Ready or Not: Implementing DOE's 50001 Ready Program for Establishing an Energy Management System

Introduction Like many water and wastewater utilities, Fairfax County Virginia's Noman M Cole Pollution Control Plant (NMCPCP) has been focusing on to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and overall carbon footprint through improving energy efficiency. After finding the 'low hanging fruit', the energy reduction effort was stagnating as the initiatives had become more difficult and increasingly expensive. To resuscitate its energy reduction efforts, the Noman M. Cole, Jr. Pollution Control Plant embarked on the US Department of Energy's (DOE) 50001 Ready energy management system program. The DOE's 50001 Ready program is a self-guided approach for facilities to establish a culture around energy management and self-attest to implementing an energy management system aligned to the structure of ISO 50001, a voluntary global standard for energy management systems in industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities.1 The Noman Cole plant staff began establishing its energy management system (EnMS) in late Summer 2021 and was formally recognized by the DOE in November 2022. The Noman Cole plant is the first wastewater utility so recognized. In the two years since starting to implement an EnMS, the Noman Cole plant has reduced its energy consumption by 20%. Besides reducing energy consumption, the program has produced a number of benefits including positive public relations. This paper will describe the DOE's 50001 Ready program elements and the Noman Cole Plant's efforts in implementing an EnMS. In describing the process of implementing the energy management system, the paper will discuss chronology, level of effort and lessons learned. The paper will provide three years of energy data showing a significant energy reduction. Besides energy reduction, other benefits also will be described. 50001 Ready Energy Management System Program More than tools like energy management information systems and automation, an energy management system is about business management practices. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001 standard provides a framework for developing an effective energy management system. The standard follows the 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' process similar to the ISO 14001 standards for environmental management systems. An ISO 50001 energy management system involves developing and implementing an energy policy, setting achievable targets for energy use, and designing action plans to reach them and measure progress.2 NMCPCP participates in Virginia's Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP), which is also similar to the ISO 14001 environmental management system. This experience has shown that the implementation of such a system can be daunting. DOE offers their 50001 Ready program as a self paced approach that provides guidance and tools for implementing an energy management system including analyzing energy use and developing action plans3. One key tool was DOE's Ready Navigator, an on-line tool that provided step by step guidance along with wastewater tailored templates appeared to facilitate the implementation. DOE also offers a help desk offering direct access to 50001 Ready program experts. Building on the structure of ISO 50001:2018, the DOE outlined 25 tasks grouped into seven sections. Context of the Organization (Tasks 1-3) Leadership (Tasks 4-6) Planning (Tasks 7-13) Support (Tasks 14-16) Operation (Tasks 17-19) Performance Evaluation Tasks 20-23) Improvement (Tasks 24-25) Each of the tasks include DOE provided guidance, a 'playbook' template, and examples. Implementation at the Noman Cole Pollution Control Plant Completion of the 25 tasks and establishment of the energy management system at the NMCPCP took about a year and a half and around 500 combined staff work hours. Some of the tasks merely required documenting established practices; others required establishing new business practices. The paper will discuss the experience in implementing the 25 tasks with special emphasis on wastewater treatment. Items of particular interest to water and wastewater would include the scope, units of energy, significant energy users, correlation or normalization to relevant variables, and opportunities. Key activities are shown in the timeline found in Figure 1 at the end of this abstract. Results & Benefits Energy consumption at the NMCPCP has been reduced considerably. The energy team identified over 70 opportunities and implemented a dozen of them. In the first 6 months of 2021, before beginning implementation of the EnMS, monthly energy consumption averaged 23,500 MMBtu. In the last 6 months, energy consumption has averaged 18,800 MMBtu, an improvement of 20-percent. The paper will provide more detailed information on the energy improvements. Besides the reduction in energy, there were a number of other benefits. These benefits are briefly presented below and will be described more in the paper. Efficiency of Effort. The 50001 Ready Program recommended converting all energy units to a single common unit, MMBtus. By using common energy units, it easy to compare the relative magnitude of different energy sources. For instance, by converting both natural gas (measured in therms) and electricity (measured in kWH) to MMBtus, we discovered the amount of natural gas used in the multiple hearth furnaces was significant compared to electricity. Another exercise was the identification of significant energy uses. By then focusing on the large users of energy, improvement actions became more strategic and significant overall. Sustainability. Formalizing the practices (suggestions, action plans, communication, management review, etc.) has created habits that will improve the likelihood that this effort will sustain itself beyond the initial endeavor. Teamwork. The energy team includes participants from all branches within the wastewater treatment plant. Suggestions came from outside the energy team as awareness grew. Working as a team helped improve working relationships across division that will improve work in other areas besides energy reduction. Recognition. One of the tasks included establish an external communication plan. Upon successful implementation of each energy reduction project, a small news release was produced. One of the news releases reach a local print publication and featured a couple of plant mechanics on the same printed page as a United State Senator. Another published article prompted a hand written thank you from a local citizen. This type of recognition and appreciation from the local community improves political support for the wastewater program as a whole and improves the pride of wastewater staff. Lessons Learned The paper will share lessons learned during the process. These lessons learned will include the following: Making the exercise as simple as possible by 1) limiting the boundary and scope and 2) using existing practices wherever possible. Understanding that the tasks do not need to be completed in particular order. Understanding the difference between records and documents. Not overcomplicating Energy Performance Indicators. Reading the instructions about selecting a baseline year within 25 months of recognition submission. Understanding that everything takes longer than expected. Management review and auditing are helpful in sustaining effort. The 50001 Ready Navigator playbooks for wastewater are a good starting point. Summary Using the resources of the DOE's 50001 Ready program, the NMCPCP implemented an energy management system aligned to the ISO 50001 standard. Fairfax County's Noman M. Cole, Jr. Pollution Control Plant was the first wastewater utility to receive recognition in DOE's 50001 Ready program. This energy management system took a year and a half to establish and has yielded significant energy reductions and other benefits. This paper will describe the DOE's 50001 Ready program, the level of effort, lessons learned, and benefits. This paper will be of broad interest to water and wastewater utilities who are looking to reduce energy usage.