Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)

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Service Overview

ESOS (Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme) is an energy assessment scheme that is mandatory for large organisations in the UK with more than 250 employees, turnover in excess of €50m and an annual balance sheet total of €43m. The Environment Agency is the UK scheme administrator.

On 26 June 2014, following a consultation process in 2013, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published the ESOS Regulations 2014, which give effect to the scheme.

How the scheme works

An ESOS Assessment requires participants to do three things:

Measure total energy consumption across buildings, transport and industrial activities.

Ensure that at least 90% of your total energy consumption is subject to an ESOS compliant energy audit, a Display Energy Certificate, a Green Deal Assessment or a certified ISO 50001 Energy Management System during each phase of the scheme.
For the first phase of the scheme, any energy auditing activity dating back to December 2011 may be used to support compliance provided that it meets the minimum standards required of ESOS Energy Audits.

By 5 December 2015, participants must notify the Environment Agency (as the scheme administrator) of compliance with the scheme. The Assessment must have been reviewed by a Board-level Director and approved by a Lead Assessor. (Participants are not required to implement energy efficiency recommendations identified by their ESOS Assessments. However, they will only achieve the financial benefits that arise from avoiding energy waste if they do implement cost-effective recommendations identified.)

ESOS will operate in four-yearly compliance phases. Organisations in the UK must assess whether or not they are required to participate in ESOS on the qualification date of each phase. The qualification date for the first phase is 31 December 2014 (Compliance date 5th December 2015). Phase 2 31st December 2018 (Compliance date 5th December 2019). Phase 3 31st December 2022 (Compliance date 5th December 2023).