Tennessee 3-Star Industrial Assessment Center awarded $125K from DOE
klykins@tntech.edu
Office of Communications & Marketing
The Tennessee 3-Star Industrial Assessment Center, directed by Tennessee Tech University, received a portion of the more than $155 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding announced this week for 41 industrial energy efficiency projects across the country.
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the center was awarded $125,000 to perform enhanced assessments and technical assistance for plants across the state.
Tennessee Tech has one of 26 IACs across the country. Established in 2006, the center provides no-cost studies of manufacturing plants across Tennessee and portions of Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Arkansas. Students, under supervision from faculty, perform studies analyzing a plant’s energy, waste and productivity issues.
“This project calls for three large plant enhanced assessments, five small to medium enhanced assessments and four technical assistance events to assist former clients in improving their success in implementing recommendations,” said Glenn Cunningham, associate professor of mechanical engineering who directs the center through TTU’s Center for Manufacturing Research.
Two of the three proposed large plants have been selected in the Memphis area.
The IAC is building on relationships with TVA and its regional distributors in Memphis (Memphis Light, Gas and Water), Nashville (Nashville Electric Service) and Knoxville (Knoxville Utilities Board) to identify small and medium plants that are targets of opportunity.
Currently, when small or medium plants implement assessment recommendations made by IAC, they see about a 48 percent electric usage savings and a 20 percent natural gas savings. With enhanced assessments and partnering to arrange low-cost loans, that rate is expected to increase to about 75 percent electric usage savings and 50 percent natural gas savings.
MLGW is the nation’s largest three-service municipal utility and TVA’s largest customer.
“From an MLGW perspective, a partnership with the Tennessee 3-Star IAC is an important asset for providing service for our clients while also helping to reduce the overall load on the TVA distribution system,” said Becky Delich, supervisor for MLGW’s commercial and lighting services.
Part of the funding will provide technical and financial support for local businesses and manufacturing facilities to save energy and reduce their energy costs, help them obtain financing to realize significant gains in efficiency and productivity, and save and create manufacturing and industrial sector jobs across the country.
The Tennessee 3-Star Industrial Assessment Center is anchored by Tennessee Tech University, with satellite centers at the University of Memphis and East Tennessee State University.
