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"We are evolving our facility as the refrigerant industry evolves..."
In a milestone move for Pennsylvania's industrial sector, Ebara Elliott Energy is transforming its century-old Jeannette manufacturing facility into a model of decarbonization through a comprehensive modernization of its critical infrastructure.
Supported by the Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) grant program, a $396 million statewide initiative funded by the U.S. EPA under the Inflation Reduction Act, the company is replacing high-emission test gases with alternatives, while overhauling the facility's ventilation, safety systems, and energy-intensive steam boilers to support next-generation refrigerants.
Upon completion in 2029, this holistic upgrade to the plant's core equipment will eliminate more than 20,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, driving a 70% reduction in the facility's total carbon footprint while ensuring the site remains a world-class hub for testing the turbomachinery that powers the global energy transition.
Pennsylvania's industrial sector is the state's largest source of emissions, accounting for just over 30% of the Commonwealth's total GHG output. Recognizing this, the RISE PA program was established to fund small-, medium-, and large-scale decarbonization projects across the state.
Ebara Elliott Energy, a global leader in turbomachinery manufacturing founded in 1910 by W.S. Elliott and acquired by Ebara Corporation in 2000, has seized the opportunity to modernize its century-old Jeannette, PA facility, a critical hub employing approximately 900 people in Pennsylvania and serving as a cornerstone for its 3,700-strong global workforce.
Specializing in the design and manufacture of essential equipment for the global energy sector, including centrifugal compressors, steam turbines, and cryogenic pumps, the company supports upstream and midstream markets in LNG, petrochemicals, and refining, where its high-performance machinery ensures operational efficiency and reliability for customers worldwide.
Fast Facts:
Location: Jeannette, Pennsylvania
Founded: 1910
Key Initiative: RISE PA Grant for Refrigerant Conversion & Facility Modernization
Projected Impact:
— >20,000 metric tons of GHG reduction annually
— 70% facility-wide emission reduction by 2029.
For decades, the Jeannette facility tested compressors using gases with GHG emissions to simulate real-world conditions. Additionally, the plant relied on a steam boiler that consumed significant natural gas and water.
"We are evolving our facility as the refrigerant industry evolves," explains Dan Hallo, Director of Engineering and Manufacturing. "We need to test with safer, environmentally friendly options to ensure our equipment operates flawlessly in the field, where it will often run for 30 years or more."
"We know our customers expect us to lead in responsible business practices. If we reduce our own carbon footprint, we make our customers more competitive by lowering their Scope 3 emissions," shared Julie Shuff, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.
The challenge and opportunity was twofold:
"Being able to receive that funding helps to alleviate the strain on our operation financially and allow us to proceed in the most expedient way..."
The RISE PA grant provided the crucial financial bridge to make this transition feasible, addressing a key business hurdle. While the company was committed to decarbonization, the high upfront costs and long-term return on investment made the project difficult to fund independently.
Securing this funding required intense internal collaboration. The application process took four to five months, resulting in an 80-page submission that drew input from operations, EHS, legal, R&D, and corporate development, alongside community support, including from the Chamber of Commerce and union members.
"From a business standpoint... it's a fairly expensive project with the financial returns [that] are not [paid] back in a short amount of time," explained Hallo. "Being able to receive that funding helps to alleviate the strain on our operation financially and allow us to proceed in the most expedient way to implement these improvements quickly and safely."
The project balances environmental goals with operational efficiency through several aspects.
Gas Replacement: The core of the RISE PA funding supports retrofitting the facility to switch from high-global-warming-potential-test gases to safer refrigerant gases with almost zero global warming potential. This allows Ebara Elliott Energy to mimic real-world field conditions for their centrifugal compressors without the environmental impact, aligning their testing facility with the evolving refrigerant industry.
Infrastructure Overhaul: The switch requires more than a simple gas swap; it involves designing new ventilation systems, installing specialized gas management systems, and upgrading safety protocols to protect the workforce and ensure rigorous safety standards are met.
Efficiency Upgrades: Parallel to the grant-funded work, the facility is implementing broader measures that drive immediate cost savings. These include upgrading to more efficient lighting and optimizing the steam boiler, which is a major consumer of natural gas and water. While the gas replacement itself doesn't yield direct savings, these parallel upgrades do. "We have a steam boiler which consumes a lot of natural gas and a lot of water. So we’re looking for alternative ways to support testing instead of steam-driven equipment. That's one of our focuses as well," noted Shuff.
"We are a world-class facility, but we are competing against giants. Making this investment ensures we remain competitive...”
Ebara Elliott Energy competes globally against only four major players, most of which are significantly larger.
"We are a world-class facility, but we are competing against giants. Making this investment ensures we remain competitive and sends a powerful message to our community in Jeannette that we are committed to staying here for our families," shared Hallo.
The project also prepares the company for the next 30 to 50 years of energy evolution. By modernizing now, the company is better positioned to support emerging markets like hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture.
"We are anticipating demand for these new energy carriers. By modernizing our testing capabilities now, we ensure we can support our customers' transition to a low-carbon future for the next century," adds Shuff.
For other manufacturers navigating the complex landscape of decarbonization, the Ebara Elliott Energy team offers three key takeaways drawn from their own "learning by doing" experience:
Begin Where You Can: Perfection is not the prerequisite for action. For manufacturers overwhelmed by the scale of sustainability challenges, begin with the projects you have the capacity to execute now, rather than waiting for a perfect, comprehensive strategy.
Collaborate Across Functions: Sustainability cannot be siloed within a single department. The success of the RISE PA project relied on input from operations, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), engineering, legal, and R&D. Shuff emphasized that without the technical insights from the floor, the project would have failed. "Great ideas can come from any function. You need input from people who are actually doing the work." This cross-functional approach ensures that initiatives are technically viable and operationally sound.
Think Long Term: While the immediate financial returns on decarbonization may not be obvious, the long-term strategic value is undeniable. "When you consider future environmental risks and the 30-year lifespan of the equipment, the investment pays off in resilience and competitiveness," Hallo concluded. By modernizing now, Ebara Elliott Energy is future-proofing its facility to support emerging markets, ensuring it remains a world-class competitor for the next half-century.
By combining a century of manufacturing heritage with forward-thinking strategies, Ebara Elliott Energy is proving that industrial efficiency and environmental stewardship go hand-in-hand. With the support of the RISE PA grant, the company is on track to achieve a 70% reduction in facility emissions by 2029, setting a new standard for the global energy sector.
Learn more about the RISE PA program on the PA DEP's website.
