INPLTs offered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants program are multi-day workshops performed by industry-recognized experts. INPLTs include both classroom and field-based training sessions that train the attendees to identify energy conservation opportunities, quantify savings from those opportunities, and implement projects to realize the energy and cost savings. These training workshops enhance the attendees’ understanding of working principles, knowledge of best practices, and capability of analyzing the energy performance of industrial energy systems. As of May 2022, the Better Plants program has hosted over 140 In-Person INPLTs with about 2,600 participants, helping to identify more than $50 million dollars in energy cost savings opportunities.

Due the challenges created by COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers throughout the world have been trying to determine how to safely open and operate their manufacturing plants. To minimize the risk of infection, many manufacturers have reduced the number of people allowed into their plants without compromising the production continuity. This makes delivery of INPLTs challenging in the traditional in-person fashion. To address this challenge and continue providing INPLTs during this difficult time, Better Plants program has started to perform Virtual cohort In-Plant Trainings (VINPLTs) on process heating systems, steam systems, ammonia industrial refrigeration systems and wastewater treatment operations.

The Better Plants program will deliver a VINPLT on industrial steam (Steam) systems from October 14 to December 9, 2022. The Steam VINPLT will be performed by industrial experts and Technical Account Managers using online video communication technologies. The Steam VINPLT comprises eight (8) 2.5 -hour online training sessions (2-hours formal training and optional 0.5-hour Q&A) that will be delivered on every Friday (except Nov 25) 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET for eight (8) weeks. Participating in this VINPLT is free and open to all the Better Plants program partners.

Participants will be trained on industrial steam system fundamentals and undertaking of a system-specific energy assessment, including hands-on training on the steam system assessment module within the Manufacturing Energy Assessment Software for Utility Reduction (MEASUR) tool. To maximize the benefits from attending VINPLTs, homework assignments will be given to the participants at the end of each session and will be due by the next session. These homework assignments are designed to enhance participants’ understanding of industrial steam systems, as well as to identify and quantify energy savings opportunities. During the last session of the VINPLT, participants are expected to create a summary presentation based on their assessment, present their findings, and share the scrubbed version with DOE.

At the completion of the VINPLT, Professional Development Hours (PDHs) Certificates will be prepared for the attendees on demand basis. Participants are expected to collect measurements/data from their own steam systems, perform an energy assessment, and identify energy efficiency opportunities with the help from the instructors. To collect the assessment data, in some cases, diagnostic equipment will be arranged and shipped to the partners. The Better Plants diagnostic equipment are available on a first come, first serve basis.