Energy Commission Offers Free Energy Audits to Industry Through Federal Program

The California Energy Commission will provide California manufacturers with free energy assessments to help them control rapidly rising energy costs and to conserve natural gas that may be in tight supply this winter. The program is part of the U. S. Department of Energy's "Save Energy Now" initiative to help American businesses, factories, and manufacturing facilities cut their energy use.

This year's hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf of Mexico seriously disrupted production of natural gas and petroleum, leading to skyrocketing energy prices and concerns about adequate energy supplies across the United States.

Nationwide, the Department of Energy will provide the energy-saving assessments to 200 of the country's largest companies, especially steam and process heating systems that consume nearly 80 percent of the energy used by U.S. industry. An additional 500 audits will be conducted for medium-sized companies.

In California, the Energy Commission, working with the Department of Energy and local utilities, will provide qualified efficiency experts to energy-intensive manufacturing facilities. The assessments will be awarded to qualifying companies on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are simple to complete and are available on-line, along with additional information, at these Department of Energy Web sites:

http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/ ("Save Energy Now" main page)

http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/assessments.html (Application description)

http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/application.html (Instructions and on-line application form)

For California-specific information, contact Clint Lowell at the Energy Commission's Industrial Efficiency Program, 916-654-4554.

CONTACT: Claudia Chandler Phone: 916-654-4989