May 14 2008
Through its Energy Partnership program, Detroit Edison has helped Ford Motor Company earn its third consecutive Energy Star Partner of the Year Award in Energy Management from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In announcing the award, the EPA noted that Ford improved energy efficiency in the U.S. by 4.5 percent in 2007, resulting in savings of approximately $18 million and that the company's U.S. facilities have improved energy efficiency by nearly 30 percent since 2000.
"We are pleased that our partnership has contributed to Ford's strong and steady gains in energy efficiency and that those gains have led to this prestigious award," said Robert J. Buckler, president, Detroit Edison. "The Energy Partnership program not only helps Ford and other major industrial customers save energy and money; it also benefits communities and the environment through lower emissions at power plants and at our partners' facilities. As energy efficiency takes a larger role in efforts to meet growing demand for energy without impacting the environment, the results of the Energy Partnership program are helping lead the way."
Since 1995, Detroit Edison has assigned engineers to work with the Ford Land Energy Program team to identify opportunities and implement solutions to save energy. The Energy Partnership initiatives include:
- Capital investment and performance contracting projects.
- Program initiatives to optimize facility operations.
- Engineering review of new technologies and cascading of "Best Practices."
- Energy surveys, audits and customized energy efficiency plans.
- Lighting system evaluations, including design and project engineering.
- Compressed air system evaluations and development of a leak repair program.
- Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems evaluation and development of an optimization plans.
- Implement utility metering and monitoring systems for trend analysis.
- Chilled- and process-water system analysis and design enhancements.
- Employee energy awareness programs.
- Paint Shop abatement process and control.