RD 56/2016: Energy audit and ISO 50001

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Royal Decree 56/2016 and the Energy Audit

Royal Decree 56/2016 presents an opportunity because it requires an energy audit to be carried out. These energy audits should be seen as an opportunity to improve the company’s competitiveness. If we approach compliance with the Royal Decree in a minimalist way, we will fail to capitalise on the benefits offered by Royal Decree 56/2016. However, it will still incur a cost from which you will derive no benefit.

The energy audit should be viewed as a starting point for improving effectiveness and efficiency. It serves as the starting point for an ISO 50001 energy efficiency management system and for securing guaranteed savings contracts.

It should be borne in mind that this is the transposition of Directive 2012/27/EU, so there are many companies in Europe that are using the energy audit to improve energy performance and efficiency and will therefore be more competitive, displacing from the market those that do not wish to take advantage of it.

Energy audit requirements

Energy audits are tools that provide an insight into your energy usage, taking into account the sector and the company. An energy audit is a tool that promotes energy-saving and efficiency measures.

Energy audits follow these guidelines:

  • They are based on up-to-date, measured and verified operational data on energy consumption and, in the case of electricity, load profiles where available.
  • They involve a detailed examination of the energy consumption profile of buildings, an industrial or commercial facility or operation, or a private or public service, including transport within the premises or, where applicable, vehicle fleets.
  • Based on cost-effectiveness criteria in the life-cycle cost analysis to take into account long-term savings, the residual values of long-term investments and discount rates.
  • Proportionate and sufficiently representative to provide a reliable picture of overall energy performance and to reliably identify the most significant opportunities for improvement.
  • It reflects detailed and validated calculations for the proposed measures, thereby providing clear information on the savings potential.
Companies with at least 250 employees, or a turnover of more than 50 million euros and a balance sheet total of 43 million euros, are required to carry out an energy audit. When calculating the total workforce, we must take into account whether we are a sole trader, an associated company or a related company (there is a document from the Catalan Energy Institute that explains this)
 
An annex must be submitted every four years confirming that the energy audit has been carried out again.

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