scholarly journals Addressing Energy Efficiency by Periodical Energy Audits

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 315-322
Author(s):  
Wes Grebski ◽  
Michalene Grebski ◽  
Agnieszka Czerwińska-Lubszczyk ◽  
Dominika Jagoda-Sobalak

AbstractThe publication focuses on assessing the energy efficiency in residential and to some extent commercial applications. An energy audit is always the first step in addressing energy efficiency. The purpose of the publication is to present the benefits of using an energy audit. It explains a “do-it-yourself” procedure for an energy audit. The publication also focuses on calculating the potential energy saving by updating low-efficiency electric appliances with high-efficient alternatives. The environmental benefits of addressing the energy efficiency of households is also being discussed. An energy audit using a “do-it-yourself” procedure focuses on the economic, ecological and social impact to environment. The energy audit contributes to the implementation of the concept of sustainable development in our day by day life.

Proceedings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Joanna Southernwood ◽  
Grigoris K. Papagiannis ◽  
Erudino Llano Güemes ◽  
Luisa Sileni

Few small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have undertaken an energy audit to date and even fewer have taken action to implement energy-saving measures. Lack of time, knowledge, and finance, coupled with the low priority that SMEs give to energy management, are the most commonly cited barriers to effective energy management in SMEs. Four projects funded by Horizon 2020 (SPEEDIER, SMEmPower Efficiency, E2DRIVER, and Innoveas) have developed innovative capacity-building programmes designed to eliminate these barriers and encourage SMEs to undertake energy audits and implement the recommended energy efficiency measures. This paper presents an overview of the innovations being tested and suggests a series of policy recommendations that could help to drive uptake of energy audits in SMEs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Eva McLaughlin ◽  
Jun-Ki Choi ◽  
Kelly J. Kissock

Abstract Industrial energy efficiency assessments not only provide benefits to manufacturers, but also generate significant economic and environmental benefits to localities, states, and the nation through indirect and induced benefits. Quantifying these benefits requires a systematic economic framework for capturing these interactions. This article employs methodologies for improving the energy efficiency of small and medium-size industry through their combustion systems. Combustion systems offer large opportunities to enhance energy efficiency through adopting advanced technologies and better-informed operations. The case studies presented illuminate the potential savings and impacts from implementing energy-efficient combustion recommendations and the importance of energy audits and energy efficiency in the fight against climate change. This study describes and quantifies the cascading economic and environmental impacts of implementing the industrial energy efficiency recommendations offered by an energy auditing program by participating facilities over a ten-year period. Results showed that it is expected that a total of $185M would be saved in energy costs and 2.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions would be avoided annually, and about 972 jobs could be created in the studied region if all the combustion recommendations would be implemented. The broader view afforded by the proposed study can be used to support better energy efficient practices in manufacturing facilities, communities, and states.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-8
Author(s):  
H. Soininen ◽  
T. Ranta-Korhonen ◽  
E. V. Timofeev ◽  
A. V. Erk

Currently implemented project “Russian-Finnish Bioeconomy Competence Сentre – BioCom” within South-East Finland – Russia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020 aims to integrate the BioEconomy principles and approaches into the agricultural sector of the neighbouring border areas of Russia and Finland. The energy efficiency of farming and sustainable use of energy resources is one of the fundamentals of the bio-economy concept. The energy audit is the first step in identifying opportunities to reduce the energy inputs on the farms.(Research purpose) To discover the new approaches to the energy auditing of agricultural enterprises and new assessment indicators following the project experience.(Materials and methods) Four farms were selected for the energy inspection – two farms located in the Leningrad Region, Russia, and two farms located in the South Savo Region, Finland. In Russia the standard energy auditing, measurement, and calculation procedure was applied. The systems of electrical power supply, heat supply, water supply, sewage, and building envelopes on the farms were examined and estimated.(Results and discussion) Following the outcomes of the energy audits in the project framework and the previous relevant experience, the basic energy-saving and efficiency improvement measures were established. Three new approaches to the energy auditing of agricultural enterprises were suggested – energy and environmental assessment of applied technologies and equipment; consideration of the application of renewable energy-generating sources; consideration of the conversion of vehicles to biogas.(Conclusions) The study outcomes proved the energy audits to play an important role in improving the energy efficiency of agricultural production provided they are mandatory, take into account the energy environmental assessment criteria, consider the application of renewable energy-generating sources and the conversion of vehicles to biogas.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 714-725 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lipiwattanakarn ◽  
S. Kaewsang ◽  
A. Pornprommin ◽  
T. Wongwiset

