Energy Audit: From Consumption Analysis to Industrial Plant Solutions
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An energy audit helps a company understand how energy is used and where consumption, inefficiencies and potential areas for improvement are concentrated. In industrial plants, this analysis can also lead to a closer examination of what happens within the electrical network, where harmonics, imbalances, voltage issues or losses can affect the operation of production processes. Energia Europa supports companies in analysing these critical issues and selecting the most suitable technologies to address them.
Table of Contents
- What is an energy audit in the industrial sector?
- Mandatory energy audits: what Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014 requires
- From the energy audit to electrical system analysis
- Aladin: Energia Europa’s Power Quality diagnostic system
- Current-related issues: PQ-LINE solutions
- Voltage issues: PQ-GUARD
- EP-X and electrical system energy efficiency
- Energy Audit FAQs
What is an energy audit in the industrial sector?
An energy audit systematically analyses energy consumption and energy use within an organisation. In an industrial facility, this means reconstructing the energy profile of the business, identifying the most significant energy uses and understanding where there are concrete opportunities to improve efficiency.
The analysis takes into account the actual operation of the production site. Production lines, motors, transformers, auxiliary systems, lighting and HVAC systems all contribute differently to overall energy consumption. The data collected helps determine which areas require further investigation and which measures may be most relevant for the company.
When a significant share of energy consumption is linked to electrical systems, however, overall energy consumption tells only part of the story. It is also useful to examine how electricity is distributed and used within the network, because disturbances and unfavourable electrical conditions can affect both system efficiency and reliability.
This is where Energia Europa’s expertise comes into play, focusing on Power Quality analysis and the development of technologies designed to improve the electrical conditions of industrial plants.
Mandatory energy audits: what Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014 requires
For certain companies, an energy audit is also a legal requirement under Italian legislation.
The main reference is Article 8 of Italian Legislative Decree No. 102 of 4 July 2014, which regulates mandatory energy audits for specific categories of companies. In particular, the legislation applies to large enterprises and energy-intensive companies, according to the requirements established by the applicable regulations.
Companies subject to the requirement must carry out an energy audit every four years and submit it to ENEA in accordance with the relevant procedures. The purpose is to provide a reliable picture of energy consumption and identify opportunities for improvement.
For energy-intensive companies, the transition from diagnosis to action is even more relevant: between one audit and the next, the legislation requires the implementation of at least one of the identified energy-efficiency measures or, where applicable, the adoption of an energy management system compliant with ISO 50001.
The energy audit therefore generates information that should be translated into operational decisions. The same approach can also be useful for companies that are not legally required to carry out an audit but want to develop an efficiency plan based on real data, rather than selecting measures without a precise understanding of plant conditions.
The European regulatory framework is also evolving with Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency, which introduces criteria more closely linked to companies’ energy consumption. For the application of specific obligations in Italy, however, companies should refer to the national legislation currently in force and its subsequent updates.
Companies planning investments in plant efficiency may also benefit from assessing the financial measures available to support these projects. Explore the incentives available for business energy-efficiency investments.
Would you like to take a closer look at the condition of your electrical system? Call Energia Europa at +39 0445 510 156 or contact us through the form.
From the energy audit to electrical system analysis
An energy audit may highlight significant consumption or areas that deserve further investigation. When the focus shifts to the electrical network, however, it becomes necessary to understand what is actually happening while the system is operating.
High energy consumption can have different causes. In some cases, there may be a significant amount of reactive power; in others, harmonics or phase imbalances may emerge. An electrical system may also be exposed to voltage dips, overvoltages or micro-interruptions that primarily affect machinery reliability and production continuity.
Different problems require different solutions. This is why Energia Europa starts by measuring electrical parameters before selecting the technology to be applied.
Power Quality concerns the quality of the electrical power supplying the plant and makes it possible to assess phenomena that cannot be identified simply by looking at total energy consumption. Analysing these parameters helps link anomalies recorded within the electrical network to downtime, malfunctions, losses or inefficient operating conditions.
Learn more about Power Quality and how it can affect industrial plants.
Aladin: Energia Europa’s Power Quality diagnostic system
To analyse the electrical network in greater detail, Energia Europa developed Aladin, an advanced diagnostic system dedicated to Power Quality.
The device acquires and stores electrical parameters and can detect phenomena including voltage and current harmonics, THDi, THDv, TDD, phase imbalances, overvoltages and undervoltages. Measurements collected over time make it possible to observe what happens during normal plant operation and associate any critical issues with objective data.
It is important to distinguish this type of analysis from the energy audit required under Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014. The latter covers the company’s overall energy use and must comply with specific regulatory requirements. Aladin, on the other hand, provides an in-depth analysis of the electrical component of the plant, detecting Power Quality disturbances and giving Energia Europa the information required to identify the most appropriate intervention.
The difference becomes clear when selecting a solution. If measurements mainly reveal reactive power issues, the technical response will be different from that required for a plant with high harmonic distortion. Similarly, a current-related issue requires different technologies from those used to compensate for voltage disturbances.
In this respect, Aladin provides the link between observing a problem and technically characterising it.
Discover how Aladin works and how it is used to analyse Power Quality in industrial plants.
Measure first, then take action. Talk to Energia Europa at +39 0445 510 156 or request a consultation.
Current-related issues: PQ-LINE solutions
If the analysis identifies current-related issues, Energia Europa offers the PQ-LINE range, developed to address different electrical phenomena according to the configuration of the plant.
