News Story Stewardship

Koch Achieves Multiple EPA Recognitions

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and ENERGY STAR® recognized several Koch facilities for their efforts to become more energy efficient.

3 min read

By continuously applying our Stewardship FrameworkKoch companies achieved several recognitions this year from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its ENERGY STAR® program while providing products and services that people need, consuming fewer resources in the process. 

ENERGY STAR Certified Plants

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In the past year, seven Koch facilities were recognized as ENERGY STAR certified plants. To become ENERGY STAR certified, a plant must be in the top 25% of its industry, according to the ENERGY STAR industry-specific Energy Performance Indicator. 

  • Koch Ag & Energy Solutions  
    • Koch Fertilizer – Fort Dodge, Iowa 
      2021, 2024 
    • Koch Fertilizer – Wever, Iowa 
      2024 
    • Koch Fertilizer – Enid, Oklahoma 
      2020-2024 
  • Georgia-Pacific 
    • Integrated Paper Mill – Big Island, Virginia 
      2024, 2025 
    • Containerboard – Brewton, Alabama 
      2021-2025 
    • Leaf River Pulp Mill – New Augusta, Mississippi 
      2020-2025 
    • Integrated Paper Mill – Toledo, Oregon (First time recipient) 
      2025 

Challenge for Industry

a map of the united states

In addition to the ENERGY STAR certified plants, four Koch facilities achieved ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry by reducing their energy intensity by 10% within a five-year period. Energy intensity is a measure of how efficiently energy is used by measuring how much energy is required per unit of output. ENERGY STAR uses industry specific benchmarks when determining Challenge for Industry recognition.

  • Koch Ag & Energy Solutions 
    • Koch Methanol – St. James, Louisiana 
      2023-2024 
  • Flint Hills Resources 
    • Refinery – Corpus Christi, Texas 
      2021-2024 
  • Georgia-Pacific 
    • Paper Mill – Plattsburgh, New York 
      2023-2025 
    • Port Hudson Tissue Mill – Zachary, Louisiana 
      2022-2025 

Achieving this recognition is no easy task and only happens thanks to employees’ efforts to innovate, continuously transform and develop ideas that improve results. 

The Koch Methanol St. James facility achieved some of its energy intensity reductions by enhancing its natural gas feedstock and improving daily plant operations through optimization projects and reliability enhancements. 

“Being good stewards of the resources entrusted to us is at the very center of what we do as a site,” said Josh Wiggins, plant manager at Koch Methanol St. James “Finding ways to lower energy intensity allows us to produce methanol, a product vital to modern society, while using fewer resources and respecting the environment.”  

The Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi facility reduced its energy intensity by 10.3% within three years by capitalizing on numerous energy-saving opportunities, including optimizing heater operations, shutting down two cooling towers and transitioning several steam turbines to electric motors. 

Meanwhile, the Georgia-Pacific Plattsburgh and Port Hudson facilities reduced their energy intensity by 10.7% and 12.5%, respectively. This is the second time the Port Hudson facility has achieved the Challenge for Industry. 

In addition to these recognized sites, Koch employees everywhere are striving to continuously apply our Stewardship Framework, pursuing opportunities to find mutually beneficial solutions to improve people’s lives.  

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