Harbec, Inc. Achieves Carbon Neutrality, Partners with Native Energy Natural Methane Capture and Use

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Dec. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- New York State manufacturer Harbec, Inc. proudly announces that it has achieved carbon neutrality. Harbec’s accomplishment comes after years of dedicated planning and implementation of a deliberate strategy to take control of its energy use through energy management, efficiency, and demand-side energy generation resources.

In the past fifteen years Harbec has been making targeted investments in energy efficiency, energy management, and demand-side energy resources. For example, Harbec’s investments in 250 kW and 850 kW wind turbines, and in a 750 kW combined heat and power (CHP) powered by high-efficiency natural gas microturbines have supported significant reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Harbec has also made a dramatic reduction in energy use through numerous targeted energy efficiency and management projects at its 50,000 sq.ft. Ontario, NY facility.

The efforts have been a net economic value to Harbec’s business, helping the company reduce its energy expenditures, predict future energy costs, and lock-in competitively priced energy supplies that have significantly lower CO2 impact. Harbec’s use of an eco-economic model has been critical in its ability to assess its operational needs which result in sound decisions that make business, economic, energy, and environmental sense.

Much of Harbec’s carbon emissions have been reduced or offset by its own on-site carbon reduction strategies which have ranged from the deployment of renewable energy generation, to high-efficiency lighting, the optimization of thermal energy, and the transition to higher-efficiency manufacturing tools and equipment.

Harbec’s 2013 certification to ISO 50001/SEP, which is an energy management standard with additional requirements to ensure that annual energy reduction targets are established and met, was a critical step toward achieving carbon neutrality. Bob Bechtold, President of Harbec states, “ISO 50001 has provided us with the discipline to assess and obtain a concrete baseline of our energy use. From there we have been able to establish clear targets for energy use reductions, which was an essential step to validate Harbec’s carbon sources, emissions, and reduction goals.”

For the balance of its carbon footprint, Harbec sought out and formalized a strategic partnership with NativeEnergy to offset approximately 769.2 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. The carbon offset partnership will provide financial support to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Natural Methane Capture and Use Project in Clinton County which is located on tribal lands within the San Juan Basin in southwestern Colorado. The basin is rich in fossil fuel resources and has been a source of coal, uranium, and natural gas for many decades. In targeted areas of the San Juan Basin, coal seams emerge from the surface of the ground. Methane once adsorbed in the coal, now seeps into the atmosphere at these outcroppings. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, estimated to be 20 times more detrimental than CO2. This Harbec and NativeEnergy sponsored solution is supporting the capture and reconditioning of fugitive methane as an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information please contact us, info@harbec.com.

Additional and Supporting Information

•       Learn more about Harbec Inc’s ISO 50001/SEP Certification and our Sustainable Manufacturing Journey in the links below:

–      Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC) Case Study on Harbec’s ISO 50001/SEP implementation: http:// (http://cleanenergyministerial.org/Portals/2/pdfs/GSEP_EMW...)cleanenergyministerial.org/Portals/2/pdfs/GSEP_EMWG_harbec_case_study.pdf

–      Dekra’s Case Study on Harbec’s ISO 50001 implementation: http://www.harbec.com/media/uploads/harbec_case_study.pdf

–      Harbec’s Partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), the “Better Buildings, Better Plants” Challenge: http://www4.eere.energy.gov/challenge/partners/better-buildings-better-plants/harbec

–      Visionary Manufacturer Achieves Carbon Neutrality: http://sustainablemfr.com/energy-efficiency/visionary-manufacturer-champions-carbon-neutrality

–      ‘ECO-ECONOMICS ’: Harbec Plastics Proves It Pays to Be ‘Green’ available at: http://www.ptonline.com/articles/eco-- (http://www.ptonline.com/articles/eco--econo-mics-harbec-plastics-proves-it-pays-to-be-green)econo-mics-harbec-plastics-proves-it-pays-to-be-green (http://www.ptonline.com/articles/eco--econo-mics-harbec-plastics-proves-it-pays-to-be-green)

About HARBEC

Founded by Bob Bechtold in 1977, HARBEC’s mission is to provide tightly toleranced prototypes, tooling, machined components and quality injection molded parts in a sustainable manner with a social conscience. HARBEC provides superior customer service, satisfaction and timely delivery of custom engineered solutions. HARBEC proudly fosters an atmosphere of encouragement and respect for the health and prosperity of their customers, employees, and the global community.

HARBEC provides capabilities and solutions for the consumer product, sporting goods, defense/aerospace, transportation, medical, marine, and energy industries. HARBEC has capabilities in the use of innovative materials, problem-solving, and working with R&D and commercial organizations on unique prototypes or engineering and manufacturing groups on high volume production. HARBEC has capabilities for short (1-to-100 parts) or longer run (>1M parts) production.

HARBEC is certified as an ITAR, ISO9000-2008, ISO14001, and ISO50001/SEP Company, demonstrating its use of “eco-economic” decisions and policies designed to ensure that its activities are sustainable. HARBEC has developed and implemented a myriad of solutions to offset emissions, utilize waste and conserve resources. HARBEC reached its goal of “no carbon footprint” in 2013. Currently, the facility has 250kW and 850kW wind turbines and operates a twenty-five microturbine combined heat and power plant which generates electricity and provides thermal energy to meet the heating and cooling requirements of the facility. For more information, please visit: www.HARBEC.com.

Media Contact: Kate Chamberlain, HARBEC, Inc., (585) 265-0010, katec@HARBEC.com.