Industrial Assessment Centers
West Virginia University IAC
Sponsored by:
DOE MESC
West Virginia University IAC
Center Established 1993
West Virginia University
Director Dr. Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan
IAC logo
West Virginia University
Implementation Grant Funding Opportunity Open
IMPORTANT: The grant program operates on a rolling basis and applications may be submitted at any time, with quarterly reviews.
Learn More
Implementation Grant Funding Opportunity Open
Qualifying* small and medium-sized US manufacturers, that received IAC or Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership assessments between 2018 and 2024, can now apply for grants for implementation of assessment recommendations up 50% of qualifying* project costs with a maximum of $300,000 per manufacturer.
IMPORTANT: The grant program now operates on a rolling basis and applications may be submitted at any time through the year, with quarterly reviews.
*See Full Grant Solicitation for full qualification and selection details.
IAC Center of the Year: 2005, 2021
Student Research Award Winner: 2017, 2023

The West Virginia University Industrial Assessment Center (WV-IAC) provides free energy, productivity, and waste assessments to small and medium-sized industrial facilities through funding provided by the US Department of Energy.

657 Assessments
7,204 Recommendations
13.04 Tbtu Energy Saving*
$106.14 million Cost Savings*
92 Students Trained
*Recommended Savings
Contact Center Website Facebook LinkedIn Follow @WVUIAC
Energy Engineering related programs, degrees, etc:
Generic IAC Assessment Activity
Generic IAC Assessment Activity
Generic IAC Assessment Activity
Related Papers & Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., Chaudhari, S, " The Effect of System Storage on the Performance Profile of Rotary Screw Air Compressors, Energy Engineering Journal, Vol. 111, No. 4, pp. 25-33, | WV-IAC
Devaru, D.G., Maddula R., Grushecky, S., Gopalakrishnan, B, " Motor-Based Energy Consumption in West Virginia Sawmills, Forest Products Journal, Vol. 64, No. ½, pp. 33-40, | WV-IAC
Munisamy, A., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., Jaridi, M., Crowe, E., Gupta, D.P., " A Computer Based Total Productive Maintenance Model for Electrical Motors, International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, | WV-IAC
Noteworthy Feedback
"The energy assessment done by the WVU IAC has been very successful and we have derived may benefits from it. The students and the faculty leader were knowledgeable and thorough in their effort."
- Source: Mark Pannell, Environmental Manager, Volvo Inc, 05/05/2015
"Quad Graphics has had excellent energy savings from the energy assessment done by the West Virginia University Industrial Assessment Center. In fact, a case study showcasing highlights of the implemented energy savings has been developed by the WVU IAC. Very professional and thorough and knowledgeab..." more
- Source: Greg Kubisch, Energy Manager, Quad Graphics, 06/29/2015
"The IAC team did a very professional energy assessment that had high value"
- Source: Tricia Marker , Safety/Energy & Sustainability Supervisor P.E.M , Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort , 10/07/2013
Center Related News
Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm
Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm
March 8, 2021

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ROUNDTABLE:
Strengthening America's Manufacturing and Industrial Workforce

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) hosted a roundtable on March 8, 2021 to discuss how the Department’s Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) are helping small- and medium-sized manufacturers improve energy efficiency, create jobs, and reduce their carbon footprints.

Featuring guest speaker Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and moderated by Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman.

Roundtable participants:

  • Hannah Atkins, Technology Engineer, Clearon Corporation (West Virginia)
  • Brian DeLuca, Director, New Jersey Clean Energy Program, Commercial & Industrial Programs, TRC Companies (New Jersey)
  • Marco Gonzalez, Corporate Energy Manager. Waupaca Foundry (Wisconsin)
  • Dr. Sachin Nimbalkar, Group Leader, Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Research & Analysis, Group. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee)
  • Farah Nourin, Graduate Student. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee IAC team (Wisconsin IAC)
  • Dr. Julie Sieving, Co-Director, University of Utah IAC and founding member, IAC Women for Energy Efficiency (WE2) initiative (Utah IAC)
  • John Smegal, IAC program Manager. Advanced Manufacturing Office. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (Washington. D.C.)

