Gov. John Hickenlooper recognized 12 Colorado industrial companies on July 6, 2011 for their participation in the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge and their commitments and achievements in energy efficiency.
The industrial sector in Colorado accounts for 30 percent of the state's total energy consumption. Energy efficiency offers industrial companies a significant opportunity to improve their profitability and competitiveness, while reducing the associated environmental impacts.
Eight companies were recognized for joining the program and committing to a five-year energy efficiency goal:
- Advanced Energy (Fort Collins)
- Anheuser-Busch (Fort Collins)
- Carestream Health (Windsor)
- Golden Aluminum (Fort Lupton)
- Hunter Douglas (Broomfield)
- Owens-Illinois (Windsor)
- Synthes (Monument)
- Western Sugar (Fort Morgan)
These companies spend between $1 million and $10 million per year on energy costs. By agreeing to the program's minimum suggested goal of 10 percent reduction in energy intensity over five years, these companies could save an average of $500,000 per year by 2015.
Hickenlooper also gave five companies "excellence in energy efficiency" awards for their achievements over the last two years. These companies are:
|
Company |
Location |
Energy Efficiency Achievement (2008-2010) |
|
Amgen |
Boulder and Longmont |
15.5% reduction in total energy consumption |
|
Avago Technologies |
Fort Collins |
28.4% reduction in energy use per unit of production |
|
Crested Butte Mountain Resort |
Crested Butte |
18.9% reduction in total energy consumption |
|
Hunter Douglas |
Broomfield |
14.5% reduction in energy use per unit of production |
|
New Belgium Brewing |
Fort Collins |
14.2% reduction in energy use per unit of production |
These five companies achieved total energy savings of 550,000 million Btu's per year, enough energy to supply 6,100 Colorado homes with their total energy needs, and reduced their energy costs by an average of $700,000 per year. In addition to devoting considerable effort to making energy efficiency improvements at their own facilities, these companies have also shown outstanding leadership in energy management, and have all actively shared their ideas and successes with other companies in the CIEC program.
About the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge
Funded through a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Colorado Governor's Energy Office, the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge (CIEC) program encourages large and medium-size industrial facilities to commit to a five-year energy efficiency goal. In return the program offers recognition from the Governor, free technical assistance, and opportunities for networking and training. There are now 21 Colorado companies in the program. For more information, contact Neil Kolwey, Senior Associate, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, at 303-499-0213, nkolwey@swenergy.org, or Conor Merrigan, Commercial Program Manager, Governor's Energy Office, 303-866-3965, conor.merrigan@state.co.us. More information is also available at the CIEC website.