What Is The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)?

Over the next 16-18 months every large organisation in the UK is required to undertake an energy efficiency audit under the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) – the UK government‘s legislative response to comply with Article 8 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. The first audit must be completed by December 5th 2015 and then repeated every four years.

A large business is classified as one with more than 250 employees or an annual turnover of more than €50 million. The focus is therefore on organisations with large energy spends and exemptions may be given to organisations that already achieve energy saving system certification with say the Carbon Trust Standard.

It is the intention behind ESOS that is important to note. Overall the ESOS energy audits are expected to identify over £31bn of savings with the prediction that only 6% will be implemented leading to a pessimistic savings level of around £2bn up to 2030. As important they may lead to energy efficiency action plans and changes within an organisation that could both save it money, reduce the overall burden on the National Grid and potentially greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK national grid faces an unparalleled period of instability and almost negligible reserve capacity. Power stations are being decommissioned quicker than new ones can be built. Whilst investments in renewables continue to rise (namely wind and solar farms) the new capacity is not large enough to meet rising demand – expended to grow by a factor of six by 2050. ESOS may go some way to alleviating demand on the National Grid and help to prevent the predicted power interruptions and breaks forecast for the future.

Energy saving programs invariably also result in the need for new capital equipment in the form of lighting, cooling and more energy efficient systems. The Carbon Trust can help to fund these through its Energy Efficiency Financing partnership with Siemens Financial Services.

At EcoPowerSupplies we see ESOS as a further opportunity to promote our energy saving Ortea voltage stabilisers and voltage optimisers. These devices run up to several hundred amps and can help to regulate and stabilise, and optimise energy usage within the size of organisation that ESOS is targeted at.

As part of our own commitment to ESOS we also provide free of charge energy efficiency audits to help clients select the right energy saving systems and services. For more information contact our projects team.