ISO 50001

The ISO 50001 is a worldwide standard of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO ) to help organizations and companies in establishing a systematic energy management; they can also be used for detecting a matching with the standard energy management system by a certification. It was published in June 2011 by the International Organization for Standardization ( ISO). In Germany the DIN EN 16001 was withdrawn and replaced by the standard 50001, published in December 2011 as the DIN EN ISO on 24 April 2012.

The introduction of an energy management system is strictly voluntary; There is no statutory certification requirement. However, a certification according to DIN EN ISO 50001 (or a registered environmental management system according to EMAS Regulation ) in Germany prerequisite for the partial exemption especially energy- intensive firms of the EEG apportionment and in future also for the relief of companies in the manufacturing sector of the electricity and energy tax.

A systematic energy management is based on detection of the energy flows in a company (energy sources, energy use, energy consumers) and an assessment of the state of energy efficiency, especially important for the overall energy consumption equipment / facilities and processes / activities. This detection is the basis for the implementation of both technical measures to improve energy efficiency as well as strategic and organizational management approaches. Organisational and technical measures are designed to improve the energy-related performance in a systematic and long-term. Basically, the introduction of an energy management system for all organizations regardless of size and industry is useful, if these consume more than small amounts of energy.

Objective of the standard

The main objective of the standard is to help organizations, their energy-related performance (eg energy efficiency ) through the acquisition of necessary systems and processes to improve. This should untapped energy efficiency potential tapped, reduced energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced (eg, CO2 emissions ) as well as other environmental impacts of energy consumption, thus the energy management system also makes a significant contribution to environmental and climate protection. The standard also helps that Germany can achieve the goal by 2020 by 20% and by 2050 to reduce its primary energy consumption by 50 % compared to 2008.

These organizations are guided to develop an energy policy as a strategic requirement to translate these into operational energy goals and to ensure with action plans for goal achievement. At the corporate level, the energy requirements using a consistent energy management could be reduced by 20 % or more. Guidelines for the evaluation ( energy assessment ) and the introduction and implementation and regular review should help to achieve their own goals and targets, too. Compliance with the requirement can be demonstrated by a certification against third parties ( customs offices about the public or in the case of tax relief ). Companies with high energy consumption can also reduce 41 EEG their own electricity costs by the compensation scheme §.

The staff and especially the management level should be sensitized by the given by the standard procedure for their straight and long-term energy management. In this way, potential savings are exhausted and it a competitive advantage as well as an improved image for the organization to be created.

Structure

The structure of ISO 50001 corresponds to the structure of other ISO management system standards such as the ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems) and ISO 14001 (environmental management systems). Since all three management systems are based on the PDCA cycle, the ISO 50001 standard can be easily integrated with some specific additions in these management systems based on these other management standards.

Sections 1 to 3 of the standard set of application, references to other standards is ( which does not exist ) and terms; the actual requirements for an energy management system is presented in Section 4:

• Section 4.1: General requirements
• Section 4.2: Management Responsibility
• Section 4.3: Energy Policy
• Kap.4.4: energy planning
• Kap.4.5: Introduction and Implementation
• Section 4.6: Review
• Kap.4.7: Management Review ( management review )

Method

The ISO 50001 puts an emphasis on a continuous improvement process as a means of achieving each objective defined in terms of the energy-related performance of an organization ( company, service, administration, etc.). The continuous improvement process is based on the method of design - implementation - review - improvement ( Plan-Do- Check-Act, PDCA ):

• Planning:

The overall responsibility for the imported energy management system shall be located at the top management. It should be called an energy commissioner or an energy team and the objective of energy policy can be formulated. This takes the form of a written statement in which the intent and direction of energy policy is held. Energy policy must be communicated within the organization. The energy team here represents the link between management and employees dar. In this phase also carried out an initial evaluation of the energy situation of the company, in which are the determination of the energy sources used, the energy use and energy costs at the center. To implement the ISO 50001 have the current laws, rules and regulations, such as for example the Energy Saving Ordinance ( EnEV) or the Renewable Energy Act ( EEG ) are observed and adhered to. The federal government has set its goals to increase energy efficiency through their law on energy services and other Energieeffzienzmaßnahmen (EDL -G) and the National Energy Efficiency Allocation Plan ( NEEAP ). To achieve these objectives, several medium-sized enterprises promotion programs. This includes, for example, energy efficiency advice to SMEs ( KfW) or various promotion programs of the Research Center Jülich.

• Implementation:

The objectives and processes referred to are now being introduced and implemented. Resources are made available and determine responsibilities. Is carried out, the realization and the operation of the energy management system.

• Verification:

An energy management system calls for a procedure to ensure compliance and evaluate the energy-related provisions. This is done in the form of internal audits. The processes are monitored in terms of the legal and other requirements ( customer requirements, internal policies ) and objectives of the energy management of the organization. There is a systematic controlling. The results are to be documented and reported to the top management.

• Improvement:

On the basis of internal audits a written assessment is done by the top management. It is to the management review. The results are evaluated with respect to their performance level. If necessary, corrective or preventive actions are initiated. Energy -relevant processes are optimized and new strategic goals are derived.

Development

The standard was developed by the American agency for standardization of industrial practices together with his Brazilian partner ABNT since 2008. They were supported by experts from over 40 countries. Thanks to the close cooperation with the European ISO member countries could take on many themes and topics from the previous standard EN 16001 and incorporated into the new ISO 50001 standard.

Certification

Certification is carried out by accredited certification organizations. The certification has the advantage that the organization gets certainty about the functionality and efficiency of the implemented energy management system. It also helps to improve the presentation by committed to environmentally oriented actions and demonstrated energy- related exposures.

For particularly energy-intensive companies ( companies that a current cost share of at least 14 % of gross value added and a current consumption of at least 10 gigawatt hours per year), it is a certification according to DIN EN ISO 50001 one of the possible (in addition to an EMAS registration) conditions for a reduction the EEG apportionment.

Also for the tip compensation for electricity and energy tax law from 2013, the application proof of commencement of the introduction of an energy management system according to EN ISO 50001 or an environmental management system according to EMAS requirement. For small and medium-sized enterprises in the SME - Definition of the EU is also an energy audit according to EN 16247 or the insertion of an " alternative system to improve energy efficiency," according to Annex 2 of the Spitzenausgleich Efficiency Regulations ( SpaEfV ) is sufficient. ( In contrast to EN ISO 50001, which based not only calls for a detection of potential savings, but it also the realization of measurable improvements in energy efficiency, the realization of the found improvement opportunities, an energy audit or is " alternative system ", however, entirely up to the company. ) As of the 2015 request proof of certification to ISO 50001 (or an EMAS registration ) (not for SMEs ) is required.

International dissemination

The ISO leads every year through a survey ( Survey) on the distribution of the individual, existing standards and publishes the results on its website. From this data survey shows that ISO 50001 is a popular one in German companies alone. In 2012, 1,115 companies were certified. In similar sized economies, there were less interested ( France: 35; Japan: 15). Spain and Denmark followed Germany in the ranking of countries whose companies most ISO 50001 certifications can demonstrate. (Spain: 120; Denmark: 85) For 2013, there are still no data.