Site based programs
This page outlines the many small changes you can make on your site that will collectively reduce your electricity consumption, and how to measure those savings under the Energy Savings Scheme
Site-based programs can take into account numerous smaller initiatives to cut energy use.
Each initiative may have a relatively modest impact on energy consumption on its own, but together they may significantly reduce electricity use across a site.
Energy savings activities
You can save energy by installing more energy efficient equipment, or you may be able to change the way electricity is used. Using a metered baseline approach, you may be eligible to create energy savings certificates from the overall reduction in power consumption at your site.
A broad range of activities may be eligible under the Energy Savings Scheme, including:
- efficiency improvements in a chemical plant
- a line upgrade in a mill or manufacturing plant
- behavioural changes in the way electricity is used in schools or hospitals.
Site boundaries and excluded activities
It is important when considering a baseline approach to think about the site boundary, so that you are able to consistently measure and report on an aggregated set of energy savings activities across the site. This is important if you have a site where some excluded activities take place, so that you can distinguish the energy savings resulting from eligible activities.
Behavioural changes, like turning equipment off at the end of the day, can also generate savings. As it is hard to quantify future savings from anticipated changes in behaviour, using a metered baseline approach means you can quantify savings after they occur and compare them to an established benchmark.
Using the Metered Baseline Method
The Metered Baseline Method establishes energy use before the activity is implemented (the baseline) and compares it with that after the activity.
It must be possible to measure electricity use accurately and for comparable periods. This will provide a fair measure of the impact of the activity.
Choosing which baseline to use
You can choose from different types of baselines, depending on your situation.
- baseline per unit of output - used when electricity use is strongly linked to output
- baseline unaffected by output - used where electricity use is independent of, or not linked to, output
- normalised baseline - used where there is explainable variation in electricity use
- National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) - used where savings can be measured using an approved NABERS Rating.
Applying a metered baseline approach
The Metered Baseline Method relies on the remainder of the site operating as it did before the energy savings project was implemented, and therefore should not be used where changes (other than the energy savings project):
- have taken place during the baseline period, or
- are anticipated during the life of the energy savings project, for which energy savings certificates will be claimed.
Where changes at the site, other than those that constitute the energy savings activity, affect metered consumption per unit of output or service, the results will not reasonably reflect the energy savings due to the energy savings activity. Therefore energy savings certificates cannot be created using the Metered Baseline Method.
The Metered Baseline Methods each apply a Confidence Factor, which is calculated based on the size of the energy savings relative to the unexplained variance in the baseline.
They are typically for activities in industrial or commercial premises where:
- energy savings result in a significant reduction in site electricity consumption, and
- representative historical site electricity consumption data is available.
How to calculate energy savings
When to choose another calculation method
The Metered Baseline Method is applicable where ongoing data is available. It can provide an ongoing income stream for energy savings that have occurred.
However, the savings from individual energy savings activities, based on changes to end-user equipment may be eligible for accreditation under other methods: