Collectively, 70 manufacturing plants across the country cut energy bills by a total of $476 million last year. They also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 5 million metric tons, which is the equivalent of the average annual energy use of more than 450,500 households. Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the names of these plants, which received its Energy Star certification for energy efficiency.
"Energy Star certified manufacturing plants are driving the kinds of efficiencies and innovations that keep our country strong," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "They’re proving every day that businesses can save on energy, cut down on bills, and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions all at the same time."
Energy Star certifies plants that reach the top 25 percent of energy performance for their industries nationwide according to independent verification. Since the certification began in 2006, 148 plants have saved over 618 trillion British thermal units (TBtu) in energy, which is the equivalent of preventing more than 41 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and saving enough energy to provide the total yearly energy needs of approximately 3.5 million American households.
The most recent recipients include plants from the the automotive, cement manufacturing, corn refining, food processing, glass manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and petroleum refining industries. Nine plants earned certification for the first time.
The 2015 Energy Star certified plants by state are:
Alabama:
- Argos USA, Roberta (cement)
- Lehigh Cement, Leeds (cement)
Arizona:
- CalPortland, Rillito (cement)
- Salt River Materials Group, Clarkdale (cement)
California:
- Ardagh Group, Madera (container glass)
- CEMEX, Victorville (cement)
- Lehigh Cement, Redding (cement)
Colorado:
- Holcim, Florence (cement)
Florida:
- Argos, Newberry (cement)*
- CEMEX, Miami (cement)
- Titan Pennsuco Cement Co., Miami (cement)
- Suwannee American Cement, Branford (cement)
Georgia:
- CEMEX, Clinchfield (cement)
Idaho:
- ConAgra Foods, American Falls (frozen fried potato processing)
- ConAgra Foods, Twin Falls (frozen fried potato processing)*
Illinois:
- ConAgra Foods, South Beloit (cookie & cracker)
- Marathon Illinois Refining Division, Robinson (refinery)
- Oak State Products, Wenona (cookie & cracker)
Indiana:
- Ardagh Group, Dunkirk (container glass)
- Ardagh Group, Winchester (container glass)*
- Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, Greensburg (automobile assembly)
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana – West, Princeton (automobile assembly)
- Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas Lafayette South, Lafayette (corn refining)*
Kentucky:
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky – Plant 1, Georgetown (automobile assembly)
Louisiana:
- Marathon Louisiana Refining Division, Garyville (refinery)
Maryland:
- Lehigh Cement, Union Bridge (cement)
Massachusetts:
Ardagh Group, Milford (container glass)
Minnesota:
- ConAgra Foods, Park Rapids (frozen fried potato processing)
- Faribault Foods Beverage Division, Elk River (juice)
Mississippi:
- Nissan NA, Canton (automobile assembly)
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi, Blue Springs (automobile assembly)
Missouri:
- Holcim St., Genevieve (cement)
- Buzzi Unicem River Cement, Festus (cement)
New Jersey:
- Ardagh Group, Bridgeton (container glass)*
- Phillips 66, Linden (refinery)
New York:
- ConAgra Foods, Tonawanda (cookie & cracker)
- Lehigh Cement, Glen Falls (cement)
Ohio:
- Allergan, Cincinnati (pharmaceutical)
- CEMEX, Fairborn (cement)
- Honda of America Manufacturing, East Liberty (automobile assembly)
- Honda of America Manufacturing, Marysville (automobile assembly)
- Marathon Ohio Refining Division, Canton (refinery)
Oklahoma:
- Ardagh Group, Sapulpa (container glass)
Oregon:
- ConAgra Foods Boardman East, Boardman (frozen fried potato processing)
- ConAgra Foods Boardman West, Boardman (frozen fried potato processing)*
Pennsylvania:
- Essroc Cement Corp., Nazareth (cement)
Puerto Rico:
- Actavis, Fajardo (pharmaceutical)*
- Actavis, Manati (pharmaceutical)*
- Merck, Las Piedras (pharmaceutical)
South Carolina:
- Holcim, Holly Hill (cement)
Tennessee:
- Bayer Healthcare, Cleveland (pharmaceutical)
- Buzzi Unicem Signal Mountain, Chattanooga (cement)
- Nissan NA, Smyrna (automobile assembly)
Texas:
- Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Waco (pharmaceutical)
- Buzzi Unicem, San Antonio(cement)
- Buzzi Unicem, Maryneal (cement)
- Holcim, Midlothian (cement)
- Martin Marietta Materials, Midlothian (cement)
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas, San Antonio (automobile assembly)
Utah:
- ConAgra Foods, Ogden (cookie & cracker)
- Holcim, Morgan (cement)
Virginia:
- Titan Cement Company, Roanoke (cement)
Washington:
- Ash Grove Cement Company, Seattle
- ConAgra Foods, Quincy (frozen fried potato processing)
- ConAgra Foods, Richland (frozen fried potato processing)
- ConAgra Foods, Warden (frozen fried potato processing)
- JR Simplot, Othello (frozen fried potato processing)
- JR Simplot, Moses Lake (frozen fried potato processing)
- Phillips 66 Company, Ferndale (refinery)
West Virginia:
- Essroc Cement Corp., Martinsburg (cement)
*Represents first-time certification
Some of the 2016 certified plants will host events at their facilities to showcase their energy-saving strategies. More information is available at energystar.gov/industrialshowcase.
EPA’s industry-specific Energy Star benchmarking tools are available for 15 manufacturing sectors to compare a plant’s energy performance against its industry counterparts.
