From audit to green company
Energy efficiency has become one of the key priorities of the EU since 2012. It was prioritised in response to the realisation that our methods of production and consumption are major energy wasters and that resources are gradually being depleted, not to mention the effects of global warming. The EU's goal is all about reducing emissions.
In 2015, the European Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) was created as a result. This directive obliges all companies in Belgium, with the exception of SMEs, to have an energy audit carried out every 4 years.
BelOrta is Belgium's largest fruit and vegetable auction company and a leading European market player. Nearly 40% of all Belgian fruit and vegetable products, traded via the auction system, are sold via BelOrta by 1350 active growers. It was the introduction of the EED in 2015 that led them to Encon.
An audit involves an up-to-date and traceable measurement of the complete energy consumption of the company. As a neutral party, Encon took a pragmatic look at the results and spared BelOrta the trouble of identifying energy-saving possibilities. The result of this audit alerted them to major energy consumers within the company.
The EED does not include an implementation obligation. However, the results of the audit have prompted them to take the initiative to tackle these energy guzzlers and make a conscious effort to incorporate sustainability into their company. This allows them to make a difference and prepare for a sustainable future.
The company is incorporating all the options that proved feasible as a refrigeration warehousing. One of these efforts included an immediate investment in four solar panel parks to produce their own green energy. This was achieved together with Encon. But Belorta did not stop there. Given the large surface area of its production halls, lighting proved to be a major energy guzzler.
By calculating the light levels, Encon devised and later supplied a new installation with LED lighting. The new installation took into account the specific needs of the company and saved no less than 80% in energy! A very large step towards a CO2-neutral future thanks to a saving of 472,021 kg of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to planting 20,000 trees in one year.
However, sustainability is not an end goal but a process. That is why every company is obliged to repeat it four years later. BelOrta continues to invest in its green future. For example, an energy monitoring system will be installed to provide insight into energy consumption and highlight ways to save on energy.
The implementation of energy monitoring is also an essential part of ISO 50001. From an energy audit, BelOrta has grown into a company with a green image and high product value!
Also in need of an energy audit? Let us take care of it from A to Z, in terms of both the audit and the possible implementation of the initiatives. Map out your energy consumption to further improve your company's sustainability.
