Energy management through policy deployment - a quick script!
1. Why energy policy?
a. It enables all activities through out the company get guided and focused.
b. It makes proposals to have a basis, not to justify excessively, every time.
c. It is an outcome of one time serious consideration on the subject taking all aspects, short and long term, into view so that repeated thinking on it is avoided.
2. How to make a policy?
It may involve the following:
- Study of the use of energy in the company.
- Study of the regulatory requirements.
- Study of how other companies are managing.
- Getting to know the developments in the field regarding technology.
- Gathering information as to how competency of people is a factor in energy management.
- Study the state of equipment and impact of their age on energy management
- Study of the maintenance practices.
The study result would be the input for formulating the policy; higher the quality of the study, better the policy.
Sometimes the fact that a study is being made for submission to corporate office itself may result in 'buckle up' and such measures taken by the departments become quick examples for future!
3. If energy has to be managed well, what are the factors involved?
Equipment condition
Competency of people - for operation and maintenance
Developments in the field of energy sources
Developments in technology
There could be many more factors too depending on the industry.these would require identification.
4. A sample policy
Based on the above a sample policy may be as follows:
We are committed to manage energy responsibly aimed at energy reduction.
It is our policy to use latest technology with reference to energy usage.
Equipment will be operated and maintained with a focused attention to energy conservation.
People's competency for energy management would be upgraded continuously.
To ensure the above we are committed to adopt a management system and maintain it, improving continually.
Energy policy, first, is an expression of the intent of management with respect to these contributory factors.
It is documented later for other implementation purposes.
This would be a documented policy issued with the signature of the CEO signifying commitment from the top management.
It is a working document, used for awareness training and for making operational and investment proposals by all departments.
5. Maintaining relevancy
The policy may be reviewed periodically, not very frequently, and is part of improving the management system.
The policy is the driver of the campaign for energy management. The management system is the means for deployment of the policy.
6.Who will draft the policy?
A person nominated by the management would carryout this assignment.
If it is done with larger participation from all concerned in the company, implementation would become fruitful.
7.What is the prompt?
A communication from industry association, a blog in SCN, a news item, a conference outcome, a communication from a regulatory authority, a news item that a standard is coming up for adoption by industries and so on. Any of them may be taken up as the prompt.
But all said and done, one person is required in every company to take the initiative for it, do some spade work, convince the need for it, convene a meeting and so on to reach the decisive moment. Once decision is made by the management, rest would follow.
Thus, commitment of top management could be secured by executive management personnel, instead of merely prescribing that top management's commitment is required to address an issue.
Management needs a person to lead the process and take responsibility for results.
8. Summing up
Recognizing the significance of the theme in the current time, taking a stock of the situation thoroughly, making the intention of the management on the contributory factors clear through a documented policy and establishing a management system for deploying the policy to derive benefit on a continuous basis is a systematic way to manage energy.
9. Backdrop:
ISO is coming up with a standard for energy management and it is expected by the end of 2010.
For details please visit: http://www.iso.org/iso/pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1157
For ‘Why a standard?' please refer: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_iea_paper.pdf
Hope it is well scripted?
Sam Anbazhagan
