Benchmarking of Industrial Energy Efficiency. Outcomes of an Energy Audit Policy Program

Kristaps Locmelis,Anna Kubule,Andra Blumberga,Dagnija Blumberga

doi:10.3390/en13092210

Abstract

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.

Highlights

For more than two decades, the European Union (EU) has been among front runners in terms of ambitious climate goals
The key conclusions drawn from the Latvia’s first industrial energy efficiency program research show that national energy efficiency monitoring system (NEEMS), which was setup for monitoring the implementation of energy efficiency obligations applicable to large enterprises and large consumers, is sufficient for collecting information on already achieved energy efficiency savings; it is not applicable for the calculation of industrial energy efficiency potential. This is due to NEEMS only collecting data on electricity consumption and not covering the consumption in its entirety, and there is no information available on the costs of the individual energy efficiency measures with regard to specific groups, which imposes limitations on the usage of NEEMS for further research on the program’s improvement
The authors suggest substantial improvements on the process of data collection by standardizing reporting forms and introducing mandatory electronic environment for periodical data submissions to overcome limitations for further research on energy efficiency program improvement. These recommendations could be applied in similar energy efficiency programs being developed worldwide

Summary

Introduction

For more than two decades, the European Union (EU) has been among front runners in terms of ambitious climate goals. In a comprehensive study on the electricity prices for energy-intensive industries in the EU and its global competitors, Lutz et al [2] confirmed the importance of low electricity costs in maintaining the global competitiveness of energy intensive industries. To address the concern for competitiveness of Europe’s energy intensive industries, the European Commission offers the energy efficiency policy, which is one of the most crucial cornerstones in the ‘Clean energy for all Europeans’ proposal, as the tool to reduce the energy intensity of industrial activities [3]. On 11 December 2019, the European Commission came up with even more ambitious climate goals by publishing the European Green Deal, aiming for EU GHG neutrality by 2050, which cannot be achieved without rapid and significant involvement of industry as industry is causing approximately

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