Energy efficiency networks for companies – concept, achievements and prospects

摘要

In Energy Efficiency Networks (EENs), 10 to 15 regionallybased companies from different sectors share their experiencesin energy efficiency activities in moderated meetings. Afteran initial consultation and identification of profitable energyefficiency potentials in each company, all participants decideupon a joint energy efficiency and a CO_2 reduction target overthree to four years. Information on new energy efficient solutionsis provided by experts during these meetings and theperformance of each company is monitored on an annual basis.A typical network period contains up to 16 meetings, afterwhich the companies decide whether or not the EEN shouldbe continued.The main goals of an EEN are to reduce transaction costs,to overcome existing obstacles, to raise the priority of energyefficiency aspects within the company, particularly in crosscutting technologies and, hence, to reduce their energy costs.Results from 70 networks in Switzerland and more than 20 networksin Germany show that the participating companies candouble their energy efficiency improvements. Almost everycompany has a profitable efficiency potential (internal rate ofreturn > 12 %), being between 5 and 20 % of its present energydemand.The first EEN was founded in Switzerland in 1987 and theidea was transferred to Germany in 2002. Currently, 50 EENsare operational in Germany. To foster the idea a “30-Pilot-Networks”project was initiated by the authors in 2008 fundedby the German government. Besides implementing 30 EENsthe main goal of the project was to improve an existing networkmanagement system (MS) to operate EENs at a high qualitystandard. The MS consists of an EEN manual with helpful documents(e.g. contract templates, checklists, technical manuals,presentation of energy efficient solutions) and about 25 software-based techno-economic calculation tools which are beingdeveloped under a joint user interface. The MS, labelledas LEEN (Learning Energy Efficiency Network) is intended tooffer several elements needed for the European Norm 16001(Energy Management Systems). EENs are financed and operatedmainly by industry itself. They represent an innovative approachfor medium-sized companies being applicable in anyindustry with minor adaptations.