The U.S. Department of Energy recently recognized Kenworth Truck Co.’s manufacturing plant in Renton, Wash., for outstanding energy efficiency accomplishments. As one of the initial participants in the DOE’s Save Energy Now Leader program launched in 2009, the Kenworth-Renton plant voluntarily committed to a 25 percent reduction in energy intensity over 10 years.
“Kenworth’s Renton plant is committed to achieving and maintaining a high standard of environmental stewardship through efficient energy management and resource conservation,” says Marilyn Santangelo, Kenworth assistant general manager for operations.
DOE commended Kenworth-Renton for its 7.3 percent annual energy intensity reduction in 2010, and cumulative total of a 35.6 percent improvement since the program’s inception compared to the 2008 baseline year. “We place special importance on our environmental efforts, and this long-term energy efficiency project is contributing to enhanced best practices in the plant’s operations,” says Mike Clark, Kenworth-Renton plant manager.
To achieve the results, Kenworth-Renton had a number of initiatives, including technology that closely monitors the plant’s energy usage and quickly pinpoints any unusual energy spikes so that they can be addressed promptly. “This technology also enables us to decrease energy consumption by more effectively managing the plant’s average temperature while maintaining employee comfort,” Clark says. “We also reduced electricity usage by implementing more efficient lighting throughout the plant.”
