2022 is shortly coming to an end…As we all know, this year has been particularly tumultuous marked by an unprecedented energy crisis, requiring a shift in our paradigm and making all of us reconsider our rapport with energy and energy management. As IEA’s 2022 World Energy Outlook report highlighted, “there remain huge uncertainties over how this energy crisis will evolve and for how long fossil fuel prices will remain elevated, and the risks of further energy disruption and geopolitical fragmentation are high”. It has therefore never been so urgent to embrace and invest in renewable energies.

If you are a frequent reader of our articles, you know the drill: every year we publish an article ranking the most-read articles by energy professionals. Curious about the 10 most popular pieces of 2022? Keep on reading!

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A gateway in tech-talk is a device that connects two different networks, allowing information to pass from a network to the Internet.

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Modern businesses, regardless of their types, depend on the extensive use of digital tools and infrastructure. In 2022, you would not see an employee without a laptop or a smart device in any given organisation. For the smooth use of these digital tools, having a communication network in place is a must. 

Indeed, contemporary facilities, from manufacturing plants to skyscrapers, rely on extensive communication networks to connect people and devices to the internet. As you can imagine, the energy consumption of these 24-hour networks is high: In 2021, the global electricity consumption of data centres amounted to 220-320 TWh, or about 0.9-1.3% of the global final electricity demand.  

In this article, we give you some tips to better manage the energy consumption of your communication networks. Whether your company is large or small, you will have to manage data that is often stored in a dedicated room. In this post, we will use data centres to give you concrete examples. Indeed, although these centres are only dedicated to the management and protection of data, you can draw inspiration from their management to reduce the energy consumption of your network devices. Keep reading! 

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On their own, SMEs don’t consume huge amounts of energy, but collectively, their energy demand is a different story. The IEA estimates SMEs consume around 13% of total global energy demand. Yet, approximately 30% of that demand could be eliminated by cost-effective energy efficiency measures, such as implementing energy management software. That would save more energy than Japan and Korea consume in a year!

Which business wouldn’t want that level of savings? Well, according to the Observatory of European SMEs, fewer than 30% of them in Europe have implemented any measures for conserving energy, and, even though 60% plan to reduce carbon impact, just 4% have a comprehensive approach to energy efficiency.

In this article, we will discuss the main challenges faced by SMEs in terms of energy management, the different energy-saving measures they can put in place and the support available. Finally, we will present the release of a new guide that can be downloaded free of charge and is specially designed for SMEs and ESCOs wishing to improve the energy efficiency of this type of company. Enjoy your reading!

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If you are considering incorporating an energy manager into your staff and you are not sure if this professional role will add value to your company, Enrique Pérez (Energy Efficiency Manager at CIRSA) will clarify your doubts in this article:

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One of the main reasons for global warming is the sustained increase of CO2 emissions, trapping heat and warming up the atmosphere. With more frequent storms, landslides or floodings, climate change will make buildings more vulnerable and reduce their lifespan. As energy plays a key role in the management of buildings, in this article, we will discuss the consequences of climate change and increased CO2 emissions on the building’s energy consumption and occupant comfort. For the following calculations, we will use Building Energy Modelling (BEM) to evaluate how an office building will behave in the near (2050) and distant future (2100) compared to the year it was designed (2000). 

As you might know, Dexma uses BEM for many purposes such as simulating the impact of energy efficiency retrofits, estimating the disaggregation of energy consumptions, or evaluating the impact of different scenarios.

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If you work in the energy world, it is not surprising that the ‘language’ is technically complex in nature. While borrowing terms from a range of disciplines, from physics to finance, energy productivity also has its own set of complicated terms and jargon that are likely to appear in any conversation about energy efficiency.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, the list of energy management acronyms keeps growing (IoT, EMS, aM&T,..). To add to the confusion, a lot of terms sound bewilderingly similar or are used interchangeably even when they shouldn’t be.

So whether you’re a senior energy professional or brand new to the energy game, you need to be equipped with the right vocabulary – so here’s your arsenal of useful terms to know.

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Did you know that the building sector is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU? According to statistics, 40% of energy consumption in Europe comes from buildings. This has led the European Commission to create Directives on Energy Efficiency which oblige the improvement of the energy efficiency of buildings, thus, introducing the concept of NZEB or Near Zero Energy Building. This desire is reflected in The European Commission’s long-term strategy for 2050, which acknowledges the necessity of an almost complete decarbonisation of the building sector to achieve its climate objectives. In this article, we explain what exactly an NZEB building is and its importance in sustainable development.

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It was a sweltering summer, and so was the energy news! Have you noticed that the topic of energy saving is currently at the heart of all conversations? Energy efficiency, new regulations, decrees or energy saving measures…No matter what type of media you visit, you can’t miss it. The time has come to reduce our energy consumption. Individuals, companies and local authorities are all being called upon to use less energy. But, in concrete terms, what is expected from companies?

Keep on reading to know more!

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Artificial intelligence is everywhere in our lives, from powering search engines, through product recommendations, to phone unlocking by facial recognition…So how can artificial intelligence be defined? “In its simplest form, artificial intelligence is a field that combines computer science and robust datasets to enable problem-solving” (IBM).

This concept and its use are becoming increasingly popular in the field of energy management, in spite of some doubts and misconceptions. Indeed, while some professionals are still sceptical about AI’s effectiveness, others may be reluctant to share their data or are still hesitant to take the leap because it seems too complex.

The use of Artificial Intelligence in the energy sector is very diverse and can be applied to any industry. There is an enormous potential for Energy Services Companies to benefit from technology and help clients achieve their energy efficiency goals.  But how can AI be leveraged to provide the right customer with the right information at the right time so that they make more enlightened decisions that will directly affect costs? 

In this article, we will talk about how AI is (re)shaping the energy sector and how ESCOs can benefit from its use. So… if you still have some reservations, or if you are interested in Artificial Intelligence and want to know more, keep on reading!

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Manufacturing businesses across Europe are striving to reduce their energy usage and costs as they continue to rise, affecting bottom lines and ROI. The planet is also negatively affected by industrial energy use, responsible for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. In the UK, the sector is said to consume 17% of the total country’s energy demand.

With Brexit, some challenges in industrial energy consumption have only intensified in the UK. Bringing up the topic of energy management in the corporate boardroom is an important first step, but what is even more critical is taking a holistic approach by following up and translating those conversations into concrete actions.

It is estimated that a third of manufacturers in the UK do not have any energy goals in place nor have set any KPIs to measure their progress. In addition to this lack of long-term vision, the current energy crisis generating an outstanding rise in energy costs often leading to missed opportunities made it harder for manufacturers to control their expenses and thus, remain competitive.

In this article, discover five measures you can take today to reduce the burden of high energy costs in manufacturing, regardless of your sector of activity.

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The communications sector continues to grow every year, driven by the societal need to be connected at all times and to have access to information in real-time. In the UK, the sector keeps 68.9 million inhabitants connected to the world. In 2020, the revenue generated by British telecommunications amounted to £31 billion. 

Every day, telecommunications providers try to improve their offerings to meet the increasing demand for higher-speed networks. And in an extremely competitive industry with demanding customers who want to find the best deal on the market to satisfy their requirements, companies have no choice but to adapt to stay relevant.

In this article, we will talk about the challenge of energy efficiency in the telecommunication sector through the example of Ooredoo, a Qatari telecom provider.

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