Better Plants Industry Partners Save $9 Billion in Energy Costs
On Thursday, October 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the Fall 2021 Better Buildings, Better Plants progress update. The report highlights more than 250 manufacturers and water utilities that have introduced energy efficiency and decarbonization measures, cumulatively saving $9.3 billion in energy costs and 1.9 quadrillion British thermal units (Btus) -- more energy than the state of Wisconsin consumes in a year. The Better Buildings, Better Plants Program aims to decarbonize the industrial sector and the progress and success of its partners' achievements will help accelerate the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate goals of a net-zero economy by 2050.
“The industrial sector is one of the hardest to decarbonize, but America’s market leaders are leaning into the challenge to deliver cleaner air for all,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Program is helping industry partners develop, implement, and share cutting-edge technologies and practices that save energy and money, protect our environment, and increase our nation's competitiveness."
DOE’s Better Plants program partners include every major U.S. industrial sector representing almost 14% of the domestic manufacturing footprint and 3,500 facilities across the country. By joining Better Plants, partners voluntarily pledge to reduce portfolio-wide energy intensity by roughly 25% over 10 years. DOE works with partners to meet ambitious energy and sustainability goals by providing technical assistance, peer-to-peer learning, technology validation and training, and workforce development. More than 60 partner organizations have met and, in some cases, substantially exceeded the energy and water goals established by Better Plants.