Give me some direction on Establishing an Energy Policy. What are the steps in Energy Planning?

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The Energy Policy provides the foundation for successful energy management and continuous improvement by establishing the goals and energy values of an organization. An energy policy formalizes senior management’s support and the organization’s commitment to energy efficiency for employees, shareholders, and the community. Successful energy policies of companies that implement ISO 50001 include:

• A clear, measurable objective that reflects the organization’s commitment, culture and priorities, and that is linked to the overall financial and environmental goals of the organization. This objective can be an absolute energy reduction goal, an energy intensity improvement goal or a combination of both.
• Accountability by instituting a chain-of-command, defining roles in the organization, and providing authority for personnel at various levels to implement the energy management system.
• A commitment to continuous improvement by including provisions for evaluating and updating the policy to reflect changing needs and priorities.
• •A commitment to ensure the availability of information and necessary resources to achieve objectives and targets in the policy.
• Support for the purchase of energy-efficient products and services, and design for energy performance improvement.
• dequate documentation and communication at all levels within the organization.
• An annual energy review for management to analyze energy use over the past year and identify areas where energy efficiency should be pursued.

Energy planning is an important element of the EnMS as it affects procurement and design of energy-related activities for an organization. By implementing an ISO 50001-based EnMS organizations will define purchasing specifications for energy sources, incorporate energy considerations in procurement of energy using equipment and manage energy considerations in design of new or additional facilities. This will include:

(a) Defining the facility or system function and boundaries,

(b) Identifying significant energy use equipment,

(c) Specifying energy use thresholds to equipment vendors,

(c) Identifying equipment control technologies and methods,

(d) Identifying inefficient energy using equipment, e.g. looking for signs of disrepair or incorrect operation,

(e) Identifying key system operating variables,

(f) Reviewing previous energy assessments, baselines, or implemented projects, and

(g) Identifying already-approved/initiated projects.