Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies to participate?
This initiative is open to energy-intensive industrial facilities with annual energy consumption greater than 2 TBtu. The term “energy-intensive industry” means an industrial sector that has a significant energy footprint as part of its operational activities. The U.S. Energy Information Administration classifies the following industries as energy intensive:
- Food (food and beverage manufacturing)
- Pulp and paper (paper manufacturing, printing and related support activities)
- Chemicals (inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals (e.g., ethylene propylene), resins, and agricultural chemicals; includes chemical feedstocks)
- Iron and steel (iron and steel manufacturing, including coke ovens)
- Nonferrous metals (primarily aluminum and other nonferrous metals, such as copper, zinc, and tin)
- Nonmetallic minerals (primarily cement and other nonmetallic minerals, such as glass, lime, gypsum, and clay products)
Reach out to DOE if you have questions about whether your facility qualifies to participate.
What resources are available to each facility?
Each facility is eligible to choose from a set of resources from three categories: assessments, workforce training, and technology planning. DOE and national laboratory experts are available to help facilities determine which resources will be of greatest benefit.
Is there a partnership agreement associated with participation?
No. However, participating facilities will agree to provide feedback on programmatic offerings and information about measures implemented from assessments.
Can partners in DOE’s existing programs participate?
Yes. Better Plants partners should work with their Technical Account Manager (TAM) to apply energy or carbon savings achieved through this pilot. Also, companies/organizations working with 50001 Ready, SEP, IAC assessments and CHP TAPs are eligible to participate.
What information will I be asked to provide?
DOE will ask about energy footprint information, energy efficiency and decarbonization strategies and other elements that enable DOE to develop programs that will yield value to manufacturers from energy intensive sectors.
Will DOE share my information?
No. Any and all information and data collected will be treated confidentially. Any case studies and publicly-facing materials will be submitted to each participating company for approval before being made public.
Will facilities receive recognition for participating?
This initiative is not intended to provide recognition. Companies that are interested in recognition may get recognized if they wish in materials like case studies or trade publications. Additional opportunities for recognition exist in DOE’s Better Plants, 50001 Ready, or SEP 50001 programs. If a participating company wishes to be recognized, DOE will work with them to identify the appropriate mechanism and timeframe.