West Virginia IAC receives Governor's Award of Excellence
West Virginia IAC receives Governor's Award of Excellence
West Virginia IAC receives Governor's Award of Excellence
February 16, 2016

West Virginia IAC receives Governor's Award of Excellence

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin presented the West Virginia University (WVU) Industrial Assessment Center with the Governor’s Award of Excellence for Enabling Industrial Energy Efficiency. The award was presented during the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Day at the state capitol in Charleston, West Virginia.

IAC Director Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan, accepted the award on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. The award was given in appreciation of IAC’s more than 400 energy assessments in West Virginia, resulting in reduced energy costs of approximately $2 million for West Virginia manufacturers.

Assessment - Case Studies
WV | Assessment: WV0601
Energy Savings Opportunities for Distilled Spirit Manufacturing Plant
WV | Assessment: WV0596
Energy Savings Opportunities for Plastic Tube Manufacturing Facility
WV | Assessment: WV0589
Energy Savings Opportunities for Plastic Manifold and Papers Filter Manufacturer
WV | Assessment: WV0581
Energy Savings Opportunities Galvanized Steel Manufacturing
WV | Assessment: WV0536
Energy Savings Opportunities for Waste Water Treatment Facility
WV | Assessment: WV0490
A Variety of Savings Opportunities for RV Manufacturer
WV | Assessment: WV0437
Substantial Energy Cost Reduction Opportunities
WV | Assessment: WV0390
Industrial Energy Assessment Yields Energy Savings of 9%
WV | Assessment: WV0326
Assessment Yields Energy Savings of 1,411 MMBtu per year
Related Papers & Publications
2014
4 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., Chaudhari, S, " The Effect of System Storage on the Performance Profile of Rotary Screw Air Compressors, Energy Engineering Journal, Vol. 111, No. 4, pp. 25-33, | WV-IAC
Devaru, D.G., Maddula R., Grushecky, S., Gopalakrishnan, B, " Motor-Based Energy Consumption in West Virginia Sawmills, Forest Products Journal, Vol. 64, No. ½, pp. 33-40, | WV-IAC
Munisamy, A., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., Jaridi, M., Crowe, E., Gupta, D.P., " A Computer Based Total Productive Maintenance Model for Electrical Motors, International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Ramamoorthy, K., Crowe, E., Chaudhari, S., Latif, H., " A Structured Approach for Facilitating the Implementation of ISO 50001 Standard in the Manufacturing Sector, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments Journal, Vol. 7, pp. 154–165, | WV-IAC
2013
3 Papers / Publications
Chaudhari, S., Gupta, D., and Gopalakrishnan, B., " Using IAC Database for Longitudinal Study of Small to Medium Sized Automotive Industry Suppliers' Energy Intensity Changes, SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 427-435, | WV-IAC
Alkadi, N.E., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., " Product Design for Energy Reduction in Concurrent Engineering: An Inverted Pyramid Approach, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 90-117, | WV-IAC
Bhadra, S., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., " Energy Efficiency in Continuous Galvanizing Lines, Proceedings of the International Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conference (IRSEC’13), Ouarzazate, Morocco, | WV-IAC
2012
5 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Mardikar, M., Gupta, D.P., Jalali, S., Chaudhari, S, " Establishing Baseline Electrical Energy Consumption in Wood Processing Sawmills: A Model Based on Energy Analysis and Diagnostics, Energy Engineering Journal, Vol. 109, No. 5, pp. 40-80, | WV-IAC
Lin, W., Wang, J., Grushecky, S.T., Summerfield D., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Energy Consumption and Efficiency of Appalachian Hardwood Sawmills, Forest Products Journal, Vol. 62, No. 1, pp. 32-38, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., Bitar, A., " Analysis of Compressed Air and Process Heating Systems – A Case Study from Automotive Parts Manufacturer in Mexico, Proceedings of the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress, Detroit, MI, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gump, C.D., Gupta, D.P., Chaudhari, S.A., " Development of a Software System to Facilitate Implementation of Coal and Wood Co-Fired Boilers, Proceedings of the Industrial Energy Technology Conference, New Orleans, LA, May, | WV-IAC
Crowe, E., Gopalakrishnan, B., Adolphson, G., Biser, G., Cullen, K, " A Collaborative Approach to Sustainability: A Case Study of West Virginia Sustainable Communities, Proceedings of the World Energy Congress, Association of Energy Engineers, Atlanta, GA, | WV-IAC
2011
9 Papers / Publications
Cullen, K., Crowe, E., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., " Energy Efficiency Programs in West Virginia: A Partnership Approach, Proceedings of the Industrial Energy Technology Conference, New Orleans, | WV-IAC
Cullen, K., Crowe, E., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., " Save Energy Now Regional Partnership: Advancing Energy Productivity through Government, Industrial, and University Collaboration, Proceedings of the ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry, Niagara Falls, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Koonammodi, V., Sundaramoorthy, S., Chaudhari, S., " Multivariable Efficiency Evaluation of Boilers, Proceedings of the International Conference on Thermal Energy and Environment, India, | WV-IAC
