Freight firms fear “burdensome” cost of energy audits

Freight firms are concerned about the “time-consuming and burdensome” cost of plans for all businesses to carry out an energy audit. The Government wants to bring in a mandatory energy […]

Freight firms are concerned about the “time-consuming and burdensome” cost of plans for all businesses to carry out an energy audit.

The Government wants to bring in a mandatory energy audit called the Energy Opportunities Saving Scheme (ESOS) and is consulting on how best to do this.

The rule will keep the UK in line with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive which demands large companies must conduct energy audits every four years, with the first to be done by 5 December 2015.

It’s the first time transport – including commercial vehicles – has fallen under the reach of an energy or carbon reporting scheme in the UK, according to the FTA, which is concerned by government figures suggesting energy audits will cost the average road haulier £23,000.

Rachael Dillon, FTA’s Climate Change Policy Manager said: “If government must proceed with the introduction of energy audits to adhere to EU obligations, it must work with the grain of industry.”

Fuel makes up around 40% of a haulier’s operating costs and commercial drivers already have a measure on their fuel use, claims the FTA which says its own Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme performs a similar function to ESOS.

Ms Dillon went on: “We are concerned about the financial burden that the ESOS will place on industry, coupled with a myriad of policies which create confusion and duplication. It is therefore essential that DECC seeks to take as simplified an approach as possible.”

She added plans to include existing energy standards such as ISO14001 were welcome but said the details of “exactly how” commercial vehicle fleets will be audited remain “woolly.”

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