The Department of Energy said five universities will be the prime recipients of a combined $18.7 million in funding authorized for new Industrial Assessment Centers .Also on Friday, the DOE announced $54 million in funding to community colleges, trade schools, and union training programs as part of an expansion of the IACs.
At the universities, teams perform assessments that will typically identify more than $130,000 in potential annual savings for small manufacturers. In addition to focusing on waste reduction and energy savings, the assessments look at improved productivity and competitiveness. The IAC at Georgia Tech in Atlanta will focus on energy management and industrial electrification. The program at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, will specialize in industrial decarbonization, electrification, and resiliency planning. San Francisco State University's center will study renewable energy, energy demand management, thermal systems design, and waste and water management, especially in the Western U.S.
Business doesn't need government to help it make money, it needs to get out of its way.