Columbus, Ind.-based Cummins last week announced it is a charter member of the newly launched Save Energy Now LEADER program with the U.S. Department of Energy, pledging to reduce energy intensity by 25 percent by 2015. John Wall, vice president and chief technical officer, signed the pledge at a ceremony hosted by Assistant Secretary of Energy Cathy Zoi at the U.S. Capitol last month.

“The Save Energy Now program fits well with Cummins’ energy efficiency initiative and sets a complementary goal to our EPA Climate Leaders Partners’ commitment for greenhouse gas reduction,” Wall said. This partnership pledge offers Cummins an opportunity to work even more closely with DOE staff on energy efficient technologies.

Save Energy Now LEADER is an ambitious national public-private initiative to drive significant energy intensity and carbon emission reductions across the U.S. industrial sector. Through partnerships with states, local entities, utilities, associations and end-users, industry can leverage resources to increase energy efficiency and save energy and money. Douglas Kaempf, DOE’s Industrial Technology Program manager, recognized the participating companies as having “distinguished themselves as energy-management champions among their industry peers.”

“Our systematic approach to energy efficiency, along with our internal Energy Champions program, are industry best practices instrumental to meeting our commitment to the EPA and now to the Save Energy Now program,” said Mike Molnar, director of sustainable development for Cummins. Cummins has now completed more than 200 energy efficiency projects, saving nearly $11 million annually.