Ana Mićković

2016

Current research points to a large unexploited energy efficiency potential in industry. Detailed company internal information regarding energy consumption and energy costs is often lacking, which hampers investments in energy efficiency. This paper provides a systematic review of existing academic papers on measurement of energy costs in companies. The structured literature search yielded in a set of 32 papers. Measurement methods are analyzed as well as investments and strategies which were implemented in order to reduce energy costs. Companies benefit to large extent from more detailed measurements on energy consumption and related costs. The potential cost savings due to more accurate measurement are often underestimated and therefore just a small share of companies measure their energy consumption with high accuracy. The study reveals that the implemented measurement methods vary from inefficient measurement methods to detailed sub-metering of energy data in real-time. The implementation rate of detailed sub-metering is higher in large companies and companies in energy intensive industries. Nonetheless even in these kinds of companies sub-metering is often lacking and cost saving potential is left unexploited. This  points to an even larger unexploited cost saving potential in small and medium sized enterprises and non-energy intensive industries.