Inaugural awards competition recognizes organizations for their energy efficiency achievements.
PARIS, IL (November 26, 2018) – North American Lighting, Inc. (NAL) is a finalist in the first-ever Ameren Illinois Energy Innovators competition. In its inaugural year, Energy Innovators is a competitive awards program that recognizes organizations for outstanding achievements in energy efficiency.
To be considered, projects or programs had to take place between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018. NAL is a finalist for the Energy Savings category.
NAL’s Air Compressor Sequencing Project unified the communication between five compressors previously functioning independently. With the help Brabazon, NAL’s partner for air compressor repair services, Airleader, a partner of Brabazon, and NAL’s maintenance department, the automotive lighting company installed proper equipment and tied the communication of the compressors together.
Three compressors are now used to base load the air header which maintains air pressure to the assembly lines while the other two compressors trim the pressure, maintaining a constant load. This new sequence will save NAL an annual cost of over $95,000 and more than 900 tons of CO2 emissions.
Organizations are eligible to receive an award in one of three categories:
Energy Savings Projects – Energy efficiency projects that generated significant energy savings relative to the facility or business’s overall usage.
Innovative Projects – Energy efficiency projects that in some way utilized new or innovative technology.
Community Benefit – Projects or programs that increased energy efficiency engagement in underserved communities, created jobs or training opportunities in the energy efficiency industry, or helped to expand or launch new energy efficiency businesses.
The top organization in each category will receive $1,000, and one overall winner will receive $10,000 towards an energy efficiency project.
“The Energy Savings category was very competitive in this year’s inaugural competition. We had many great submissions, from municipalities to small businesses,” said Keith Martin, Director of Energy Efficiency Operations for Ameren Illinois. “What they all shared, though, is a great story of how they lowered their energy usage and saved money through energy efficiency.”
“NAL continues to look for new opportunities to reduce energy costs and the impact on the environment,” said Michael Westerfield, NAL Manufacturing Service Manager. “Not only will NAL see a return on investment just two months after implementation based on monthly savings, but we will also leave a much smaller carbon footprint.”
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony being held December 5, 2018 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL.
NAL’s ISO 14001 certified environmental management system challenges the company to be environmentally responsible. The corporate environmental objective is to reduce waste and conserve energy. NAL also implemented other green initiatives that impact the organization and its surrounding community, such as concrete regrind utilization, LED lighting replacement, and equipment upgrades to continually improve production, cost, and energy consumption.
About North American Lighting, Inc.
North American Lighting, Inc., member of the Koito Group of Companies, is the largest automotive lighting manufacturer in North America and has been manufacturing since 1983. NAL is a pioneer in vehicular lighting from LEDs to adaptive driving beams, and is now pursuing the latest technology in autonomous driving. NAL’s nine facilities in North America combined with the global network of Koito Group Companies, uniquely positions the company to meet increasing global demands for safe, energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and intelligent automotive lighting systems.
About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 816,000 natural gas customers in Illinois. Ameren Illinois’ Energy Efficiency program is ranked in the top 15 nationally by ACEEE, a leading energy efficiency organization. Since its inception in 2009, Ameren Illinois’ Energy Efficiency Program has helped customers reduce their energy usage by nearly 12 million megawatt-hours and save $781 million.
Contact: Kayla Lindsay, Corporate Human Resources: 217-465-6600 Ext. 7429.
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