Department of Energy Recognizes Cummins for Deep Energy Retrofit at Jamestown Engine Plant

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. – As a part of the Administration’s effort to increase energy efficiency nationwide through the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge, the Energy Department today recognized Cummins Inc., for demonstrating leadership in reducing energy use and costs at its Jamestown Engine Plant in Jamestown, New York. Through the Better Plants Challenge, Cummins committed to a 25 percent reduction in energy intensity by 2016 across 104 facilities, including 19 plants covering more than eight million square feet. Cummins has already achieved its goal with a cumulative energy intensity reduction of 34 percent, and the company’s efforts in Jamestown are expected to reduce the plant’s energy intensity by a third – resulting in energy savings of approximately 250 billion British thermal units and also saving the company nearly $1.4 million in energy bills.

“Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge Partners, including Cummins demonstrate that cutting energy waste and deploying solar energy is good for business,” said Dr. David Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “Through their leadership and ingenuity, these partners are moving the American manufacturing sector forward, demonstrating environmental responsibility by reducing their energy use.”

The Jamestown Engine Plant has been undergoing its largest infrastructure upgrade in more than 40 years. With the new upgrades, critical equipment has been updated, leading to increased energy efficiency, as well as greater reliability and operational stability. The company proceeded with a phased, whole-building energy and infrastructure improvement project—setting aside $5.1 million specifically for energy efficiency projects.

As a part of this approach, Cummins implemented a number of varied projects, installing energy efficient lighting and a new thermal insulated roof with solar panels, while also upgrading the heating and cooling system and the energy control system. The new 2-megawatt solar installation is capable of generating about a third of the plant’s power on the sunniest days, and the company is also almost entirely eliminating the use of steam at the plant – replacing it with direct-fired gas units and new cooling equipment that will save about four million gallons of water annually. The plant has installed three regenerative dynamometers that recover energy from engine testing and provide power to the facility.  In addition, other improvements and upgrades make the plant the first Cummins site to achieve zero-waste-to-landfill status.

“The Jamestown Engine Plant highlights Cummins’ approach to environmental sustainability,” said Stan Woszczynski, Vice President and Chief Manufacturing Officer at Cummins. “Through strategic thinking, rigorous financial analysis and planning and strong leadership, we have been able to upgrade our manufacturing facilities to use less energy and save money. We are pleased to be showcasing the efforts at Jamestown as part of our broader partnership with the Department of Energy to reduce energy waste in our buildings and plants.” 

A cornerstone of the President's Climate Action Plan, the Better Buildings Challenge supports the goal of doubling American energy productivity by 2030 while motivating corporate and public sector leaders across the country to save energy through commitments and investments. More than 200 organizations are partnering with the Department of Energy to achieve 20 percent portfolio-wide energy savings and share successful strategies that maximize efficiency over the next decade. Across the country, Better Buildings Challenge partners are deploying energy efficiency projects at more than 9,000 facilities, with more than 2,100 buildings improving efficiency by least 20 percent, and another 4,500 by at least 10 percent, compared with their baseline years.

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