WASHINGTON , DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that, starting today, a three-day industrial Energy Saving Assessment is taking place at the Bowater facility in Grenada, Mississippi, as part of the comprehensive national energy efficiency effort undertaken by the Bush Administration.  Through no-cost assessments, DOE is working with major manufacturing facilities to identify energy- and money-saving opportunities, primarily by focusing on steam and process heating systems.

 

“President Bush has called on all Americans to be more energy efficient.  Private industry is joining the federal government in taking a leading role in this effort,” Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said.  “DOE’s Energy Saving Teams will play a key role in assessing and recommending energy efficiency strategies for some of the largest industrial facilities across the nation.”

 

Bowater, headquartered in Greenville, SC, is a leading producer of newsprint and coated mechanical and specialty papers, and also makes bleached pulp and lumber products.  Bowater's operations are supported by approximately 1.4 million acres of timberlands owned or leased in the United States and Canada and 29 million acres of timber cutting rights in Canada.  The company is one of the world’s largest consumers of recycled newspapers and magazines.

 

DOE’s Energy Saving Teams have completed visits to 29 large federal facilities and are in the process of visiting 200 of the most energy-intensive manufacturing facilities in the United States as part of the national “Easy Ways to Save Energy” campaign launched by Secretary Bodman on October 3, 2005. 

 

The first 22 ESAs have identified, in aggregate, more than $78 million per year in potential energy cost savings and could reduce natural gas consumption by more than nine trillion Btu per year, equivalent to the natural gas consumed annually by more than 125,000 homes annually.

 

Companies interested in a free energy assessment can get more details at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/ and request brochures detailing “Fifteen Tips to Help Your Plant Save Energy.” 

 

For tips on easy, inexpensive steps consumers can take to lower their energy bills this winter, please visit  http://www.energysavers.gov/ or call DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Hotline at 1-877-337-3463.