Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)
Legislation requiring large companies to audit their energy to identify energy and carbon reductions affects up to 10,000 businesses in the UK. Under the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), ‘large enterprises’ must carry out comprehensive audits of all their energy usage, including transport. These must be done every four years, with the first completed and reported to the regulator by December 2015. Audits must be carried out by an approved Lead ESOS Assessor.
‘Large enterprises’ cover any Non-SME, i.e. that has >250 employees or an annual turnover >€50 million & balance sheet >€43 million. Includes companies, partnerships and unincorporated associations, though not the Public Sector. Smaller companies part of a larger corporate group may also have to comply.
Although each audit will result in a set of energy saving recommendations, the business is not obliged to follow them up. DECC estimates that ESOS could save each business an average of £56,400 per year. So this is all about benefits & opportunities – to save energy, save money, reduce risk and plan for the future.
How to Comply
To comply, you should undertake an ESOS Assessment including the following elements:
- Measure your total energy consumption for buildings, industrial processes and transport
- Identify areas of significant energy consumption (at least 90% of total energy consumption)
- Appoint a ‘Lead ESOS Assessor’ to oversee the ESOS Assessment
- Conduct energy audits to identify cost-effective energy efficiency recommendations (behavioural, operational or technology)
- Have it reviewed by a Board-level Director and approved by a Lead ESOS Assessor
- Compile your ESOS Evidence Pack
- Report compliance to the Environment Agency (deadline 5th December 2015).
For more details on the steps involved in ESOS click here. If the organisation is fully covered by an Energy Management System (EnMS) certified to ISO 50001, it won’t need a full ESOS Assessment, but still must notify the Environment Agency of compliance.
With the deadline less than five months away, you need to get going on your ESOS project now. The limited number of Lead ESOS Assessors means our diaries will be very full later in the year.
What you should do NOW
- Decide if you are in.
- Collect energy data for your reporting period (one year covering 31st Dec 2014).
- Appoint your Lead ESOS Assessor and schedule the energy audits.
As your Lead ESOS Assessor I’ll run the project smoothly and on time – so please do call or email me.