Wireless sensors and energy efficiency at Alcoa

Inexpensive wireless sensors developed under a DOE Building Technology Program (BTP) project have proven to be robust enough for harsher environmental and RF interference-laden locations found in industrial settings. Coupling with Alcoa-ORNL activities pertaining to optimization of energy utilization at Alcoa facilities these sensors, and an associated ORNL-architected instrumentation network fabric, were selected for deployment at an Alcoa facility in Warrick Indiana - on the banks of the Ohio River. The Warrick facility was chosen as the demonstration site principally for the fact that a 750MW power plant, a rolling mill and a smelter system are all coresident at this location. This paper presents a description of that deployment at Alcoa's Warrick IN facility as well as Alcoa's vision for implementing inexpensive, standards-based wireless devices for reducing energy consumption.