Setting up an energy management program on sound principles could assist in complying with the increasing amount of regulations surrounding energy efficiency reporting and action.
The call for transparent recording and reporting of the greenhouse gas 'exposure' of an organisation is becoming more widespread. As a result, there are increasing requirements to record and report energy consumption as a primary greenhouse contributor. This call is coming from:
- governments eager to encourage productivity increases and deliver benefits to business in the form of improved energy efficiency
- shareholders wishing to better understand the exposure organisations have to a variety of current and potential future regulations
- non-government organisations wishing to promote efficiency of resource use and lower greenhouse gas emissions from business and government operations.
Recent examples of regulations in Australia that require reporting of, and action around, energy efficiency include:
- Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act (Federal Government)
- Victorian EPA Greenhouse Program (Victorian Government)
- Energy Savings Action Plans (NSW Government).
Although these systems could be simply viewed as an impost, they should be seen as an opportunity to drive greater efficiency and improvement within operations. If used as a catalyst, then the establishment of even a simple energy management program will result in sufficient output to meet most, if not all of the requirements of the above regulations.