Energy Efficiency Networks: Overview of the implementation over the world and lessons learned

An Energy Efficiency Network (EEN) is a group of companies or public institutions whose energy managers meet regularly to share experiences on energy savings and to implement solutions. In addition to a "simple" energy audit, the EEN concept includes the setting of energy saving goals on company level as well as on network level. Companies participating in an EEN are embedded in an approach toward Energy Management Systems. To strengthen the collective dynamic for implementing energy efficiency (EE) measures, site visits and monitoring are regularly organized. The concept of EEN was developed in Switzerland in the 1990s and transferred to Germany in 2002, delivering very good results in terms of energy efficiency improvement in companies. EENs have been implemented on a large scale in both countries as well as in China and Sweden. Furthermore, over the last 20 years, EEN pilot projects have been launched in 20 countries of almost all continents. This paper will focus on EENs of companies and present a global overview of the implementation of the EENs. Subsequently, the different framework conditions and key factors for a large and successful promotion of the EENs will be presented and analyzed. Finally, the added value of EENs will also be discussed, specifically based on the evaluations carried out in Germany.