Chaudhari, S., Gupta, D.P., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Investigation of Relationship between System Efficiency Curve and Measurement and Verification (M&V) of Energy Savings, Proceedings of the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress, Detroit, Michigan, | WV-IAC
Crowe, E., Gopalakrishnan, B., Cullen, K., Chaudhari, S., " Results of an Enhanced Save Energy Now (SEN) Energy Assessment, A Case Study of a Steel Mini-Mill, Proceedings of the Industrial Energy Technology Conference, New Orleans, | WV-IAC
Chaudhari, S., Gupta, D.P., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Investigation of Relationship between System Efficiency Curve and Measurement and Verification (M&V) of Energy Savings, International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing, June 2011 Vol. 4 No. 1 pg. 486-494, | WV-IAC
Halabe, U., Gopalakrishnan, B., Jadeja, J., " Advanced Lumber Manufacturing Model for Increasing Yield in Sawmills Using GPR Based Defect Detection Systems, International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 56:649–661, | WV-IAC
Gupta, D.P., Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., Jalali, S.M., " Development of an Integrated Model for Process Planning and Parameter Selection for Machining Processes, International Journal of Production Research, in press, ISSN 0020–7543 print/ISSN 1366–588X online, Taylor and Francis, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gajera, D., Athinarayanan, R., Chaudhari, S., " Process Costing of the Microchip, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 8, No. 3, | WV-IAC
2010
4 Papers / Publications
Gerdes, K., Fuller, J.A., Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., " Energy Supply Concerns: A United States Perspective on Electric Power Generation, Energy Studies Review, Vol. 17, No. 1, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Chavan R., Gupta, D.P., Alkadi, N., " Energy Consumption Modeling and Benchmarking in Continuous Galvanising Lines, International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Mardikar, M., Korakakis, D., " Energy Analysis in Semi-Conductor Manufacturing, Energy Engineering Journal, Vol. 107, No. 2, | WV-IAC
Gupta, D.P., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Energy Sensitive Machining Parameter Optimisation, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, | WV-IAC
2009
3 Papers / Publications
Halabe, U.B., Agrawal, S., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Nondestructive Evaluation of Wooden Logs using Ground Penetrating Radar, Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., " Energy Efficiency in Industrial Process Heating Systems, Knovel® Engineering Cases – Where Theory Meets Practice, Online Article, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., " Compressed Air Energy Saving Assessments (ESA) for the Automotive Supply Chain, SAE Technical Paper Series, SAE International, | WV-IAC
2008
4 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., McCoy, M., " Adaptive Process Control for Turning Operation using Expert System, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 6, | WV-IAC
Gupta, D., Gopalakrishnan, B., Godavarthy, H., " Energy Conservation Through Productivity Enhancement in Manufacturing Facilities, SAE World Congress & Exhibition, Detroit, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Chandrasekharan, A, " Maintenance Risk Reduction for Effective Facilities Management, Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 6, No. 1, | WV-IAC
Devaru, D., Halabe, U., Gopalakrishnan, B., " Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Based System for Non-Destructive Detection of Interior Defects in Wooden Logs, International Journal of Manufacturing Research, Vol. 3, No. 4, | WV-IAC
2007
6 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., Mardikar, Y., Chaudhari, S., Jadeja, J., " Diagnostics for Developing Energy Efficiency Measures in Compressed Air Systems, SAE World Congress & Exhibition, SP-2109, Detroit, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Kokatnur, A., Gupta, D. P., " Design and Development of a Target-Costing System for Turning Operation, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 18, No.2, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D.P., Mardikar, Y., Chaudhari, S., " Industrial Energy Efficiency, Handbook of Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Jaraiedi, M., Iskander, W., Ahmad, A., " Tolerance Synthesis Based on Taguchi Philosophy, International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Gupta, D., " Insulation Recommendations for Manufacturing Facilities From An Industrial Assessment Center, Insulation Outlook, The Official Journal of the National Insulation Association, | WV-IAC
2006
1 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Chaudhari, S., Famouri, P., Plummer, R. W., " Facilitation for Load Based Energy Savings in Three Phase Squirrel Cage Induction Motors, Energy Engineering Journal, Vol. 103, No. 6, Oct/Nov, | WV-IAC
2005
