Top Center
The United States Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program has named the University of Delaware’s Industrial Assessment Center (UD-IAC) its 2012 Center of Excellence.
Keith Goossen, director of the Industrial Assessment Center and professor of electrical and computer engineering.
This distinction identifies UD-IAC as the best of the 24 participating centers nationwide.
DOE cited the energy savings achieved by industrial plants who implemented recommendations provided during an UD-IAC audit among the reasons for selecting the center. It also highlighted the program’s academic performance in producing student-trainees equipped to efficiently audit and make successful recommendations.
“The University of Delaware IAC has consistently ranked among the top performing centers. Under Dr. [Keith] Goossen’s leadership since joining the program in 2007, the center has trained and graduated dozens of exceptionally qualified engineers, conducted more than 100 assessments and saved small and medium sized industrial facilities in the Delaware region more than $6 million a year. Keith is a huge asset to the IAC program, and I was extremely pleased to present him with the Center of the Year Award,” said John Smegal, the workforce development lead for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program.
About UD-IAC
The UD-IAC is jointly supported by the College of Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP). The center, which received a $1 million renewal grant to continue its work in 2011, targets companies located within 150 miles of UD’s Newark campus whose energy costs exceed $100,000 annually.
Students involved in the program gain practical experience in assessing small and medium sized manufacturing industries for a variety of large-scale energy saving opportunities. Typical savings measures include energy efficiency improvements, waste reduction and pollution prevention, as well as productivity improvements.
Article by Karen B. Roberts | 11:28 a.m., July 17, 2012