SEAI Reveals €1.55 billion in Public Energy savings with SensorCIS
The recently published SEAI 2022 Public Sector Energy Report reveals encouraging advancements in energy reporting and efficiency within the public sector. Let’s take a closer look at the key highlights and their implications for a greener future.
Monitoring & Reporting Tool (MRS)
Ultan Technologies’ SensorCIS continues to be the reporting tool used to provide public bodies with energy efficiency performance information, facilitating the achievement of 2030 targets. The 2022 report finds that public sector bodies improved energy efficiency by 31.5% in 2021, down from 34% in 2020.
This decline is likely a result of increased consumption following the easing of certain COVID-19 restrictions. However, there are positive aspects to note: non-electricity greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 3%, and total emissions have decreased by 14% relative to the average baseline from 2016-2018.
The Wrap-Up
Improved Reporting Compliance: Public sector organizations have demonstrated a commendable commitment to reporting their energy consumption, with a remarkable increase from 70% to 99.1% among schools. This substantial leap in reporting compliance signifies a strong foundation for monitoring and managing energy usage across the public sector.
Energy Efficiency Challenges: While the report indicates a decrease in energy efficiency compared to the previous year’s rate of 34%, this decline can be attributed to a rebound in consumption following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. It serves as a reminder of the challenges in maintaining consistent efficiency gains during times of fluctuating circumstances.
Positive Emissions Reduction: Despite the efficiency decrease, there is encouraging news on the emissions front. Non-electricity greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 3%, and total emissions have reduced by 14% relative to the 2016-2018 average baseline. These reductions reflect concerted efforts to mitigate the environmental impact of the public sector’s operations.
Future Outlook: Looking ahead, the aim is to achieve full reporting compliance for all public bodies, including schools, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of energy consumption. By fostering greater participation and engagement, the public sector can drive targeted initiatives, further improve energy efficiency, and pave the way for a sustainable future.
Insights: Diving Deeper
The ninth annual report on the energy efficiency performance of public bodies in Ireland showed that the energy efficiency performance achieved for 2021 is a good result, representing €307 million in cost savings.
This 31.5% improvement represents proactive engagement by all public bodies and their Energy Performance Officers since the introduction of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy.
Data from SensorCIS was used by the SEAI to provide evidence of the public bodies’ efficiency gains through the implementation of thousands of diverse projects. Here are the key findings from the analysis of the data reported by 345 public bodies and 3,669 schools for 2021:
- Their combined total primary energy consumption was 9,787 GWh and their total energy spend was €728 million.
- This is estimated to represent 99.1% of the energy consumption of the sector.
- Annual primary energy savings of 4,353 GWh were achieved.
- The cumulative avoided primary energy saving since energy efficiency baseline amount to 33,389 GWh, while the cumulative value of energy savings over the same period is €2,187 million.
The consumption of reporting organisations represents a strong 99.1% of total public sector energy consumption. This demonstrates a significant improvement in reporting compliance among public sector entities.
It is worth noting that although the reporting compliance rate for schools in 2019 was 70%, there has been a remarkable increase to 99.1% in the latest report. This indicates a substantial leap in schools’ participation and commitment to reporting their energy consumption.
Moving forward, the ultimate goal is to achieve full reporting compliance for all public bodies, including every school. This will ensure a comprehensive understanding of energy consumption across the entire public sector, paving the way for targeted initiatives and further improvements in energy efficiency.
The progress made so far is commendable, and we look forward to witnessing even greater involvement and engagement from all public sector organizations in future years.
As expected, the COVID 19 crisis impacted the public sector energy performance for the reporting year 2021.
However, the SEAI 2022 Public Sector Energy Report showcases significant progress in energy reporting and emissions reduction within the public sector. While challenges in energy efficiency persist, the increased reporting compliance and positive emissions reductions are indicative of a growing commitment to sustainability. As we continue on this path, let us embrace collaboration and innovation to create a more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible public sector for generations to come.
Energy Management System
SensorCIS is used by the public bodies to report their energy consumption data. It is also being used by several organisations (including Public Bodies) to monitor their energy usage on a real time basis. Ultan Technologies’ energy managers have helped all of their metering clients to achieve savings that are greater than the cost of the meters installed.
Talk to us here about how they did it.
