Some reflections on the new Energy Efficiency Directive, DEE year 2023, which presents, among other novelties, an important change for companies and other affected bodies.
Until now, those obliged to carry out energy audits and other management systems were companies that exceeded a certain number of employees, business conditions and economic balance sheet, as well as electro-intensive companies and certain segments of the public sector and buildings.
From the transposition of the EED into national regulations, the criterion will be an average of the final energy consumption in the last 3 years. The following levels are considered:
- Companies whose average consumption is greater than 85TJ (23,600 MWh) must implement an energy management system, or an environmental management system that includes an energy audit.
- Companies with a consumption greater than 10TJ (2,780 MWh) must carry out an energy audit and define an action plan to implement the audit recommendations.
- And those with the lowest consumption, less than 10TJ, which are the majority of SMEs?
For these companies “without legal obligation” it is considered positive to carry out the energy audit and implement at least one of the recommendations of the audit.
The National Authority is currently working on the transposition of the new EED and specifically Article 11, which refers to the above.
Since February, Escan energy consultants, in collaboration with other organizations, has been outlining an initiative for industrial and service associations, following the recommendations of the European Commission and the National Authority, to address the disconnect between what are opportunities and the decision to act in the business world.
February, 2026
