U.S.CEEM’s Contribution to Superior Energy Performance

Since 2007 the U.S. Council for Energy Efficient Manufacturing (U.S. CEEM), a voluntary partnership consisting mostly of representatives from industrial companies, has helped conceptualize and drive the development of the Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program, which will officially launch in fall 2011. During these past four years, up to 15 representatives from manufacturing companies who are part of U.S. CEEM met on a regular basis with representatives from DOE, EPA and NIST to design the SEP program elements and certification scheme.
 

Through a total of 76 meetings, including meetings of subcommittees to resolve specific technical and programmatic issues, U.S. CEEM members provided valuable insights and a first-hand perspective on what an industry-led energy efficiency program should entail.  U.S. CEEM believes that industry participation in SEP will be peer-driven and motivated by competition.  Industrial companies can significantly influence others within their industrial sub-sectors, and thereby encourage other manufacturers to participate. Manufacturers can also exert influence in their procurement strategies with original equipment manufacturers and supply chain partners, which may broaden participation of SEP to other sectors. 

Gaining Significant Industry Buy-In

U.S. CEEM’s approach was to develop a voluntary, performance-based, energy management certification program that balances the rigor of performance measurement with the business case for energy efficiency. By combining the technical performance criteria with the value proposition, U.S. CEEM sought to create a program that is relevant enough to encourage a high level of industry participation.  In addition to the extensive participation in meetings and review of materials to develop the SEP certification process and requirements, the council undertook a number of other supporting activities:

1. U.S. CEEM members participated in both the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to Project Committee (PC) 242 and in PC 242 to develop the ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard.
2. U.S. CEEM members supported the development and use of the ASME System Assessment Standards in the Texas pilot plant demonstrations.
3. U.S. CEEM members helped find sites to field-test SEP.
4. U.S. CEEM monitored the SEP demonstrations at four Texas Pilot sites and provided feedback to streamline the program.
5. U.S. CEEM reviewed SEP the certification audit process with auditors at the Texas Pilot sites.
6. U.S. CEEM supported the development of Certified Practitioners to help plants assess energy efficiency measures and verify performance improvements.
7. Following the Texas pilots, U.S. CEEM members recruited new plant sites to perform SEP demonstrations to further test and finalize the program.
8. U.S. CEEM reviewed and provided input for the SEP Best Practices Scorecard and the M&V protocol at the Texas Pilot sites and other U.S. CEEM member facilities.
9. U.S. CEEM members began advocating within industry to promote the program by presenting SEP and the case for the program at industry conferences, to industry organizations, trade associations and the federal government.

Through these accomplishments and more, U.S. CEEM has proven to be a unique coalition that is dedicated to assisting the industrial sector in becoming more energy efficient and, in turn, to improve the sector’s competitiveness and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Becoming Industry’s Trusted Resource

Going forward, the Council will strive to become a trusted resource for the industrial sector by developing tools, materials, standards and news related to industrial energy efficiency that may not exist, thereby filling in gaps in existing resources. 
U.S. CEEM also will continue to support SEP by participating in the peer review committee that will provide strategic guidance to the SEP program administrator (PA) as the PA grows SEP and develops it into a self-sustaining program.