CARB to Host ISO 50001/SEP Energy Management System Informational Workshop

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Given the pressure to reduce carbon emissions and state environmental regulations such as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), energy prices may increase significantly in the coming years, affecting the ability of food processors to compete. To keep energy costs in line, companies should look at all available energy efficiency programs. On Nov. 10 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will sponsor an informational workshop, conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), providing an overview of the purpose, structure and benefits of ISO 50001 - Energy Management System (EnMS) Standard and the United States Department of Energy (US DOE) Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program.

The workshop will be held:
Tuesday November 10, 2015
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Byron Sher Auditorium
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA

Materials for the workshop are available at
http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/energyaudits/meetings/meetings.htm. This workshop will also be available by webcast at http://calepa.ca.gov/broadcast and viewers can email questions during the session to: auditorium@calepa.ca.gov.

The workshop is aimed at helping industrial organizations of all sizes interested in controlling energy costs, improving energy source security and reducing carbon emissions. Industrial facilities, which have in the past worked with CARB to meet energy assessment requirements, may find additional benefit in learning how ISO 50001 and SEP can foster and promote energy cost savings and improved energy performance through increased organizational awareness.

Energy and plant managers, sustainability officers and environmental compliance staff are urged to attend the free workshop, which will include interactive activities and presentations from Berkeley Lab and others with topics on:

• Strategic energy management, ISO 50001, and the SEP program
• Perspectives from industry that have been certified to ISO 50001 and SEP
• Analysis of costs and benefits of certification
• An interactive activity to evaluate organizational ISO 50001 and SEP readiness

Background:
•    ISO 50001 is an internationally accepted framework for incorporating management of energy within an organization with the aim of continual improvement of energy performance. This business practice brings together top management and equipment operators to review current energy performance, focus on significant energy uses, identify operational and capital opportunities for energy performance improvement and insure continual improvement.

•    SEP is a voluntary US DOE certification program that recognizes energy management excellence and sustained energy savings with third party verified conformance to ISO 50001 and achievement of energy performance improvement targets. Industrial facilities certified to SEP have shown on average a 10% increase in energy cost savings as compared to business as usual actions with a less than two-year return on investment.

Registration for the workshop, while not required for attendance, can be made at http://arb-iso50001-sep-workshop.eventbrite.com.

Written by John Larrea, California League of Food Processors Government Affairs Director  

 

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