Industrial Energy Assessments: A Survey of Programs around the World

Industrial energy assessments have been used in various industries and countries to identify major energy-saving areas and provide recommendations to realize the identified energy-saving opportunities. Energy assessments can assist industrial facilities to understand their saving potentials and make informed decisions on energy-efficiency investments. However, many plants do not have the capacity to conduct an effective energy evaluation. A number of government programs have been established around the world to encourage, facilitate or mandate industrial facilities to undertake energy assessments. This paper presents information from a survey of 22 industrial energy assessment programs in 15 countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States) and one region (the European Union). The paper provides information on the establishment of these programs, including different program types, incentive policies, energy assessment manuals and tools, training and certification of energy experts, databases of energy assessments results, postassessments follow-ups, and other integrated policy measures. The paper then compares stand-alone energy assessment programs and integrated policy programs that have an energy assessment component based on these key design elements. Finally, the paper makes recommendations for establishment of a robust energy 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.