New Belgium, Others Win Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge Awards

New Belgium Brewing, Owens-Corning Asphalt and the Greeley wastewater treatment plant are among the seven Colorado industrial companies recognized last week by the Colorado Energy Office's Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge program for their energy efficiency efforts.

The companies saved a total of $1.1 million on their annual energy costs from 2011-2012, achieving energy savings of an average 7.1 percent of their total consumption.

The top achievement award was presented to Greeley’s Wastewater Treatment plant for reducing energy consumption per gallon of water treated by 11.5 percent.

The companies were judged on three criteria, including percentage of energy savings achieved, number and types of energy-saving projects, and elements in place to achieve continual improvements in energy efficiency over time.

Three companies received Excellence in Energy Efficiency awards for achievements from 2011-2012:

• Rocky Mountain Metal Container, Golden, for reducing energy consumption per unit of product by 7.1 percent;
• Owens-Corning Asphalt, Denver, for reducing energy consumption per ton of asphalt produced by 5.6 percent; and
• Fort Collins Wastewater Treatment plant, for reducing energy consumption per gallon of water treated by 15 percent.

Other companies that received awards at the ceremony include:

• Advanced Energy - achieved a 7 percent reduction in total consumption from 2010-2012 due to energy efficiency efforts, achieving its goal;
• Amgen - achieved a total reduction in consumption of 20.9 percent from 2007-2012, achieving its five-year goal; and
• New Belgium Brewing - achieved an energy reduction of 11.6 percent over two years 2010-2012 and surpassing its second-year goal for the program.

The CIEC is a voluntary annual program managed by the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project on behalf of the Colorado Energy Office.

In April, New Belgium Brewing Company and 20 other craft brewers partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council to advocate for strong clean-water policies. The Brewers for Clean Water campaign aims to protect the industry’s no. 1 ingredient: water. While hops and malt can be sourced elsewhere, breweries rely on their local water supplies — and the Clean Water Act, which protects the multi-billion dollar industry’s product from upstream pollution, the group says.