The Industrial sector racks up an annual energy bill of about $200 billion while running the backbone of the American economy and accounting for 30 percent of all U.S. energy consumption. But the power of American manufacturers is on full display during the World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC), when the Better Plants Progress report releases its update.
The recently released Better Plants Progress Report highlights the cumulative and individual successes of 180 Better Plants partners. Through Better Plants, these partners have made both incremental and sweeping improvements toward 25 percent energy reduction goals and ongoing knowledge sharing. These partners encompass manufacturing, water and wastewater treatment, coming together for a big payoff. This year’s report estimated avoided carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to 7.3 million passenger vehicles, or almost 35 million metric tons.
Better Plants has experienced the highest ever growth rate since the beginning of the program; with 25 industrial organizations joining the program and seven joining the Better Plants Challenge. There are now 2,500 facilities spread across all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. All together they represent 11.4 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing energy footprint.
Congratulations to Better Plants Challenge goal achievers Victor Valley Water Reclamation Authority and Nissan, and to Better Plants goal achievers Daikin, Expera, General Dynamics, Graphic Packaging, Ingevity, Kingspan, Osram Sylvania, and Sherwin-Williams. Additional accolades go to Cummins and United Technologies for meeting their water savings goals.
WEEC was full of conversations and panels, including a Keynote from Ernest Moniz, United States Secretary of Energy. The Better Plants track at WEEC covered topics ranging from the benefits of onsite energy generation, energy efficiency for water and wastewater treatment, and smarter data.
For a look ahead at what’s coming up next from Better Plants:
Find out more about partner successes, take a look at the full report.
If you’re interested in joining the Better Plants Program, click here, and email Bruce Lung for more information.