Abstract Two real cases of energy audit were investigated in a district metered area (DMA) of the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority in Bangkok, Thailand. The first case was energy audits before and after leaks were repaired. The repairs resulted in a 9% reduction of inflow to the DMA. We estimated that the input energy to the DMA reduced 8% while the energy in water delivered to customers increased 8%. Thus, two benefits of reducing leakage to energy were found. In the second case, we temporarily opened a boundary valve connecting to the trunk main to function as another inlet to the DMA, so the number of inlets increased to two. The new inlet was nearer to main distribution pipes that delivered water to more customers than the first one. Thus, the inflow from the old inlet decreased to only 10% of the total inflow. The estimated input energy increased slightly by 4% because the inflow and leakage did not reduce, but the energy delivered to customers increased greatly (16%) due to a significant decrease in friction loss. Thus, reducing leakage and selecting the right hydraulic locations of inlets can benefit energy efficiency in DMAs substantially.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Catherine Tong

Conducting an ASHRAE Level II Energy and Water audit provides building owners opportunities to save energy and water in their buildings. The ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit will fulfill the requirements for BOMA BESt Energy Assessment and IESO’s saveONenergy Electricity Survey and Analysis. The IESO saveONenergy allows building owners to receive monetary incentives to improve their energy efficiency. Energy audits are an effective method to increase energy efficiency for commercial buildings. However, there are multiple levels of energy audits set by ASHRAE (Level I, II, and III) which varies the level of detail and economic benefit. The role of this research is to explore the benefits of a Level II energy audit and the economic benefit of a office tower located in Toronto. This building had an ASHRAE Level I audit two years ago and a case study will be performed to evaluate the level of detail and economic benefit of a Level II Energy and Water audit. The tower was evaluated according to ASHRAE Level II guidelines and the results obtained were an Energy Star score for the building, benchmarking against BOMA BESt buildings, energy conservation measures (ECMs), financial savings, payback periods and CO2 savings. They were separated into low/no cost measures, capital measure, other measures and impractical measures. If the building managers were to target all of the recommended ECMs, a total of $300,000 in utility costs per year would be saved. This is equivalent to 1,700,000 ekWh saved per year and a 6% reduction of their current energy use. Further more, the total energy use intensity (EUI) would improve from 26.2 ekWh/ft2 to 24.7 ekWh/ft2. . This case study has allowed a comparison for the two different types of energy audit. Compared to a Level I energy audit, there is a lot more detail which can provide a better potential savings as there are more engineering calculations involved for mechanical equipment, reviewing of drawings, observation of mechanical equipment, and interviews with the building operators.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1150-1161
Author(s):  
Ana Șerbănescu ◽  
Michael Krutwig

Abstract In the last 50 years, both the authorities and the majority of the citizens have understood the need to enforce measures to both preserve energy and reduce the costs of producing it. Nowadays, every developed country has correlated the profitability and the competitiveness of its industry with the efficient and sustainable use of energy and is therefore making conscious efforts to improve these areas. Any action program deemed to enhance energy efficiency has as main component the critical analysis of the energetic resources allocated to an activity in a given perimeter, also known as energy audit. This paper aims to develop a model of risk classification to be applied in planning and performing procedures during energy audit, which can allow a common framework to be developed in this area of audit. The stakeholders of the entity will also be offered a unitary perspective regarding the risks of the respective business, which can be helpful in their decision-making process. The research methodology of this paper consists of quantitative instruments, namely the statistical analysis of a database containing energy audit conclusions of companies in Europe. The indicators used will relate to energy savings, the number of measures implemented as a result of the audit, the percentage of energy saved from total consumption (energy efficiency) and the business line of the company. The novelty this framework will bring consists of the congruence created in the energy audit procedures of different practices and of the standardization and quality improvement in energy audit opinions. The approach of energy audits will therefore evolve towards a risk based one, rather than an analytical one. Also, we will explain the importance of energy savings for the profitability and the competitiveness of companies in the economy today, while facilitating a transparent communication with the stakeholders. This analysis is relevant especially given the fact that the cycle of 4 years after the directive of mandatory energy audit has been enforced ends with 2018 and a conclusion can be drawn before the new audit period starts in 2019.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristaps Locmelis ◽  
Dagnija Blumberga ◽  
Andra Blumberga ◽  
Anna Kubule

