Mike Stowe to Present at Industrial Energy Technology Conference 2018

The industrial sector consumes a lot of energy – approximately one-third of all of the energy used in the U.S. However, a large portion of that energy is not actually utilized; it is lost or wasted because of inefficient processes and systems. The annual Industrial Energy Technology Conference (IETC), now in its 40th year, seeks to address this issue by promoting energy efficiency and management in industry.

The IETC, which is organized by the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M University and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, brings together plant managers, utility representatives, industry suppliers, industrial program managers and other industrial professionals to network, foster discussion, share new developments and work on solutions.

This year’s three-day event is being held in New Orleans from June 12-14. It kicks off with its Energy Managers Workshop and then breaks into various technical sessions, covering topics such as developing industrial programs, combined heat and power, renewables and new technologies, and more. Advanced Energy’s Mike Stowe, senior energy engineer, is attending the conference and speaking on four topics.

Mike’s first presentation, “A Step by Step Method for Energy Analysis of Industrial Processes,” will be given during the Energy Managers Workshop. In it, Mike will discuss the energy saving opportunities available within the processes of a manufacturing plant, such as melting, baking, drying, forging and curing. These processes, which help transform raw materials into finished products, require significant amounts of energy, so understanding them, their equipment, technologies and support systems is key to finding energy efficient solutions. The presentation will provide a step-by-step method for examining energy usage and consumption throughout manufacturing processes, or from dock to dock.

Mike will deliver three more presentations during the main conference. In “The DOE 50001 Ready Program: A Case Study in Progress,” Mike will highlight facilities using 50001 Ready, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) new tool to help facilities work toward energy management. 50001 Ready is built around the ISO 50001 energy management standard that prepares industrial, commercial and institutional organizations to continuously improve their energy usage through holistic and systematic practices. With 50001 Ready, facilities use a do-it-yourself approach to develop an energy management system.

“The Strategic Energy Management Continuum: Something for Everyone” will focus on strategic energy management as an approach to improving energy use. Facilities can adopt a range of strategies, from more basic energy bill tracking all the way to pursuing certification in energy management programs. Mike’s presentation will discuss tools, resources and case studies to demonstrate results from strategic energy management and will explore how involving the entire manufacturing team, from machine operators to plant managers, promotes success.

Lastly, in “Case Studies on Energy Efficiency at Waste Water Treatment Plants,” Mike will present how wastewater treatment facilities are taking steps to engage in energy efficiency. He will focus on energy assessments that he and others at Advanced Energy have conducted by describing methods, analysis tools and findings. Mike will also present an overview of Advanced Energy’s involvement in the DOE’s Superior Energy Performance® Water and Wastewater Pilot Project.

In a separate venture, Mike recently joined the advisory board for the IETC and is excited about his new role. “The IETC is a great conference and I am very happy to have the opportunity to serve on the board,” Mike said. “This will be a great opportunity for me to share my industrial background and hopefully continue to provide educational opportunities for folks in the important area of industrial energy efficiency.” Mike will attend board meetings at the annual conference and participate in phone calls to discuss upcoming events and abstract submissions, including the selection process for topics and speakers for future IETCs.

If you are planning to attend the IETC 2018, be sure to stop by one of Mike’s (many) presentations and say hello!