77% of large business customers have increased energy efficiency

Knowledge and practical action on energy efficiency among business customers is growing, according to a survey conducted by Elektrum Energy Efficiency Centre at the end of 2020, in which 77% of surveyed large electricity consumers (electricity consumption exceeds 500 MWh per year) indicate, that they have performed an energy audit or implemented an energy management system. In turn, 42% of respondents plan to modernise their lighting, 8% to install solar panels, and 4% plan to purchase electric cars in the future.

In November 2020, Elektrum Energy Efficiency Centre conducted a survey among business customers, finding out their views on energy efficiency issues and achievements, and also their attitude towards the European Green Deal, the European Union's and Latvia's climate and energy goals.

Regular education, cooperation with companies to advise on the possibilities of implementing energy efficiency measures is important, because only in this way can we not only improve the energy efficiency goals of each company, but also contribute to the improvement of the overall climate.

Awareness of energy efficiency

The results of the survey show that 61% of companies and institutions rate their knowledge of energy efficiency as good, but 39% rate it as generally poor. Large electricity users with electricity consumption above 500 MWh are confident in their knowledge of energy efficiency and well-informed about both the European Green Deal and the climate goals of the European Union and Latvia.

Energy audit and energy management system

Summarising the answers provided by large electricity consumers, 53% of them have performed an energy audit in their companies and have it performed by an energy auditor, while 19% have implemented an energy management system in accordance with the ISO 50001 standard. In total, 16% of large electricity consumers have not performed an energy audit or implemented an energy management system.

Significantly, almost half of the companies that have implemented an energy efficiency measure claim that the economic benefits are already being felt, 34% believe that the benefits will be felt over time, while 13% say that the planned economic benefits have not been achieved.

Among business customers, more than half or 56% indicate that the energy efficiency requirements set by the state for companies are positive, but their fulfilment is difficult. 29% disagree; these companies view the requirements themselves positively and do not see any difficulties in fulfilling them. But 11% of the surveyed companies evaluate them negatively, because they face difficulties in fulfilling them.

Intentions regarding energy efficiency

When collecting responses on intentions regarding energy efficiency, companies are generally interested and planning to take energy efficiency measures. Relatively more often companies plan to modernise their lighting, 42% plan to do so. A little less often it is also planned to insulate buildings, monitor energy consumption and perform other activities. Large electricity users are more likely to plan various activities to improve energy efficiency in their companies.

One of the energy efficiency measures planned by companies is the installation of solar panels. 8% plan to do so in the next year, but 32% of customers are considering using solar panels. With regard to the purchase of electric cars, there are fewer companies planning to do so, and it is 4%, while 19% consider such purchase. In the answers provided, large electricity consumers plan to buy an electric car.

European Green Deal

In general, the awareness of Latvian companies about the European Green Deal, which is a guide on how to make the European Union economy sustainable, can be assessed as relatively low. 17% of respondents are aware of at least the objectives of the initiative and the main action plans. However, most have only heard the name (38%) or do not know anything about it at all (44%).

Awareness of the European Green Deal is higher among large companies. 66% of companies that are aware of the European Green Deal are generally positive and regularly follow the news, as well as the initiative's objectives and key actions. These companies believe that the European Green Deal will have an impact on the company's future.

European Union and Latvian climate and energy goals

In the survey, we learnt that awareness of climate and energy goals of the European Union and Latvia is higher than the results about the European Green Deal. 32% of the respondents are superficially informed, 37% of the companies have heard, but do not know much, while 31% of the respondents do not know anything about them at all. It has to be concluded that higher interest and knowledge in this field is observed in companies with annual electricity consumption exceeding 100 MWh.