Updated ISO 50001 standard tackles energy, emissions
ISO 50001, the standard for businesses that have improved their energy performance, is getting a facelift — and machinery users will need to be aware of the changes in the next few months to ensure compliance.
The standard established by ISO is in the process of being updated and “will include a number of improvements compared to the 2011 version,” said Deann Desai, who is the convener for the group making the updates...
...Ontario, N.Y.-based plastics processor Harbec Inc. is one example of an ISO 50001 success story. The company’s implementation of an energy-management system (EnMS) that met the requirements of ISO 50001 resulted in a 16.5 percent improvement in its energy performance (see related story on Page 14) over a threeyear period. Harbec spent $127,000 to implement the system, but the company has been saving an average of $52,000 a year on its energy costs, so the EnMS paid for itself in a mere 2.4 years.
The energy savings earned the facility certification as a platinum-level partner in the Department’s of Energy’s Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program. The program provides key recognition for organizations that want to show their energy-performance improvement. Information on SEP can be found at www.energy.gov/eere/amo/superior-energy-performance. SEP facilities have met the ISO 50001 standard and have improved their energy performance anywhere from 5 percent to 30 percent in a three-year period.
To achieve SEP, a facility has to implement an EnMS that meets the ISO 50001 standard and demonstrate improved energy performance. An independent third party audits each facility to verify achievements and qualify the unit at the silver, gold or platinum level, based on energy-performance improvement.
Today, energy resources at Harbec’s facility are managed through a business system to sustain those savings and continue to strengthen energy performance in the future.
The U.S. provides strong support for businesses’ efforts to improve their energy savings, Desai said. The Department of Energy offers tools to help with the EnMS implementation process, such as the 50001 Ready Navigator, which can be accessed at https://energy.gov/eere/amo/50001-ready-program. It provides a series of tasks to complete, and then explains how to improve and measure energy performance. Participation in the program is free.
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