Background
Energy audit has a high impact on energy efficiency investments which provides tailor-made recommendations and helps to overcome the information gap regarding barriers to energy efficiency. However, the current energy audit approach usually includes only analysis of direct energy cost savings, but non-energy benefits (NEBs) such as improved product quality, indoor comfort, increased productivity, less downtime due to maintenance, and other essential benefits are not addressed.
This means that energy audits underestimate the actual value of energy efficiency measures, leading to slower uptake of recommended actions. The aspect of non-energy benefits and their perception by the enterprises is not shown in the current energy audit calculation methodologies. Only the direct energy savings are presented in energy audits. Moreover, the national energy efficiency programs for the industry also do not consider including non-energy benefits. Thus, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with greater importance for enterprises but reaching lower energy savings fail to access the investments for the project implementation.
Goals
KNOWnNEBs aims to develop a new calculation methodology and result-presenting approach for enterprises to clearly show and assess their potential overall benefit, including the multiple benefits of energyefficiency as well as non-energy benefits (NEBs) from the implementation of energy efficiency measures, fostering the investments in energy efficiency and sustainable actions.
The new methodological approach will be added to the existing energy auditing practices in each partner country and tested by carrying out pilot energy audits in the food and beverage sector. Results will be presented to policy makers, energy experts and other industries for the takeover of the methodological approach on a larger scale.
