Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
driving forces of these companies are not only
or environment related; they
also have to do with economic and legal factors. Therefore, energy ef
“
green
”
ciency is also
considered strategic for the future economic wellbeing of EU member states.
3 The Spanish ESCO Industry
While ESCOs have been operational on a large scale since the early 1990s, the
energy service market in the European Union is far from utilizing its full potential,
even in countries with a particularly developed ESCO sector. In the case of Spain,
the ESCO model could act as an important means to reduce the country
s high
dependence on foreign oil and natural gas. For instance, in 2010 domestic energy
production accounted for only 25 % of the energy consumed, compared to the EU
average of 47.2 % [
17
].
It is practically impossible to reliably estimate the number of players and the total
size of the European ESCOmarket, mainly because the national markets are still rather
individual and present particular characteristics. In Spain, there exists no of
'
cial
register of ESCOs, but according to a survey conducted by the European Commission
Joint Research Centre Institute for Energy [
7
], the estimation is that around 15
companies are now operating in this eld. The Institute of Energy Diversication and
Savings (IDAE), the of
cial state organization that makes decisions regarding energy-
related projects in Spain, maintains an unof
cial directory of 653 companies operating
in Spain (309 in Catalonia) that categorize themselves as ESCOs [
13
]. Taking
into account the signi
cant difference between the estimates of these two organiza-
tions and considering the answers of our interview respondents, there is a clear need
for an ESCO certi
cial directory. This confusion is detrimental
to the generation of standardized offerings and an overall atmosphere of trust that is
necessary for the widespread adoption of ESCO services in Spain.
According to the Building Performance Institute of Europe [
6
], large companies
dominate the Spanish market, mainly because they have the
cation scheme and of
nancial capacity to
assume the investment and returns in the long term. In 2007, this market was valued
at over 100 million Euros. However in 2010, private companies estimated that the
potential market for the national ESCO industry could be valued at
€
1.4
4 billion.
-
This potential is large enough to attract foreign experienced
rms which have been
emerging throughout Spain in recent years. Among the national
rms, there is a mix
of large utilities, construction and multi-services companies and small and medium-
sized companies. Most of them are oriented to the energy services sector as a way to
diversify their activity. They are mainly operating in public buildings, cogeneration,
district heating and street lighting [
7
].
Over the past few years, signi
cant amount of publicity has been given to the
ESCO model in Spain. It is praised on a daily basis on a number of internet media
sites and is often a central topic at trade fairs related to construction and energy
ef
ciency. This praise is most likely a result of the sharp decline in the national
construction market, recent credit and public budget restrictions and increasing
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