Iowa is among the first states in the U-S to formalize its partnership with the U-S Department of Energy through a program called “Industries of the Future.” Steve Sullivan, a spokesman for Iowa State University, says the program is designed to boost competitiveness and energy efficiency in industries that are energy-intensive. Sullivan says Governor Vilsack signed a “memorandum of understanding” Thursday with a D-O-E official to address conservation of energy. Sullivan says Iowa was one of the first states to formalize its partnership with the D-O-E industries. D-O-E teams are working to improve the energy-efficiency of industries including: agriculture, aluminum, forest products, glass, metal casting and petroleum refining. Sullivan says the partnership between Iowa and the Department of Energy will enable more focused work to benefit businesses and industries in Iowa. The D-O-E’s Ames Laboratory is on the I-S-U campus. It will now be more directly involved in research to support key Iowa industries.