3 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Chavan, R., " Benchmarking of Energy Consumption in Continuous Galvanizing Lines, Proceedings of the Intelligent Systems in Design and Manufacturing VI Conference, Boston, MA, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Mate, A., Mardikar, Y., Gupta, D., Plummer, R., Anderson, B., " Energy Efficiency Measures in the Wood Manufacturing Industry, Proceedings of the 2005 ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry on CD ROM, ISBN 0-918249-54-6, West Point, New York, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Selvaraj, R., Turton, R., Plummer, R. W., Sukumar, S., " Systems Approach to Plant-Wide Energy Assessment, Energy Engineering Journal, Volume 102, No. 5, | WV-IAC
2004
3 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Yoshii, T., Dappili, S.M., " Decision Support System for Machining Center Selection, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 15, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Reddy, V.K., Gupta, D.P., " Neural Network for Estimating the Tool Path Length in Concurrent Engineering Applications, Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, Vol. 15, | WV-IAC
Mardikar, Y., Gopalakrishnan, B., " A Computer Based Approach to Energy Conservation in Semiconductor Manufacturing, Proceedings of the Intelligent Systems in Design and Manufacturing V Conference, SPIE, Philadelphia, | WV-IAC
2003
2 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Plummer, R.W., Iskander, W.H., " A Comparative Study on Energy Assessment Data from Manufacturing Industry, Proceedings of the 2003 ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry on CD ROM, ISBN 0-918249-52-X, Rye Town, New York, July, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., " Insulation’s Effectiveness in Industrial Facilities, Insulation Outlook, The Official Journal of the National Insulation Association, Vol. 48, | WV-IAC
2002
2 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Plummer, R.W., Kulkarni, R., Mangalampalli, P., " Solvent and Paint Waste Reduction using WASTEX: An Expert System for Industrial Waste Minimization, Journal of Environmental Systems, Vol. 29, Issue. 1, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Alkadi, N.M., Plummer, R.W., " Design for Energy: An Inverted Pyramid Approach, Proceedings of the Industrial Energy Technology Conference, Houston, | WV-IAC
2001
2 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., R.W. Plummer, N.M. Alkadi, " Comparison of Glass Manufacturing Facilities based on Energy Consumption and Plant Characteristics, Journal of Energy and Development, Vol. 27, No. 1, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., R.W. Plummer, N.M. Alkadi, " Analysis of Energy Conservation Opportunities in Glass Manufacturing Facilities, Energy Engineering, Journal of the Association of Energy Engineers, Vol. 98, No. 6, | WV-IAC
1997
2 Papers / Publications
Gopalakrishnan, B., Plummer, R.W., and Nagarajan, S., " ENERGEX: Expert Systems for Industrial Energy Conservation and Management, Energy Engineering, Journal of the Association of Energy Engineers, Vol. 94, No. 2, | WV-IAC
Gopalakrishnan, B., Plummer, R.W., Srinath, S., Meffe, C., Veena, R., and Ipe, J., " Energy Analysis and Diagnostics Data Analysis from Industrial Energy Assessments for Manufacturing Industries, Proceedings of the 19th National Energy Technology Conference, Houston, | WV-IAC
Noteworthy Feedback
"The energy assessment done by the WVU IAC has been very successful and we have derived may benefits from it. The students and the faculty leader were knowledgeable and thorough in their effort."
- Source: Mark Pannell, Environmental Manager, Volvo Inc, 05/05/2015
"Quad Graphics has had excellent energy savings from the energy assessment done by the West Virginia University Industrial Assessment Center. In fact, a case study showcasing highlights of the implemented energy savings has been developed by the WVU IAC. Very professional and thorough and knowledgeable effort on the energy assessment. "
- Source: Greg Kubisch, Energy Manager, Quad Graphics, 06/29/2015
"The IAC team did a very professional energy assessment that had high value"
- Source: Tricia Marker , Safety/Energy & Sustainability Supervisor P.E.M , Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort , 10/07/2013
"The IAC team helped us identifying energy saving opportunities that will produce significant energy and cost savings. "
- Source: Anthony Lewis, Environmental and Safety Engineer, Quad Graphics, 04/24/2013
"We were very pleased with the quality of the energy assessment done by the West Virginia University Industrial Assessment Center."
- Source: Brandon D. Hunter, Manager, Energy Solutions and Capital Projects, Koppers Inc., 03/20/2012
Contact Center Center Website Facebook LinkedIn Follow @WVUIAC
Center Director Dr. Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan
Email bgopalak@mail.wvu.edu
Phone # +13042939434
Fax # +13042934970
Mailing Address PO Box 6070
Industrial and Management Systems Engineering Department, CEMR, IAC
Morgantown, WV 26506
Assistant Director Dr. Hailin Li
West Virginia University has trained 92 students
The following students have participated in IAC assessments with West Virginia University since 2003, when student name tracking began.
The 60 students (in BOLD) have also been awarded IAC student certificates for exceptional participation.

