Report

Energy saving studies at firms with a duty to report

From various trade associations the complaint is often heard that local authori-ties are obliging companies to carry out a so-called energy saving study too often and too arbitrarily. The Dutch Environment ministry (VROM) asked CE Delft to investigate whether this was indeed the case. To this end, interviews were held with representatives of some 30 small and medium-sized businesses and trade associations and 40 local authorities. The conclusions were as follows: 

  • there is substantial variation in the procedures adopted by local au-thorities, with some giving energy conservation far greater priority than others; 
  • the total number of businesses charged with carrying out an energy saving study is fairly limited: around 1,000 a year (10% of relevant businesses); 
  • at the same time, businesses are regularly obliged to carry out such a study in cases where a simple audit of standard practice would suf-fice; in addition, there is frequently too little consideration of investment and depreciation issues.

CE Delft recommends that the recently implemented legislation (a general admini�strative order) be supported by an active communication campaign for local authorities, aimed at achieving consistency among authorities on how this legislation is to be implemented. In doing so, it is important to dovetail with the initiatives of the Energiecentrum MKB (Energy Centre for SME) and those of frontrunner municipalities.

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