Our team works to reduce energy intensity by identifying energy efficiency improvements, as well as clean power solutions, such as combined heat and power (CHP), district energy and waste heat recovery applications. We offer customized, site-specific energy efficiency assessments and analyses to industrial, commercial and institutional facilities throughout the Southeastern U.S. Our team of engineers provides data-driven consultative technical assistance to help clients solve a problem, comply with a mandate, or reach a sustainability goal. Students have an opportunity to work alongside our engineers to learn first-hand the methods and problem-solving skills needed to help clients optimize their energy performance.
U.S. industries currently account for about one-third of energy use in the United States. Energy-intensive industries use large amounts of energy to chemically or physically transform raw materials into products such as aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metals, mining, and petroleum refining.
Ongoing research and development in this area creates new opportunities for these commercial and industrial facilities to improve the efficiency of their processes through state-of-the-art technology and energy management practices.
The Center offers technical services in all aspects of energy efficiency, including overall management, training, and on-site assessments to commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities throughout the Southeastern United States.
Manufacturing operations with energy intensive processes as well as large institutional or commercial sites may realize a sizeable savings in energy costs through the application of a combined heat and power system or district energy project. Look to us for objective, data-driven, technical assistance to help determine the best technology to meet your objectives.
Go beyond conventional energy efficiency by evaluating the consumption of all processes and systems in your facility. Our evaluation includes, boilers and steam systems, compressed air systems, lighting, energy intensive processes, fuel and feedstock flexibility, motors, fans, pumps, process heating, and energy management and automation. Our services are used to help clients make informed decisions on energy expenditures and improvements.
Our program includes customized technical assessments or energy audits based on audit definitions as accepted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Our team provides Level I and II audits depending upon the level of detail required for the facility, as well as customized studies based on a particular need or challenge. As the U.S. Department of Energy Southeast Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership, we provide no-cost qualification screenings, and advanced technical assistance to explore equipment or operational aspects based on client need.
The feasibility analysis incorporates economic, technological, timeframe and the policy / incentives aspects of a proposed application. We perform third party reviews of site feasibility options and Investment Grade Analysis reviews in support of implementation.
Often energy challenges are unique to an industry, a process or an objective. Our team is able to conduct a study of a specific obstacle to identify solutions and optimize energy performance.
Our comprehensive approach to energy challenges, conducted from a neutral perspective, allows for an objective analysis of the best alternatives, leading to the most effective results.
Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective means of reducing operational costs. By assessing opportunities to reduce waste in energy, including processes and systems, our recommendations provide a roadmap to a more effective use of energy.
Combined heat and power is an efficient and clean approach to generating on-site electric power and useful thermal energy from a single fuel source. This production reduces line losses and strain on grid infrastructure while also increasing energy efficiency, reliability, and security.
District energy systems are a highly efficient way to heat and cool multiple buildings in a given locale from a central plant. They use a network of underground pipes to pump steam, hot water, and/or chilled water to multiple buildings in an area such as a downtown district, college or hospital campus, airport, or military base. Providing heating and cooling from a central plant requires less fuel and displaces the need to install separate space heating and cooling and hot water systems in each building. The sources of thermal energy distributed by district energy systems vary, but are often connected to combined heat and power plants. Our technical assistance includes expertise in the design and operation of district energy systems.
A microgrid is a local energy grid with control capability, which means it can disconnect from the traditional grid and operate autonomously, which is beneficial in times of crisis like storms or power outages, or for other reasons. A microgrid can be powered by distributed generators, batteries, and/or renewable resources like solar panels. Depending on how it’s fueled and how its requirements are managed, a microgrid might run indefinitely. As part of the Southeast DOE CHP TAP, assistance is available for those considering the advantages of incorporating a microgrid.
In 2018, Celebrity Dairy Farm in Siler City, NC, requested services from the NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) to perform an energy audit and preliminary solar photovoltaic assessment under…
Learn MoreFirst-year savings anticipated at $1.7 million In January of 2019, North Carolina State University brought online 6.5 megawatts (MW) of combined heat and power (CHP) on Centennial Campus. Between the…
Learn MoreClemson University to increase energy reliability with islanding capability, self-healing smart grid A new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant owned and operated by Duke Energy will generate 15 megawatts…
Learn MoreLearn more about plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) available on the market today by viewing a list of a wide variety of vehicles as well as their model, price, range, battery capacity, charging time and more.
DownloadIn the fall of 2018, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact (the Compact), in partnership with the Department of Energy’s Southeast Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership, convened regional stakeholders—including local government staff, non-profit organizations, utility representatives, and institutional building facility managers—to learn from local and national resilient energy system experts during a two day-long implementation workshop titled Resilient Energy Systems. The convening is part of a workshop series designed to advance the implementation of the Climate Compact’s Regional Climate Action Plan and specifically focused on recommendations from the Energy and Fuel and Risk Reduction and Emergency Management chapters. This guidance report builds upon and supports the content presented at that workshop with the goal of providing local government staff and other stakeholders with a basic grounding in this topic.
DownloadAs of late 2018, the project was completed successfully, resulting in not only more efficient and safe lighting, but also an estimated $19,000 in annual energy charges savings, and a 5-year estimated savings of $97,000, resulting in a payback of 1.6 years.
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