Amir Abolhassani
Abednego Abdi
Akash Rajesh Mehta
Alexandra Davis
Amber Staud
Ananthi Paul
Ann Mallow
Aruna Muniswamy
Bret Crowder
Chandana Chada
Chandra Gapalakrishnan
Chirstopher Rairden
Chris Gump
Clay Holmes
David Rutherford
Dayakar Deveru
Deepak Gupta
Elizabeth Kolar
Evelyn Dale
Fabiha Islam
Gage Donovan
Goutham Kumar Reddy Challa
Hailee Hammerquist
Hari Jammulamadaka
Harish Kanneganti
Hasan Latif
Himabindu Godavarthy
Houssem Younes
Jacob Thomas
Jayraj Jadeja
John J. Recktenwald
John Kaiser
Josage Chathura Perera
Kadee Mueller
Kartik Ramamoorthy
Katherine Taylor
Kevin acquah
Koushik Mandlem
Kyle Gillis
Masoud Omer
Md Rassel Sarker
Michael Arndt
Michael Geisecke
Mohammad Motabarzadeh
Muztoba Ahmad Khan
Nagendra Sanka
Nahian Ismail Chowdhury
Nasr Alkadi
Nathaniel Smith
Nicholas Mallory
Nishit Banuri
Omar Ahmed Al-Shebeeb
Pavan Kumar Koppula
Phani Guthula
Phani Kishor Guthula
Pradyumna Bettagere Jagadish
Prakash Singh Bisht
Praneeth Reddy Araka
Prateek Vaish
Quang Phuong
Raghu Vamshi Sunkasari
Rajas Hatwalne
Rajkumar Selvaraj
Ramakrishna Maddula
Raviraj Chavan
Rebecca Cain
Rohan Malagaveli
Roseline Mostafa
Ruben Avagyan
Rumana Subnom
Rupa Das
Ryan Campione
Sabin Wagle
Samhita Pidaparti
Samuel Moses
Saroj Lamichhane
Senthil Kumar
Seyed Jalali
Shivananda Purnachandra
Sivakumar Rangaswamy
Sricharan Reddy Kommera
Subhasis Bhadra
Subodh Chaudhari
Tafazzul Khan
Unique Karki
Vivash Karki
vivek komarina
Waleed El Nahas
Yogesh Mardikar
Yugesh Dhungel
Zachary Olcott
Zela Wyrosdick