The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes Polaris Inc. for achieving DOE 50001 Ready at seven of its facilities. Polaris, headquartered in Medina, Minnesota, manufactures a diverse range of powersport vehicles, such as snowmobiles, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
Leadership at Polaris sees 50001 Ready’s potential to facilitate the achievement of their 2035 goal of 50% absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. That percentage, in large part, is tied to the company’s renewable electricity target, which is anticipated to have a significant impact on site emissions. With an incremental goal of 1-2% improvement per year, energy team members are looking for ways to leverage their energy management system (EnMS), as established under 50001 Ready, to render site processes more efficient.
Polaris now has seven facilities that have earned 50001 Ready recognition: Huntsville (AL), Indian Motorcycles at Spirit Lake (IA), Osceola (WI), Roseau (MN), Vermillion (SD), Wyoming Research and Development Center (MN), and WSI Monticello (MN). In January 2023, Vermillion earned 50001 Ready status for the first time, an accomplishment underpinned by a 21% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at the facility. Huntsville re-attested their status the month after.
50001 Ready provided the framework and tools necessary to see, numerically, how great of an impact the energy teams’ choices were having at their respective sites. Equipped with demonstrable facts and figures, the energy teams were able to more effectively communicate both achievements and future goals to corporate management and to on-site staff. Polaris staff also connected with staff at other facilities to share energy savings strategies. Drawing on collective information and experience helped pave the way for a more robust energy management system at each facility.
Using DOE’s 50001 Ready Navigator, an online application that provides step-by-step guidance for implementing and maintaining an energy management system, site staff found that the tasks pertaining to data compilation and identification of significant energy users to be most helpful. Gathering all of the information needed was challenging, but having data to reference simplified and justified requests for future metering, as well as funding for future projects.
DOE’s 50001 Ready program, managed by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), provides a self-paced, no-cost way for organizations to build a culture of structured energy improvement that leads to deeper and more sustained energy savings.
Learn more about energy management implementation at Polaris.