With the implementation of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU in the German Energy Services Act (EDL-G), large companies (non-SMEs) were required to carry out an energy audit for the first time in 2015 with the DIN 16247-1 standard. Since the amendment, energy-intensive companies must have their energy consumption checked regularly every 4 years in accordance with Sections 8 – 8d EDL-G.
According to DIN 16247-1, an energy audit is a systematic inspection and analysis of the energy use and consumption of a system or organization with the aim of identifying energy flows and the potential for energy efficiency improvements.
Using the procedure according to DIN EN 16247-1, the energy consumption of all relevant energy sources such as electricity, fuels (natural gas, heating oil, etc.) and fuels (petrol, diesel) are first determined and assigned to the corresponding consumers. The consumers are, for example, production systems, heat generators or lighting. The recording and representation of consumers leads to energy flows being determined and displayed. You can use the energy flows to determine and economically evaluate potential savings for your company.
At the same time, you meet new legal requirements and can benefit from tax relief through, for example, the electricity tax peak equalization. The energy audit is based on the requirements of the DIN EN 16247-1 standard and can be carried out either by expert internal or external persons.
The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) is responsible for the operational implementation of energy audits. Energy auditors create energy audit reports according to DIN 16247-1. An audit must be carried out by qualified and accredited auditors at least four years after the completion of the initial audit and regularly every four years thereafter.
Important requirements of DIN 16247-1
First, you need to define the basis of the total energy consumption in order to be able to concentrate on the main energy consumers when carrying out an energy audit. The total energy consumption is the amount of final energy used and consumed by the company itself in the relevant period under consideration throughout the entire company. All energy sources must be taken into account here, such as electricity, fuels, (district/local) heat, renewable energy sources, fuels and similar.
Please note that a company is the legally independent entity that keeps books and balances for commercial and/or tax reasons, including its branches, subsidiaries and operations or parts of operations. Accordingly, legally independent subsidiaries are to be viewed as separate companies. The total energy consumption of a subsidiary is not part of the total energy consumption of the respective parent company. All systems, locations, processes, facilities and transport of the company must be recorded. Sales rooms, administration rooms, storage rooms or comparable rooms must also be taken into account when determining total energy consumption if the company uses or consumes this energy source.
An audit according to DIN 16247 is to be classified as proportionate if the determination of the total energy consumption is limited to the systems, locations, processes, facilities and transport located in Germany and therefore within the scope of the EDL-G. Nevertheless, these locations located abroad may be subject to an energy audit requirement that applies there.
