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Energy audit for companies: what it is, how it works and for whom it is an obligation

The energy audit for companies, or energy diagnosis, consists in the collection of technical and economic data and their subsequent analysis aimed at improving and making a building, business, industrial plant or activity more efficient.

In Italy, it became mandatory for large companies and energy-intensive businesses with Legislative Decree 141/2016, which amended Legislative Decree 102/2014, implementation of the 2012 /27/EU Energy Efficiency Directive, which defines an energy audit as “a systematic procedure aimed at obtaining adequate knowledge of the energy consumption profile of an industrial or commercial facility or public or private services, identifying and quantifying cost-benefit energy saving opportunities and reporting on the results”.

On 14/07/2020, Legislative Decree 73/2020 was published in the Official Gazette, which supplements and amends the previous provisions of Legislative Decree 102/2014 on energy efficiency. Based on this decree, an obligation is introduced for all energy-consuming companies, regardless of their size, to activate at least one energy efficiency intervention in the 4-year interval between mandatory energy audits. 

Energy audit for companies: what role does it plays in a company? 

An energy audit in a company is an accurate, documented and periodic assessment of the efficiency of any system related to energy saving. It assesses how energy is being used and, if waste is detected, suggests how to correct it. This results in an energy plan that considers both the technical and economic feasibility of any proposed actions.

The energy audit for companies can be carried out by professionals who are familiar with the operation of the plants and energy balances. The authorised subjects are established by Legislative Decree 102 of 4 July 2014: they are E.S.Co. (Energy Service Company), EGE (Experts in Energy Management) certified according to Uni Cei 11339 by accredited bodies, and Energy Auditors (Ae) certified according to the technical standard Uni Cei En 162475:2015. Their action takes the form of an energy diagnosis of buildings through an analysis of specific consumption parameters and a technical-economic assessment of energy flows. 

How does the energy audit for companies work?  

The subjects authorised to carry out the energy audit in companies perform precise steps to arrive at the final result.

The first step is an inspection and verification of the company’s energy consumption data through an evaluation of measuring instruments, area mapping, process estimation and data collection activities. Consumption is analysed and broken down by cost centre, production line or plant, measured using energy indicators and possible areas for improvement are identified. 

A report is then drafted and prepared, to be uploaded to the ENEA portal by the person in charge, with results and proposals for improvements completed by estimates of achievable energy savings and economic feasibility. 

Finally, at the end of the audit, it is necessary to verify that all interventions have been carried out. As such, there is a monitoring period to confirm their effectiveness. If something went wrong, corrective measures and new implementations are applied. 

Which companies are required to carry out an energy audit 

According to the regulations, all companies that employ more than 250 people, have an annual turnover of more than EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet of more than EUR 43 million; followed by energy-intensive companies. 

Until 2018, energy-intensive companies with consumption greater than or equal to 2.4 GWh with a ratio of actual cost of energy used to turnover of 3% or more was energivorous; after the introduction of the Decree of 21/12/2017, consumption must be greater than or equal to 1 GWh (1,000,000 KW/h). Small and medium-sized enterprises are not obliged to carry it out, but may decide to do an energy audit on a voluntary basis. 

The benefits of energy audits for companies  

Beyond the legal obligations and penalties for non-compliance (a fine of between 4,000 and 40,000 euros or between 2,000 and 20,000 euros in the case of incomplete or non-compliant diagnoses), the energy audit is an important and concrete opportunity for companies to save money, improve their energy management processes with positive repercussions on their brand, and create the conditions for accessing national and European tax incentives. 

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