diff --git a/src/fairchem/core/models/escn/escn.py b/src/fairchem/core/models/escn/escn.py
index 6eb95947a..0b17e34ea 100644
--- a/src/fairchem/core/models/escn/escn.py
+++ b/src/fairchem/core/models/escn/escn.py
@@ -537,9 +537,10 @@ def forward(self, data: Batch) -> dict[str, torch.Tensor]:
 
 @registry.register_model("escn_energy_head")
 class eSCNEnergyHead(nn.Module, HeadInterface):
-    def __init__(self, backbone):
+    def __init__(self, backbone, reduce = "sum"):
         super().__init__()
         backbone.energy_block = None
+        self.reduce = reduce
         # Output blocks for energy and forces
         self.energy_block = EnergyBlock(
             backbone.sphere_channels_all, backbone.num_sphere_samples, backbone.act
@@ -551,8 +552,13 @@ def forward(
         node_energy = self.energy_block(emb["sphere_values"])
         energy = torch.zeros(len(data.natoms), device=data.pos.device)
         energy.index_add_(0, data.batch, node_energy.view(-1))
-        # Scale energy to help balance numerical precision w.r.t. forces
-        return {"energy": energy * 0.001}
+        if self.reduce == "sum":
+            # Scale energy to help balance numerical precision w.r.t. forces
+            return {"energy": energy * 0.001}
+        elif self.reduce == "mean":
+            return {"energy": energy / data.natoms}
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"reduce can only be sum or mean, user provided: {self.reduce}")
 
 
 @registry.register_model("escn_force_head")