Session: 14-01 Conference Poster Presentation

Paper Number: 107392

107392 - Industrial Energy Assessments for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises by College Students 

The Energy Assessment branch of the Alabama Energy Transformation Initiative (AETI), a project developed through the Inclusive Energy Innovative Prize given by the Department of Energy, aims to implement hands-on, participatory programs to educate students about clean energy practices and career opportunities in the field. We educate students in the STEM field about industrial energy assessments and provide training that will lay the foundation of a career path marked by the energy industry.  

This project provides education on industrial energy assessments by expanding on the University of Alabama Industrial Assessment Center (AIAC) program. AIAC has trained college students in energy assessment and engineering skills for site visits, data assessment, subsequent analysis, and energy-saving recommendations in the areas of compressed air use, electric motor operation, lighting, boilers, process heat, utilities, etc. These energy assessments are designed for energy savings in energy-intensive local businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in rural areas of Alabama. Since 2007, AIAC has trained 125 students and conducted 280 energy assessments, leading to 8.72 trillion Btu of energy savings (~$49.13 million). Previously, AIAC has recruited students in Mechanical Engineering, without emphasis on diversity.  

AETI has recruited a group of eight students who are underrepresented in STEM and are in their early stages of study at the University of Alabama (UA) for the Energy Assessment track. Students are trained in energy assessment skills and able to grow in their engineering skills, which are highly sought-after by employers. Two upper-class students with well-established energy assessment skills serve as peer mentors in training the newly recruited students. After sufficient training in concepts like utility bill analysis, baseline modeling of industrial facilities, and structuring assessment recommendations, the newly trained students are given the opportunity to shadow and support AIAC’s on-site energy assessments for clients. Being on-site, students can utilize their working knowledge and skills developed in training in a real-world application. This program has allowed students to gain insight and experience outside of the classroom as it relates to problem-solving and presenting positive reinforcements to clientele.  

According to the Energy Information Administration, in 2019 Alabama ranks 9th in the country in industrial energy usage with 820 trillion Btu/yr., which is in part attributed to energy-intensive SMEs that lack capacities for energy-efficient operations. Cost savings from energy conservation present disproportionately greater benefits to SMEs. AETI will enhance AIAC’s energy assessment capacity with a diverse group of student employees and, thus, better assist client businesses with energy/resource savings. With SMEs making up a sizable percentage (43.5%) of the total statewide industrial energy usage in Alabama and neighboring Mississippi, our initiative could have a tangible impact on them not just financially, but environmentally. 

Rural communities in Alabama are wary of unfamiliar businesses, so clean energy jobs might not gain the same traction as in other parts of the country. Our program can generate direct benefits for local businesses while initiating a transition to a clean energy economy via relevant workforce development. In Alabama, energy-related employers have reported difficulty in hiring workers because of a small applicant pool and the lack of experience, training, and skills in the workforce.  

A major contribution of this project is that we address a recent interest in developing educational programs for students concerning an inclusive, practical, and just transition to clean energy. At the nexus of clean energy and social equity is education, especially for those who have been underrepresented in clean energy and STEM. We will conduct surveys and interviews before and after the AETI Energy Assessment program and report the results. We will evaluate students’ technical understanding to quantify the impact of our program on students’ clean energy education. We will analyze how hands-on, real-world, and problem-based energy education approaches affect students’ perception and disposition toward STEM and energy. We will also gauge students’ interest in continuing to pursue energy education and career path in STEM. 

Presenting Author: Riley Marchand The University of Alabama

Presenting Author Biography: Third-year undergraduate student at The University of Alabama studying Mechanical Engineering and a participant in the Alabama Energy Transformation Initiative, a U.S Department of Energy Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize winner project