Springdale, Arkansas, August 27, 2015: Pratt & Whitney PSD’s work to instill an environmental culture continues to grow as Pratt & Whitney makes progress toward meeting its 2025 sustainability goals.
Pratt & Whitney PSD was recently recognized by Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) – the facility’s electric utility provider – and an energy audit team from the University of Arkansas for its efforts to implement energy reduction programs.
Pratt & Whitney PSD, a world leader in major jet engine case overhaul and repair, is located in Springdale, Arkansas. While its business increases, the company’s Pollution Prevention (P2) Team has fostered its external partnerships to identify numerous opportunities to implement energy reduction programs, resulting in significant cost savings.
“It’s a wonderful extended team effort that delivers year-over-year energy conservation results,” said Pratt & Whitney PSD General Manager Mike Finan. “Inventing new opportunities to conserve energy and control overall cost – all while being a good corporate citizen and neighbor – is a worthwhile goal and one we’re happy to pursue.”
Since 2010, Pratt & Whitney PSD has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent, or the equivalent of taking 270 cars off the road, which saves $57,670 annually by cutting energy consumption by 491,500 kilowatt hours (kWh). In addition, the team closed eight energy/cost reduction projects, resulting in $122,000 in incentives from SWEPCO. Pratt & Whitney PSD also implemented energy reduction features on two heat treat furnaces that reduced total electrical consumption usage by 331,000 kWh.
This effort is playing a role in helping Pratt & Whitney achieve its 2025 sustainability goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 80 percent. Since 2000, Pratt & Whitney has reduced greenhouse gases worldwide by 46 percent in its factories. That’s 244,000 metric tons of CO2, which is the same amount produced in 8,000 jet engine take-offs, or the annual emissions from 19,000 pick-up trucks.
Pratt & Whitney PSD has worked with its electric utility provider on conservation efforts for more than five years. “We understand our long-term success is dependent upon the long-term success of our customers,” said Mark Mobley, customer services engineer, SWEPCO. “Pratt & Whitney PSD continues to be a leader in program participation among all our customers.”
“When Pratt & Whitney PSD identifies a potential project, we engage SWEPCO to review it to determine if it qualifies for a rebate incentive,” said Mike Williams, a Quality team lead and P2 Team chairperson. “We then factor the rebate amount into the cost of the project to determine our return on investment. Partnering with the local energy provider is something that would benefit every Pratt & Whitney PSD P2 team. It’s a winning scenario for both sides.”
“SWEPCO appreciates Pratt & Whitney PSD’s continued participation in the Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Program as they strive to reduce operating costs,” added Greg Perkins, coordinator, Energy Efficiency/Consumer Programs, SWEPCO. “As a result of their efforts and over the past five years, Pratt & Whitney PSD has completed multiple energy-efficiency upgrades that have reduced energy consumption significantly.”
Improvements have included upgrading HVAC units, installing LED lighting outside the facility and considerably improving compressed air performance in the facility. On the recycling side, last year PSD became a “zero landfill” facility, as its 27 tons of annual waste is now going to an incinerator facility that converts it into usable energy. Since 2000, Pratt & Whitney has reduced waste produced by 46 percent, which is more than 14 million pounds, or 650 garbage trucks full of waste.
In 2014, Pratt & Whitney PSD received an Envy Award from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, as well as an honorable mention MVP2 Award from the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable for its efforts in reducing greenhouse gas and water consumption and the elimination or recycling of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.
Source: Pratt & Whitney PSD