As of the end of 2014, all large enterprises throughout the UK now have to comply with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme.
The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), which is operated by The Environment Agency, is a mandatory energy assessment scheme for organisations in the UK that meet the qualification criteria.
Organisations that qualify for ESOS must carry out ESOS assessments every 4 years. These assessments are audits of the energy used by their buildings, industrial processes and transport to identify cost-effective energy saving measures.
ESOS applies to large UK undertakings and their corporate groups. It mainly affects businesses but can also apply to not-for-profit bodies and any other non public sector undertakings that are large enough to meet the qualification criteria.
Your organisation qualifies if, on 31 December 2014, it meets the ESOS definition of a large undertaking.
A large undertaking is an organisation that carries out a trade or business which either:
- employs at least 250 people
- employs less than 250 people but has an annual turnover in excess of 50m euro (£38,937,777), and an annual balance sheet total in excess of 43m euro (£33,486,489)
Qualifying companies must carry out their ESOS assessment and notify the Environment Agency by 5 December 2015. Participants must then carry out an ESOS assessment in each subsequent 4-year compliance period, ending on 5 December 2019, 2023 and so on.
Energy consultancy Esave have released further guidance to help companies with ESOS which can be downloaded here. For a free initial consultation on your exposure and potential liabilities contact George Michie at Esave on 01463 240640.
