Developing a corporate-wide strategic energy management program

The cement industry is undergoing extreme challenges with respect to energy. Energy costs continue to rise, energy markets are volatile and environmental regulations due to climate change present unprecedented pressures on manufacturing. CalPortland has partnered with EPA´s ENERGY STAR^® Program to develop a corporate-wide energy strategy that attempts to mitigate many of these energy challenges. This paper will cover CalPortland´s commitment to energy management through its organization, employee involvement, energy efficiency initiatives and long term strategies. The paper will explore why CalPortland decided to create a program, how they did it and what the results were. A step by step approach involving the creation and development of the program will be presented. Topics include: energy team organization, energy saving initiatives, renewable energy/alternative fuels, climate initiatives and value chain outreach. The energy program has saved the company millions of dollars, has significantly reduced process emissions and has created a corporate culture that fosters continuous improvement in the areas of sustainability and energy efficiency.