Latvia’s industrial energy efficiency policy imposes the implementation of mandatory energy audits and energy management systems in large industrial enterprises and large industrial electricity consumers to improve industrial competitiveness, to move towards a carbon-neutral economy and to increase the security of supply. Companies affected by this energy efficiency policy are obliged to report to the national energy efficiency monitoring system on energy efficiency measures indicated in energy audits or energy management systems with the highest savings or economical potential. The purpose of this study was to assess the initial outcomes of the first industrial energy efficiency program in Latvia, using data from the national energy efficiency monitoring system, including an analysis of individual energy audit reports, and benchmarking it with findings from a similar program, thereby revealing untapped energy efficiency and CO2 emission reduction potential. Although the national monitoring system made it possible to ascertain results of the energy efficiency program, the statistical analysis of the data did not allow for a robust conclusion on the technical or economic industrial energy efficiency potential. This study suggests that Latvia’s energy efficient policy should continue its course in implementation and provides recommendations for improvements on the national energy efficiency monitoring system.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Catherine Tong

Conducting an ASHRAE Level II Energy and Water audit provides building owners opportunities to save energy and water in their buildings. The ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit will fulfill the requirements for BOMA BESt Energy Assessment and IESO’s saveONenergy Electricity Survey and Analysis. The IESO saveONenergy allows building owners to receive monetary incentives to improve their energy efficiency. Energy audits are an effective method to increase energy efficiency for commercial buildings. However, there are multiple levels of energy audits set by ASHRAE (Level I, II, and III) which varies the level of detail and economic benefit. The role of this research is to explore the benefits of a Level II energy audit and the economic benefit of a office tower located in Toronto. This building had an ASHRAE Level I audit two years ago and a case study will be performed to evaluate the level of detail and economic benefit of a Level II Energy and Water audit. The tower was evaluated according to ASHRAE Level II guidelines and the results obtained were an Energy Star score for the building, benchmarking against BOMA BESt buildings, energy conservation measures (ECMs), financial savings, payback periods and CO2 savings. They were separated into low/no cost measures, capital measure, other measures and impractical measures. If the building managers were to target all of the recommended ECMs, a total of $300,000 in utility costs per year would be saved. This is equivalent to 1,700,000 ekWh saved per year and a 6% reduction of their current energy use. Further more, the total energy use intensity (EUI) would improve from 26.2 ekWh/ft2 to 24.7 ekWh/ft2. . This case study has allowed a comparison for the two different types of energy audit. Compared to a Level I energy audit, there is a lot more detail which can provide a better potential savings as there are more engineering calculations involved for mechanical equipment, reviewing of drawings, observation of mechanical equipment, and interviews with the building operators.


Author(s):  
Michael Krutwig ◽  
Kejo Starosta ◽  
Adrian Tantau

AbstractThe commitment to an activity always requires the assurance of the quality of the result. Article 8 of the Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/UE of the European Parliament (EED) requires large companies in all member states to carry out an energy audit at least every four years. An energy audit follows the standard EN-16247-1, but this standard does not take into account a possible reluctance of the company carrying out the audit and thus compliance with a minimum qualitative standard. The various national implementations therefore define further rules for carrying out these audits. In Romania, Article 8 of the EED was implemented in the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP). The coordinating authority for the energy audits is the Autoritatea Nationala de Reglementare în domeniul Energiei (ANRE). In Germany, the Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz (EEG) was created for this purpose, with the Bundesamtes für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAFA) being responsible for coordination. This study compares the differences in the respective regulations. In a comparative review, we analyze the national rules that companies in Romania and Germany have to follow when carrying out audits. Factors such as minimum sizes, balance sheet limits, calculation of measures, qualification of the auditor and also sanctions in the event of violation of the audit obligation are compared. This is intended to enable conclusions to be drawn as to whether there are differences in the requirements and minimum quality of energy audits in different countries and what influence the mandatory audit has on companies.


Author(s):  
M. V. Fihurka

The article deals with the issues of conducting energy audits of higher education institutions in Ukraine. The analysis of the feasibility of the macroeconomic approach to the organization of energy audits of the domestic institutions of higher education is conducted. Necessary of consideration of the results of energy audits in the development and substantiation of programs and projects for creasing energy savings are determined in the article. It is established that the procedure of energy auditing is to include the development of the energy passport of institutions in higher education, as well as outlined basic conditions for energy audits. The necessity of creation of single bases of energy audits of the domestic institutions for higher education to ensure equal access to co-financing projects to improve energy efficiency and transparency of the state support of energy savings is determined. The proposed studies on energy audit will facilitate the organization of a rational integrated diagnosis of fuel and energy resources and places of energy losses, with a view to more efficient use of them through the development and implementation of plans, programs and projects for improving the energy efficiency of higher education institutions. The results of the energy audit are necessary to substantiate the feasibility and assessment of the cost of realization of energy saving measures


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document