Energy and Resource Audit

Lead auditor of Energex Energy Experts, Leo Rummel, has 7 years of experience in the management of energy projects in Estonia’s largest energy company, Eesti Energia, which is unique among energy and resource auditors. Lead auditor is Chartered Specialist in energy performance of buildings and Thermal Engineering and has experience of making energy and resource audits to the following sectors: wood and furniture, food, paper, oil and gas, building materials and cement, mining, metal, plastics, chemicals, machinery.

We apply the best known practices from around the world to increase the energy and resource savings of your Industry. Also, we include leading experts in the field for best possible technical solutions and cost.

Thanks to our professional knowledge, in-service training and experience, we have the competence to conduct the audit in all required areas.

We analyse the following areas:

• technical systems of buildings;
• compressed air;
• electricity supply;
• electrical and thermal engineering;
• air conditioning and refrigeration;
• ventilation;
• energy in industrial processes;
• technological processes in production;
• energy balances for industrial processes;
• steam and gas turbines;
• heat pumps;
• compressors;
• micro and small scale cogeneration;
• industrial ovens and drying technology;
• mechanics and mechanical processes;
• industrial refrigeration equipment.

1. The purpose of the resource audit

First objective of the audit is to map all the problems in the industry that need specific solutions. Audit will not only give estimations for cost savings but will guarantee a proper, optimal and sustainable use of any systems in the list above. A thorough inspection of the industry and systems must be carried out to find the possible solutions to save money.

Second objective of the audit is to map the current situation and possible savings with purposed amendments and potential solutions. On the one side, the objective of the audit is to map the industry, on the other side, the objective is to present all the investments with specific solutions and cost analysis. As a result, the client will have a clear overview, what and how should investments be done. Only with organized view, can the investments be implemented reasonably.

According to the regulation, following areas will be included in the audit:

• overview of the company, future plans and investments;
• overview of resource use by single resource and objects, possible amendments and saving potential;
• for the detailed energy audit, most important objects and resources will be selected and a justification for the choice is given;
• analysis of the selected object with resource use and different scenarios of resource use;
• we take into account specificities if the industry (for example cyclicality);
• output and the unit of production is defined;
• we compile and describe resource saving projects with expected savings (difference between base scenario and project scenario), estimated cost of the project, payback period and risks;
• resource saving projects are selected on the basis of the analysis results, which are recommended for immediate implementation or for later use;
• sensitivity analysis is compiled (as an example, we change the saving percentage, operating costs etc.) to assess the impact of variables to the feasibility of the project;
• monitoring and action plan is compiled.

2. Possibility to apply for support to make the audit

Energex guarantees, that the audit complies with the requirements of the regulation and is eligible for support.

Overviewing/detailed energy and resource audit is eligible to apply for support. Support rate is 50% and up to 2500/7500 € accordingly, process of applying for the support is following:

1. There are three offers for conducting a resource audit, from which it is not necessary to choose the cheapest, but the most suitable;
2. Application submitted via E-support;
3. Applications are processed on an ongoing basis and a positive grant decision is made for all correctly completed applications within 30 days;
4. The support is paid upon submission of the audit according to the regulation.

More information can be found at the Environmental Investment Centre of Estonia KIK. Total amount for the support is 300 000 €.

If a company has made a detailed energy and resource audit, it can apply for support up to 50% of the investment and up to 2 000 000 € for energy and resource saving projects.

3. Conducting the audit

The compilation of a resource audit is divided into the following stages:

1. gathering preliminary data and preparing a tender;
2. signing a contract with the auditing company;
3. sending data requests and collecting information from public sources;
4. conducting an inspection of the factory;
5. analysis;
6. compiling the audit;
7. presenting the audit;
8. submitting the audit to Environmental Investment Centre of Estonia and if needed, adding all the required corrections to the audit.

Conducting the energy and resource audit takes usually about 4-6 months after the first visit.

We involve experts from different fields and qualifications from our team: thermal power and process engineers, energy efficiency specialists, compressed air, maintenance, heating, water and ventilation engineers, lighting, automation, monitoring, measurements specialists and mechanical engineers.

4. Applying for investment grant

In order to ensure a positive result to the application, it is highly recommended to hire a consulting firm which takes care of several hundred hours of work, understands complex methodology, has experience in applying for investment support and understands the technical side of the investment project. We also answer questions from the Environmental Investment Centre of Estonia. As of today (end of year 2020) we have helped industries to receive over 20 million euros of grants. Our experience shows, that applying for investment grants takes around 1-2 months of intensive work, followed by the processing period, during which we answer questions of the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre – this takes around 2 months for smaller projects and up to 4 months for larger and more complex investment projects. Quite often, amendments to the resource and energy audit are necessary to better match the investment project with the application.

5. Procurements and supervision

According to the regulation of the resource efficiency measure, it is mandatory for all investments to be procured, all procurements must follow the requirements of the application which are written down in different documents and can be quite complex. Also, a report has to be submitted to the Environmental Investment Centre of Estonia which has to include all activities done during the procurement. The most common reason for reducing investment support is incorrect procurement procedures. Procurements may be announced already after the submission of the investment support application, it is not necessary to wait for a positive grant decision. From our experience we can say, that the procurement goes most smoothly when it is carried out by the same people who conducted the audit because they have thorough knowledge of the investment project. We also provide services after the procurement – we can make sure that the contract is being followed and that the works will be done correctly. We take full responsibility of everything related to the investment project.

You can read more about our procurement service here.

If you wish to order a energy and resource audit, investment support application, procurement service or support with your investment project, please contact us and ask for an offer at info[at]energex.ee  

Our team has finished more than 90 energy and resource audits – we have the most experience compiling energy and resource audits in Estonia!

 OUR REFERENCES