The UK Government has announced changes to ESOS Phase III and Phase IV.
A summary of the changes follows;
ESOS Phase III Additional Requirements
- The reduction of the 10% de minimis exemption to 5% to drive inclusion of more sites / transport.
- No changes have to be made to existing energy audits that have already been undertaken for Phase 3.
- A standardised template is to be developed by the Government and is to be completed including compliance information in the ESOS report (by the lead assessor).
- The addition of an energy intensity metric in (kWh/m2 or kWh/mile) in energy audits.
- ESOS reports to provide more information on next steps for implementing recommendations.
- Participants to set a target or action plan following the Phase 3 compliance deadline which they will report against in Phase 4.
- ESOS reports to be shared with subsidiaries.
- A recommendations template may be developed.
ESOS Phase IV Potential Changes
- Scheme Entry thresholds could change in line with SECR (i.e. one of the following 250 employees, balance sheet £18m and turnover £36m).
- Tighter rules (clarity) around the sampling of sites with rules on the minimum numbers of sites to be audited.
- Focus on energy management and behaviour change in energy audits.
- Net Zero PAS standard for ESOS audits to be developed and net zero included in energy audits.
- EN 16247 or ISO50002 standard adoption for energy auditing.
- Clarity on the use of half hourly electricity data in energy audits.
- Removal of DEC as a compliance pathway.
- Recommendations templates to be developed.
- ESOS public reporting on progress of implementation and results.
