It trained 22 engineers in motor-system optimization techniques. And within two years of completing training, these local experts had trained more than 1,000 factory personnel, conducted 38 industrial plant assessments and saved nearly 40 million kilowatt hours of energy. Energy awards provide a channel for companies to audit their energy use, identify possible energy savings and increase profitability. In India, the Ministry of Power launched the annual National Energy Conservation Awards programme, which recognizes industrial firms that reduce energy consumption while maintaining production. Companies submit reports on completed energy conservation projects, which are reviewed by government officials. The number of participating firms expanded from 123 in 1999 to 558 in 2009 and over that period saved 12,113 million kilowatt hours of energy (11.3 million rupees, NECA 2009).