Environmental Management > Chapter- 5 > Topic- Energy Conservation > Sub-Topic - Key elements of Energy management ISO-50001

 Key Elements of Energy Management System ISO 50001:2018 

ISO 50001:2018 is an International Standard for Energy Management System (EnMS) containing requirements and guidelines for organizations to follow to optimize energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This ISO standard is based on the Deming Cycle, consisting of four steps: Plan-Do-Check-Act. 

ISO 50001 was first released in June 2011 and the second edition of the same was released in August 2018 by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) to improve and standardize Energy Management Systems in any organization, regardless of their size, industry or location. It was originally inspired by ISO 9001 Quality Management System and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. 

The ISO 50001 standard aims to: 

• Promote energy management best practices and behaviors.
• Facilitate communication on the management of energy resources.
• Provide assistance in prioritizing the implementation of new energy-efficient technologies.
• Ease energy management improvements that lead to reduction of greenhouse gas emission.

Major Components of the ISO - 50001-2018

1. Scope
2. Normative references
3. Terms and definitions
4. Context of the organization
5. Leadership
6. Planning
7. Support
8. Operation
9. Performance Evaluation
10. Improvement    

Brief of 10 Components as Follows - 

1. Scope

This clause details the scope of the international standard, which includes requirements about planning, implementation, maintaining and updating an energy management system (EnMS) as well as effective communications.

2. Normative references

There are no normative references within the standard and this clause refers to maintain the same numbering scheme as all the other ISO management system standards.

3. Terms and definitions

This section provides formal definitions of important terms used throughout the standard.

4. Context of the organization

This clause establishes the context of the EnMS. Firstly, you will need to identify external and internal issues and the needs and expectations of your stakeholders and interested parties. 

5. Leadership

This clause is about the role of “top management” which refers to the person or group of people who is in charge of the organization at the highest level. The purpose is to show leadership and commitment by integrating the EnMS into the business’ overall strategy.

6. Planning

This clause focuses on how an organization plans actions to address both the risks and opportunities identified in Clause 4. It focuses on the development and use of a planning process. 

7. Support

This clause is all about the execution of the plans and processes that will enable your organization to complete their EnMS responsibilities. Organizations need to establish the necessary competence of people doing work that affects the management system’s performance. They should receive the appropriate training to fulfil its obligations efficiently.

8. Operation

This clause outlines the requirements your EnMS should meet for successful certification. 

This clause covers:

• Operational planning and control

• Design

• Procurement

9. Performance Evaluation

This is all about measuring and evaluating your energy performance and energy management system to ensure that it is effective and helps your organization to continually improve. You will have to consider what should be measured, the methods employed and when data should be analyzed and reported on. You will also need to have in place an energy data collection plan. 

10. Improvement

This clause requires a continual improvement of the suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the EnMS, therefore, you need to determine and identify opportunities for continual improvement of the energy management system.

Organizations need to identify whether nonconformities exist or could potentially occur, how to react to them in order to minimize their effects. 

How can you implement ISO 50001 compliant energy management system?

To implement ISO 50001 EnMS, you can follow the PDCA approach outlined as below recommended in the Standard itself -

Plan

• Conduct a review of your existing energy system.
• Define objectives and set energy targets.
• Establish an elaborated energy policy in accordance with your goals.
• Appoint an energy management team.
• Identify significant energy uses (SEUs).
• Study and Variable affecting energy use
• Establish Energy Performance Indicators and Energy Baselines.
• Identify and prioritize opportunities for improving performance and establish objectives and targets.
• Prepare action plans and Energy management programs in line objectives and targets.

Do

• Implement your prepared action plans
• Ensure competency throughout the implementation process
• Consider energy performance in design and procurement

Check

• Monitor, measure and analyse the energy consumption and performance
• Evaluate the gathered data
• Plan and Conduct Energy Management audit
• Prepare management reviews of the EnMS

Act

• Take necessary actions to manage nonconformities and minimize them
• Keep working towards continuous energy performance improvement

Benefits of the ISO 50001 Certification 

Reference:

• 4C Consulting
• SafetyCulture.com
• ISO.Org
• Datascope.i.en
• Google.com