International recognized sustainable Energy Management System (EnMS): ISO 50001

14 July 2021 by Raymond Shum (From Energy Efficiency in Industrial Processes – EEIP website)

Improving energy performance, reducing consumption of electricity, improving overall energy efficiency and advancing its knowledge on energy uses is a major concern of enterprises in the world. In the Energy-Climate era of today, the challenge of energy consumption is the greatest problem faced by humanity in its history. The majority of environmental problems arise from the types of energy we use, and the increasing burning of fossil fuels accelerates climate change.

Energy resources are under tremendous pressure and there has been an increasing draw on energy supplies to sustain global economic growth.  If we want a cleaner and more efficient energy future for our future generation, manage energy consumption is imminent and the only way. To achieve so,  enterprises must be serious and cautious in efficient energy management. This includes being able to identify where energy is used, where it is wasted and where energy saving measures can have the most effect.  By integrating energy efficiency into their industrial or commercial management systems, they would be in a right position to reduce energy use and even achieve energy savings.

ISO 50001 International recognized sustainable Energy Management System (EnMS) is a well-established and worldwide recognised tool to assist companies in optimizing and establishing their institutional performance targets and benchmarks for energy efficiency in response to their businesses. ISO 50001 is expected to affect up to 60% of the world’s energy consumption and is a global trade catalyst for industrial energy efficiency.  By implementing ISO 50001, enterprises would be able to make better use of their energy consuming assets, manage energy on a day-to-day basis, and focus on how to better manage energy in future.  It not only could lower energy costs of the enterprises, but also help to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.  In addition to serving as a tool to promote energy management practices and reinforce good energy behaviour, ISO 50001 is also a certification that commands international recognition. The standard can also help organizations be better prepared for government- or utility-sponsored energy efficiency programs, carbon or energy taxes, and international climate agreements. For multinational companies this can greatly simplify compliance with environmental mandates across national borders since ISO 50001 is internationally recognized.

For companies that are not able to fulfil relevant ISO50001 standard and/or legislative requirements, we need to explain areas of their non-conformity and reiteration on alternative innovative solutions having considered to constraints and infrastructural limitation of the companies. Validation on any continual improvement on these innovative measures could reduce the overall energy consumption, use renewable energy and/or enhance energy efficient would then be done. 

All in all, purposes and benefits of validating the implementation of ISO 50001 requirements is to enable sustainable and efficient energy use, reduce energy costs, and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts.