Industrial energy auditing and assessments: A survey of programs around the world

Panel: 3. Energy use in industry: The road from policy to action

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Lynn Price, International Energy Analysis Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA
Hongyou Lu, Energy Analysis Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA

Abstract

Global, country-specific, and industry-specific analyses continue to show that significant energy-efficiency improvement opportunities exist in the industrial sector, many of which are cost-effective. These energy-efficiency options include both cross-cutting as well as sector-specific measures. However, industrial facilities are not always aware of their overall energy-efficiency improvement potential or specific technologies and measures that can be implemented. Conducting an energy audit or assessment is a key step for identifying these potentials, but many plants do not have the capacity to conduct an effective evaluation. A number of government programs have been established around the world to provide industrial facilities with energy audits. This paper surveys these programs, providing information regarding the design of an energy auditing program at the national or sub-national level including setting program objectives, establishing incentive policies, identifying key players, creating institutional organizations, designing supporting measures, conducting monitoring and evaluation, training and authorization of auditors, and ensuring quality control. The paper compares the identified programs based on these key design elements and also evaluates the impact of each program in terms of both identified and implemented energy-savings measures, where information is available. Finally, the paper makes recommendations for establishment of a robust energy auditing or assessment program, with the goal of providing guidance to policy makers and program designers, especially in countries that currently do not have such programs, that are in the process of establishing new programs, or are improving existing energy assessment programs.