Summary

To determine whether Strategic Energy Management (SEM) can be effectively delivered within small to medium business facilities and whether energy savings from this effort can be measured, NEEA contracted with EnerNOC to implement a pilot with two cohorts of small (1-999 thousand kWh/yr) to medium (1-100 million kWh/yr) sized industrial facilities in Montana in SEM practices.

These cohorts were a collection of non-competitive industrial facilities. They collaborated numerous times throughout the year, and some took tours of each other’s facilities. NEEA defines SEM as a management system integrated into the planning and operational practices of a company in order to create reliable, persistent energy savings.  

NEEA has defined some key attributes of facilities practicing SEM to include facilities that: 

• Have set energy reduction goals.
• Have dedicated resources to energy reduction.
  • Have a dedicated “energy manager” whose primary responsibility is focused on reducing energy use.
  • Have at least one “energy champion” or person who allocates some time to help to reduce energy use.
  • Have supplied training to staff to achieve goals.
  • Have commitment from top management to support the facilities energy reduction goal financially.
• Track energy usage and progress towards energy reduction goals and regularly reports progress toward energy goals to top management.

Read the Full Report >>