The ESCO Formula as Support for Public and Commercial Energy Projects in Poland

The formula of engaging an energy service company (ESCO) in Poland is not a new form of accounting for investments in improving energy efficiency. The results of our survey confirm that many entities still lack sufficient knowledge about this subject. The research problem this paper is concerned with is the conditions of applying the ESCO formula (a model of investment financing with the participation of a specialised company) to support local government units and enterprises in energy-industry project development. For the purpose of this study, the research questions were formulated to analyse of the following issues: the reasons for interest in the ESCO formula and the sources of knowledge about this solution; activities and other factors that can increase or reduce interest in the ESCO formula; services in terms of ESCO formula implementation; the attractiveness of alternative instruments for financing energy industry projects, the benefits of using the ESCO formula and the influence of current and future target groups on ESCO formula development in Poland. This paper, therefore aims to recognise the conditions under which the ESCO formula can be applied by local government units and enterprises implementing energy industry projects in Poland. The research problem was solved using a triangulation of research methods: empirical qualitative research (desk research analysis, individual in-depth interviews, computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) survey, and focus group interviews) and one of the foresight methods (an expert panel). The research revealed that the lack of knowledge amongst local government units and enterprises with regard to the ESCO formula, although not unique to Poland, is insufficient to explain the low level of interest in this solution. One of the key conclusions is the need to educate local government units and enterprises on energy efficiency. This is vital to arouse their interest in the more complex ESCO implementation solutions that they have not yet investigated. Furthermore, by following and analysing the project implementation process in the ESCO formula, we can conclude that the risk generated is primarily on the part of the energy service company itself. For this reason, it is doubtful that energy service companies will invest the equity necessary to develop this challenging market. Based on the research conclusions, we indicate some recommendations that the government and related public institutions should consider in order to boost this market and support ESCO companies.

Data Envelopment Analysis Approach to Energy-Saving Projects Selection in an Energy Service Company

Project selection is a common problem for many companies. Specifically, it consists in identifying which projects should be selected with regard to their economic efficiency, i.e., the projects that maximise the profit they bring in while minimising the cost of the resources consumed. In this paper, we have focused our interest on energy service companies because of the importance of a convenient selection of their projects. In these types of companies, the attractiveness of a project depends on both the profit estimations obtained in simulations of the energy systems to be improved, as well as the probability that the project will be awarded (e.g., in local government bids, where typically several energy service companies compete to win the bid). We propose a new project selection method, especially tailored to energy service companies and based on centralised data envelopment analysis models with limited availability of the resources. This contrasts with all existing project selection methods and allows the proposed approach to make more efficient use of the limited resources. We have applied the model to a real-world case by selecting projects in a Spanish energy service company, showing the benefits of applying this approach, and comparing the results obtained with other data envelopment analysis project selection approaches.

ENERGOSERVICE AS A COMPLEX OF TECHNICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ENERGY SAVING MEASURES

Introduction. Improving the energy efficiency of residential and industrial enterprises is associated with ensuring efficient energy conservation, based on the principles of implementing the latest innovative technologies of energy modernization. All this is possible due to the operation of energy service companies, which are actively implementing energy modernization of facilities to ensure rational energy saving through the mechanism of concluding energy service contracts. Goal. The purpose of the article is to consider the peculiarities of the functioning of energy service companies in Ukraine and their conclusion of energy service contracts to improve the energy efficiency of housing and industrial enterprises. Method (methodology). The main methods were induction and deduction, logical generalization, comparative and system-structural analysis, grouping to identify existing problems in the operation of energy service companies and the mechanism for concluding energy service contracts. Results. Categories are considered: "energy service company", "energy service contract". The content of the understanding of energy service as a set of technical and organizational energy saving measures aimed at reducing the customer service of energy service consumption and costs for payment of fuel and energy resources. Trends are revealed and key elements of features of energy service contracts by types and forms are analyzed. The peculiarities of the mechanism of concluding an energy service contract have been studied. The expediency of introducing the latest elements of energy service contracts into the activities of energy service companies is substantiated. The relationship between energy service as a special form of energy saving, in which the costs of measures are borne by the energy service company and the energy service contract, which regulates the list of implemented energy saving measures, payback period of the project, the amount of energy savings and income sharing. energy service company.

SYSTEM APPROACH TO ORGANIZATION OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT AT ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY

Introduction. Sustainable economic development, increasing the role of e-commerce, receiving of fast access to information and multichannel of information exchanging enhance of the innovation activity at enterprise. According to this, topical question is the improvement the approaches to components of management system of innovative activity of energy service company. Purpose: the study of components of innovative management at energy service company on the basis of including of modern tendencies of economy and society development. Method (methodology). Methodological basis of the research were the following methods: induction and deduction – for considering the essence of the concepts «innovation system» and «innovative enterprise»; system-functional – for determining the components of the innovative management system of the energy service company; logical generalization – for distinguishing the place and role of innovative management in the activity of the energy service company. Results. The article is explored approaches to defining an innovation system and an innovative enterprise. Energy service companies are seen as innovating businesses. It is noted that the innovation management system is treated as a separate management mechanism, as a subsystem of the innovation system, as an element of the overall management system of a company, organization or institution. The place and role of the innovative management system in the activity of the energy service company is established. The results of research the components of the enterprise innovation management system is the basis for further scientific research in the direction of defining the tasks of innovative management of energy service companies.