The more the merrier: leveraging diverse players to deploy energy management systems in industry

Panel: 5. The role of energy management systems, education, outreach and training

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Julia Reinaud, Industrial Innovation for Competitiveness (i24c), France
Amelie Goldberg, Institute for Industrial Productivity, USA

Abstract

Governments and industry are increasingly looking for cost-effective ways to reduce industrial demand for energy. Energy management systems (EnMS) are proving to be very effective in achieving this goal, and they also have the added benefit of improving productivity in companies. Governments around the world are now promoting EnMS as a viable means of reducing energy consumption. Some governments have mandated corporate adoption, while others are encouraging voluntary uptake by providing financial incentives or awards. Other players are also driving uptake and putting forward new business models in response. Energy providers, multinational companies and multilateral and commercial banks from across the globe have started to initiate large-scale energy efficiency programs that have EnMS at their heart. Despite this global push for EnMS, encouraging widespread adoption remains a challenge.

This paper suggests how the private sector can work with governments to help strengthen energy management programs. It looks at the key design elements of large-scale energy management programs as well as the role of government, industry, energy providers and banks in promoting corporate adoption. It also discusses different types of public-private collaboration and how they can encourage other players to complement governments’ efforts.