PQ-VAR is designed for dynamic reactive power compensation and current balancing. Where reactive power issues are accompanied by harmonic distortion, more advanced solutions from the same range can be used.
PQ-PRO combines reactive power compensation with current harmonic mitigation up to the 13th order, while PQ-MAX extends harmonic mitigation up to the 50th order.
There is therefore no single configuration suitable for every electrical system. Sizing starts from the conditions identified during the analysis and takes into account the specific electrical characteristics of the production site.
Energia Europa has also explored this approach by explaining how measurement campaigns can distinguish, for example, a system primarily requiring power factor correction from one where a significant harmonic component is also present. Read Energia Europa’s insight into how the right Power Quality device is selected.
Voltage issues: PQ-GUARD
Other critical issues are related to supply voltage.
Micro-interruptions and voltage dips may last only a very short time but can still be enough to cause resets, shutdowns or anomalies in machinery and control systems. In an automated industrial process, even a brief disturbance can stop production or make it necessary to restart part of the line.
For these situations, Energia Europa offers PQ-GUARD, a system developed to address voltage disturbances and protect industrial plants against micro-interruptions, voltage dips and overvoltages under the operating conditions covered by the solution.
The technology uses supercapacitors and responds rapidly when a critical voltage variation is detected. Here too, knowing the frequency, duration and characteristics of the events makes it possible to determine which configuration is appropriate for the plant.
The initial analysis therefore helps avoid treating electrical problems with very different causes and consequences in the same way.
EP-X and electrical system energy efficiency
An energy audit may also lead a company to focus on losses within its electrical network.
Part of the energy flowing through a system is inevitably dissipated in cables, transformers and other components. The conditions under which current flows can, however, influence the extent of these losses. Distortion and currents higher than necessary increase dissipation and can reduce the overall efficiency of electrical distribution.
To address this issue, Energia Europa developed EP-X, a technology based on series inductive passive filters designed to act on the current waveform and reduce disturbances and losses across the network supplied by the medium-voltage transformer.
One of the key aspects of the application is the ability to verify the result directly on the plant. Thanks to its bypass system, energy consumption can be compared under the same operating conditions with EP-X switched on and off, without interrupting power to the load. This makes it possible to assess the effect of the intervention through actual measurements.
For Energia Europa, improving the efficiency of an electrical system therefore starts with analysing its real operating conditions. EP-X is sized and applied after assessing network behaviour and the potential areas for improvement within the site.
Learn more about how Energia Europa reduces network losses in industrial electrical systems.
Would you like to find out whether your plant has potential for further energy-efficiency improvements? Call +39 0445 510 156 or fill in the contact form.
Data, measurements and solutions for industrial plants
An audit becomes truly useful when it helps determine where action should be taken. In the case of an electrical network, the next step is to analyse the phenomena affecting the plant and distinguish between problems that may appear similar when viewed only through electricity bills or overall consumption figures.
Energia Europa works at this stage using measurement systems and dedicated Power Quality technologies. Aladin provides a detailed view of network conditions; the information collected then guides the intervention towards the solutions that best match the identified problem, from current and harmonic management to protection against voltage disturbances and the improvement of electrical system efficiency with EP-X.
The aim is to make technical decisions based on what is actually happening at the production site, with results that can be verified through data.
Energy Audit FAQs
What is an energy audit?
An energy audit is a systematic analysis of an organisation’s, business’s or production site’s energy consumption and energy use. It helps reconstruct the energy profile and identify areas where opportunities for improved efficiency exist.
Are energy audits mandatory for all companies?
No. In Italy, Legislative Decree 102/2014 requires energy audits for certain categories of companies, including large enterprises and energy-intensive companies, according to the requirements established by the applicable legislation. Other businesses may still carry out a voluntary energy audit to identify potential energy-efficiency measures.
How often must a mandatory energy audit be carried out?
For companies subject to Article 8 of Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014, an energy audit must be carried out every four years and submitted to ENEA in accordance with the required procedures.
Are “energy audit” and “energy diagnosis” the same thing?
In English technical and regulatory terminology, energy audit is the standard term used for the systematic analysis of energy use and consumption. In an industrial context, the audit identifies significant energy uses and potential opportunities for improved efficiency.
Does Energia Europa’s Aladin carry out the energy audit?
Aladin is Energia Europa’s system for electrical network and Power Quality diagnostics. It measures and stores numerous electrical parameters and is used to analyse network conditions in depth. The energy audit required under Italian Legislative Decree 102/2014 has a broader scope and covers the company’s overall energy use.
Which plant issues can be identified through Power Quality analysis?
The analysis can detect phenomena including reactive power, current imbalances, harmonics, overvoltages, undervoltages and other electrical network disturbances. Accurately identifying the phenomenon makes it possible to select a solution suited to the actual conditions of the plant.
Which solutions does Energia Europa offer after the analysis?
The choice depends on the measurement results. The PQ-LINE range addresses current-related issues such as reactive power, imbalance and harmonics; PQ-GUARD addresses voltage disturbances; and EP-X is used to improve electrical system efficiency and reduce network losses.
Analyse your electrical system with Energia Europa
Understanding energy consumption is the first step; measuring what is happening within the electrical network makes it possible to determine where and how to act. Energia Europa provides diagnostic systems and dedicated solutions for Power Quality and industrial electrical system efficiency.
Call Energia Europa at +39 0445 510 156 or fill in the contact form to discuss the condition of your electrical system.
