Manufacturing facilities are large consumers of energy that undergo dynamic changes through the years. As the facility ages, new technologies replace older technologies that were less efficient. The General Motors Fort Wayne Assembly plant is undergoing the largest modernization overhaul since the plant was built in the 1980s. This overhaul includes many energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy generation, and metering points to track energy use for management and sustainability goals. GM has a goal to increase use of renewable energy while reducing energy intensity by 20% by 2020.

The client has the overall goal of minimizing energy costs without disrupting any manufacturing operations. The most urgent short-term objective is to analyze business opportunities to reduce energy consumption with the overarching goal to eliminate the need for steam. The original steam plant was designed to meet much larger loads. Steam demand will continue to decrease as new operations come on-line in the future. The students will be assessing how the steam load can be eliminated or replaced with much smaller boiler operations going forward.