What do energy audits and international climate negotiations have in common?
What's the point of an energy audit?
Despite their ability to go far, they regularly yo-yo back to the starting point. COP21 2015 in Paris showed us the first signs of concern about the slow pace of climate negotiations, which are already beginning to appear, with, alas, an unpleasant sense of déjà vu.
Similarly, energy audits, which are compulsory for certain companies, are often based on a genuine desire to make progress, but sustainable improvements in energy performance are not always forthcoming. The energy performance directors of major industrial groups with dozens of plants worldwide are tasked with leading a multi-site approach.
Their mission is to capitalize on the company's know-how and bring all sites together to improve performance. However, this role cannot be fully realized, as it must often be added to that of auditor, with limited time to carry it all out. Travelling to 100 sites in the 4 corners of the world, carrying out one audit a year for each of them, all in less than 50 weeks a year, means... 2 sites a week full time, and lots and lots of air travel, fatigue (and greenhouse gas emissions!).
Energy audits: real potential?
The value of an energy audit for a company is undeniable in the short term: an understanding of its energy use, in-depth technical diagnosis, structured action plan, etc.
However, the energy performance coordinator's impetus can quickly fade when operational priorities take over (maintenance, OEE, quality, etc.). Tracking energy performance indicators shows short-term improvement, followed by drift in the medium term. The findings the following year are often similar: much remains to be done, and the audit conclusions remain the same if the approach is only followed once a year.
An approach to continuous performance improvement therefore inevitably also involves collaborative and analytical tools, which enable local and central teams to work together remotely on a day-to-day basis.
