OTA greatly expanded the energy services it provides industry in response to the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) amendments of 2006, which allow TURA filers to address energy use in toxics use reduction planning. To help Massachusetts businesses address energy challenges, Commonwealth Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) have been formed as a one-stop resource. OTA has been designated the lead agency for the manufacturing sector.

Through its on-site assistance program, OTA identifies opportunities and techniques to improve energy efficiency, water conservation and toxics use reduction. To encourage the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies, OTA helps industry to:

• Identify and evaluate opportunities and technologies for using electricity, gas, and oil more efficiently
• Facilitate renewable energy projects, by providing information on

technologies, successful applications, funding and site selection
• Assess opportunities for combined heat and power, lighting improvements, load management and demand response strategies, and
• Increase understanding of green building strategies, pertaining to new design, construction or the retrofitting of existing structures.

Since its establishment, OTA has made more than 3,300 site visits to about 1,400 facilities. OTA's on-site assistance is offered on a voluntary and confidential basis and is provided at no cost to the facility. A typical energy site visit includes a meeting with plant managers and operating staff to characterize the plant's existing energy usage and to define the company's energy goals. Following this, OTA and company staff walk through the plant and OTA staff members record their observations. Follow-up to the site visit consists of a written report containing observations, conclusions and recommendations. OTA also provides additional follow-up support as requested. In all cases OTA strives to ensure that recommendations are both practical and offer significant improvements in the use of energy.

In addition to site visits, OTA promotes energy efficiency through workshops and conferences, as well as fact sheets, case studies and links to a variety of resources, including software tools. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Star program, and Massachusetts utilities, OTA is expanding its energy efficiency training efforts.

OTA continues to build and strengthen relationships with energy agencies and organizations, including the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Industrial Assessment Center, the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Partnership at UMass Amherst, the Renewable Energy Trust, the Massachusetts Technology Collaboration, utility energy efficiency programs, ISO New England's Demand Response group, and the U. S. Department of Energy.

For questions on OTA's energy services, please contact: John Raschko at 617-626-1093.

This information is provided by the Office of Technical Assistance and Technology