Which manufacturing plants in the U.S. are the most energy efficient?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled its list of the 103 U.S. manufacturing plants that earned ENERGY STAR certification in 2023. Only facilities in the top 25% of energy efficiency in their sector can receive this certification. According to the EPA, ENERGY STAR certification is available for 21 manufacturing sectors, and more than 270 plants have achieved ENERGY STAR certification since 2006.
Want to learn more about the energy industry? Check out EnergyTech
EnergyTech covers the commercial and industrial energy transition for large energy users seeking to decarbonize and improve power resiliency.
Energy usage can be reduced in a variety of ways. Here are a few projects and management practices employed by ENERGY STAR facilities:
- Bimbo Bakeries USA used advanced controls, metering systems, and high-efficiency burners to enable real-time control of energy use.
- Nissan North America, Inc. worked to improve energy efficiency by replaced more than 20,000 light fixtures with LEDs across all U.S. manufacturing plants.
- J.R. Simplot Company made its nitrogenous fertilizer plant more efficient with an on-site, one-megawatt solar photovoltaic project.
In a recent quote, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said, “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is breathing new life into energy efficient domestic manufacturing, and industry partners like those recognized today are leading the way. These ENERGY STAR certified plants demonstrate that cutting the embodied carbon of our industrial products through energy efficiency doesn’t just make environmental sense, it makes economic sense.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
