Monitoring and Verification Schemes

With the requirement to transpose the Energy Savings Directive (ESD) at national level by mid-2008 and to monitor the progress made in achieving the energy saving target of 9% on a regular basis, Austria has established a bottom-up monitoring system for energy efficiency end-use measures, which became operational in autumn of 2015. This monitoring system has been completely revised and adapted to the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), repealing the ESD as of 2012 and the Austrian Federal Energy Efficiency Law of August 2014.

The Austrian Energy Agency is the national monitoring body for Austria in charge, among others, of setting up the entire monitoring process, developing a central online-database for the reporting of the implemented energy efficiency measures, developing and updating bottom-up calculation methods and reporting the savings to the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. Finally, the M&V scheme in Austria obliges the federal bodies and obligated parties of the Energy Efficiency Obligation scheme to report energy efficiency measures on a yearly basis. A statistically significant sample of these will be verified by the national monitoring body by means of plausibility checks, in depth checks and occasionally by means of on-site visits.

Link to the Austrian Energy Agency.

Best practice cases have been identified under the following topics:

  • Administrative authorities and their responsibilities
  • Sectoral and spatial analysis
  • Energy efficiency measures
  • Measurement and monitoring procedures
  • Data collection procedures
  • Verification procedures
  • Penalties for non-compliance
  • Reporting obligations
  • Administrative costs
  • Integrated tools

Here is the full report on European best practices for M&V schemes and coordination mechanisms

Coordination Mechanisms

In Austria, energy policy-making is not regulated through an established and institutionalised coordination mechanism. However, when important energy and/or climate relevant strategies and policies are developed at national level, representatives from the federal governments usually participate in such processes. Energy is a matter that is not only a legal responsibility of the national administration but also of the federal provinces. Theoretically, they may adopt their own energy-specific laws and decrees and develop energy policies independent from those at national level. In practice, their strategic approaches and measures are similar to the national ones, and sometimes even more ambitious. In addition, the 2,100 local authorities in Austria may also develop their own local energy policies and have to respect regional laws and decrees if they become relevant for the implementation of their policies. The implementation of energy efficiency measures at regional and local level is incentivised through subsidies schemes targeting, among others, local authorities, as well as through the energy efficiency obligation scheme obliging energy suppliers to implement energy efficiency measures in the end-use sector including local authorities.

Link to the Austrian Federal Government.

Best practice cases have been identified under the following topics:

  • Institutional and legal setting
  • Allocation of responsibilities
  • Involvement of regional and local authorities
  • Other coordination fora and energy networks

Here is the full report on European best practices for M&V schemes and coordination mechanisms