ISO 50001

[3] A significant feature in ISO 50001 is the requirement to "... improve the EnMS and the resulting energy performance" (clause 4.2.1 c).

It is anticipated that by implementing ISO 9001 and 14001 together an organization would improve quality and environmental performance, but the standards do not currently specify this as a requirement.

ISO 50001, therefore, has made a major leap forward in 'raising the bar' by requiring an organization to demonstrate that they have improved their energy performance.

They will benefit from cost savings and make a significant contribution to environmental and climate protection, for example by the permanent reduction of CO2 emissions.

This is driven by the need or desire to: In tandem, governments increasingly want to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of their citizens and industries, and are imposing legislative mechanisms to compel carbon reduction more and more frequently.

In response, a range of energy management standards, specifications and regulations were developed in Australia, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand, and the United States.

[6] Subsequently, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) developed EN 16001:2009 Energy management systems.

[10] In April 2007, a UNIDO stakeholders meeting decided to ask ISO to develop an international energy management standard.

Development organizations including UNIDO and the World Energy Council (WEC) were also involved.

ISO 50001 also drew on existing national and regional energy management codes and standards, including ones developed in China, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, and the European Union.

The revision reflects a desire to promote adoption of the standard among small and medium sized enterprises.

It also incorporates ISO's "high level structure" for use where organizations wish to integrate a number of management system standards together.

Make sure that employees and other participants are aware of and capable of carrying out their energy management responsibilities.

Internal audit can help to verify that the energy management system is functioning properly and generating the planned results.

In July 2018, there were 15 UK bodies with the necessary accreditation to carry out independent audits and issue Energy Management Systems Certification to ISO 50001.

In India, the Dahanu Thermal Power Station in Maharashtra expected to accrue annual savings of about INR 96.4 million ($1.7m) from raised energy efficiency and management.

BSI Group published a case study showing that Sheffield Hallam University in the UK reduced its carbon emissions by 11% once it was certified to ISO 50001.