WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced the selection of 26 universities across the country for negotiation of award to set up and operate regional Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC).  The centers will employ faculty and students to assist small-to-medium sized American manufacturing plants to use energy more efficiently.  Based on DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Industrial Technologies Program requirement, anticipated funding could be up to $6 million over the next two years (FY’07 and FY’08).

“Technologies and best practices are available today to help U.S. industry use energy more wisely while significantly reducing operating expenses,” Secretary Bodman said.  “This program represents a win-win situation for everyone involved - for industry, for the participating students and universities, and for America.”

The IAC program is intended to train young engineers to better understand how the role of energy efficiency and renewable energy can play in manufacturing and industrial processes.  Participating students gain practical experience and hands-on training in energy engineering.

The IAC program also helps America’s small- and medium-sized manufacturers and industrial processors receive comprehensive, energy assessments of their operations, performed at no cost.  For purposes of the assessments, DOE defines small and medium-sized manufacturers as those with annual energy costs between $100,000 and $2.5 million.

Universities were selected based on an evaluation of the merits of their applications submitted in response to the subject solicitation/funding opportunity announcement.  More information on the IAC program can be found at http://www.iac.rutgers.edu/ and http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/iacs.html.

The universities selected for negotiation of award are:

• Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colo.
• Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.
• Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, Ga.
• Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
• Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Penn.
• Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Miss.
• North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
• Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.
• Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.
• San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif.
• San Francisco State University, San Francisco, Calif.
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
• Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tenn.
• Texas Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, Texas
• The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Chicago, Ill.
• The Curators of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
• The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
• The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
• University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
• University of Delaware, Newark, Del.
• University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, La.
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
• University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla.
• University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
• West Virginia University (WVU) Research Corp. on Behalf of WVU, Morgantown, W.V.

Media contact(s):
Chris Kielich, (202) 586-5806