American manufacturers will benefit if Congress supports energy recycling
Posted by Dick Munson on November 10th, 2010
Word is getting out that energy recycling is key to revitalizing American manufacturing. Just look at this new op-ed in Crain’s Cleveland Business by prominent Ohio businessman Lonnie Coleman.
Coleman explains that energy efficiency is critical to lowering manufacturing costs and strengthening our industrial sector. He writes, “Among the most economically beneficial opportunities for savings, energy- efficiency initiatives can help improve business competitiveness and profits for years. One particularly ripe area… is called energy recycling.”
Coleman explains how all that heat you see coming out of the smokestacks at industrial facilities is really wasted energy that can be recycled into useful electricity. And that means less burning of fossil fuels, which is good for the bottom line and the environment. In a nutshell, he writes, “Recycled energy techniques allow manufacturers to capture that waste and turn it into 100% clean power, thus lowering energy costs and raising productivity.”
A firm believer in the massive potential of energy recycling to aid our ailing economy, Coleman points out that in his state alone, nearly 60 industrial facilities are prime candidates for energy recycling projects.
So, why don’t we see more energy recycling projects underway? It’s the million dollar question, and Coleman has the answer: “Despite its significant savings, energy recycling requires a great deal of capital investment. With a still- sputtering economy, this is a tough sell for many business owners who lack access to that level of capital.”
This is where the bipartisan legislation currently before Congress comes in. “Fortunately, Congress is considering investment tax credits for industrial energy efficiency, including combined heat and power and other energy recycling projects. The proposed bipartisan legislation… will maximize the economic and environmental benefits of energy recycling, giving business the means to make their energy work twice. With that help, more… businesses can thrive, putting more [people] back to work.”
As I said before in a recent post, it’s a small change to the tax code that can make a very big difference for our economy and the planet. Let’s hope our elected leaders are listening.
I read with interest your article and particularly Drs. Melissa Mullarkey paper: “Capturing Waste Energy”.
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Reading this, I was rather pleasantly suprised… an a little puzzled. I had not heard of this legislation before. It seems to have much merit; bipartisan support and energy consumption reduction. Why aren’t the folks in the beltway trying to get good publicity for this endeavor??? Lastly, what are the chances of it passing in this highly bifurcated congress?
Thanks for your comments. Predicting what this partisan Congress will do is dangerous. That said, there appears to be growing bipartisan support for legislation that would encourage (and not block) industrial energy efficiency. For instance, Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are discussing tax changes to advance CHP and waste heat recovery. We need to get other lawmakers on board.
I don’t think the gains from this are enough. The technology should be low emission.
http://danmark.betterplace.com
Capturing and utilizing waste heat is not only low emission, it is zero emission. Recycled energy’s gains to both environmental quality and manufacturing productivity are substantial.