Energy audit of the enterprise

Costs for energy have become a significant part of expenses of many manufacturing and trading enterprises. Energy costs of energy intensive industries, such as, for example, paper production, metalworking, etc. are up to 20-50% of total costs of the enterprises. However, energetically inefficient processes, technologies  that consume too much energy exist at every enterprise, for example: equipment of too heavy capacity, uncontrolled pumps and engines, leaks in compressor systems, use of unnecessary light, absence of occupancy sensors for lighting and similar unnecessary sources of energy consumption. The best solution for reducing energy costs is to identify energy efficiency potential of the enterprise and to carry out appropriate measures dedicated to enhancement of its energy performance.

The main objective of the industrial energy audit is obtainment of true picture of energy consumption at the enterprise and determining economically efficient measures for improving its energy efficiency, measures that lower consumption of energy and save costs spent by the enterprise for energy. Energy audit is an important step for each company of any size and type that wants to improve its energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and save costs. During the energy audit the experienced auditors analyse company's total energy consumption (including electricity, heat, fuel and other forms of energy) and identify its potential for energy consumption improvements.

Control over consumption of energy and implementation of appropriate technical measures can trigger the desired energy saving and energy cost saving at industrial enterprises. Energy audit report includes both short-term and long-term energy efficiency measures for facilitating further development of energy use and analyse of energy consumption and energy efficiency of the company.  

                                        Stages of energy audit 

On March 3, 2016, the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia adopted the Law on Energy Efficiency, the main objective of which is to promote the efficient use of energy resources in both the public sector and private enterprises.

The Law says that large enterprises (enterprises employing more than 249 employees or whose annual turnover exceeds 50 million euros and an annual balance exceeds 43 million euros), as well as large energy consumers (with energy consumption of more than 500 MWh) should regularly conduct energy audits or implement energy management system in accordance with the standard LVS EN ISO 50001: 2012. The list of large Latvian enterprises is compiled every year by December 1 by the General Directorate of Statistics of the Republic of Latvia on the basis of the approved data of the enterprise for the last accounting period.

First energy audit should be carried out within one year after inclusion of the enterprise in the list of large enterprises of the country. Then a scheduled periodic energy audit should be carried out once every four years.