ABSTRACT
Within the work described in this chapter, a low-carbon auditing approach for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) was developed. A model of the energy consumption is constructed, dividing the process into unit operations and attributing consumption to these units, from measurements or by calculation, so an understanding of the origin of energy consumption is developed, of losses, priorities, and the potential for reduction and the use of renewable energy sources to show potential development paths to decarbonisation.
This auditing approach was tested with 280 companies in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. The results showed that a wide range of energy efficiency measures was identified and implemented, partly consisting of no-cost options but also innovative investment solutions. Over 10 million EUR investments with a payback time of less than 3 years were triggered, and 6,500 toe per year of primary energy savings were realised and greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 13,500 tonnes per year.
