4.1. Introduction to Energy Management System
According to UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization – Charles Arthur, 2021) an energy management system (EnMS) is a framework for energy consumers, including industrial, commercial, and public sector organizations, to manage their energy use. It helps companies identify opportunities to adopt and improve energy-saving technologies, including those that do not necessarily require high capital investment. In most cases, the successful implementation of an EnMS requires specialized expertise and staff training.
According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an energy management system involves developing and implementing an energy policy, setting achievable targets for energy use, and designing action plans to reach them and measure progress. This might include implementing new energy-efficient technologies, reducing energy waste, or improving current processes to cut energy costs.
An energy management system helps organizations better manage their energy use, thus improving productivity. It involves developing and implementing an energy policy, setting achievable targets for energy use, and designing action plans to reach them and measure progress. This might include implementing new energy-efficient technologies, reducing energy waste, or improving current processes to cut energy costs. There is a specific International Standard for Energy Management, namely ISO 50001 that provides organizations with a recognized framework for developing an effective energy management system. Like other ISO management system standards, it follows the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” approach/ process for continual improvement.
4.2. ISO 50001 Overview
ISO 50001 is designed to assist an organization improve its energy performance through making better use of its energy-intensive assets. Improved energy performance can provide rapid benefits for an organization by maximizing its use of energy sources and energy-related assets, reducing both cost and consumption. ISO 50001 is used by any organisation regardless their size all around the world. Its benefits can vary, from reducing the overall environmental impact and the enhancement of reputation up to the organisation’s cost cutting and the improvement of competitiveness. Finally, an organization will gain an increased assurance of legal and internal compliance; identify the variables affecting energy use and consumption and obtain increased understanding of energy use and consumption via communication.
The current standard is based on the management system model of continual improvement that is also used for other well-known standards such as ISO 9001 for Quality Management System or ISO 14001 for Environmental Management System. This makes it easier for organizations to integrate energy management into their overall efforts and thus improving the overall quality and environmental management.
According to www.iso.org the ISO 50001 provides a basic framework of requirements for organizations to:
- Develop a policy for more efficient use of energy
- Fix targets and objectives to meet the policy
- Use data to better understand and make decisions about energy use
- Measure the results
- Review how well the policy works, and
- Continually improve energy management.