Research on Evaluating the Efficiency of the Project Financing of the Energy Service Company

The financing efficiency evaluation of the ESCO (Energy Service Company) is an important approach to improve the operation efficiency of existing building energy-saving projects. To scientifically and reasonably evaluate the financing efficiency of the ESCO, this paper puts forward a combination evaluation model based on the method set. Firstly, the method set is composed of different methods that meet the demand of statistical coherence, and KENALL-W coefficient test of concordance is used to check up the coherence of the ranking results of the different methods. Secondly, mean, Borda and Copeland are used separately for calculating the combination evaluation results and the circular combination method is used to ensure the coherence of evaluation results. Finally, the combination evaluation model is used to evaluate the 10 ESCO business project financing benefits, and the effectiveness of the models is verified accordingly.     

计及不确定性的区域综合能源系统双层优化配置规划模型

针对综合能源系统规划运行时缺乏对负荷、可再生能源预测误差和购能价格波动不确定性的考虑,构建了基于粒子群优化-区间线性规划的双层优化模型,用于求解计及不确定性的综合能源系统规划问题。为了说明所提优化配置模型能够显著提高系统运行的灵活性,给出了评价系统参与需求响应项目的潜力指标,量化分析了系统在响应电网削负荷指标和应对购能价格变化方面的优势。算例结果不仅验证了所提模型的有效性和可行性,还表明了在能源互联替代的背景下,天然气价格和电负荷的波动直接影响能源服务公司的收益区间,可通过所提模型优化配置各类储能设备以提高能源利用率、抑制系统运营收益的波动。     

Risk hedging against the fuel price fluctuation in energy service business

Energy service business, or energy service company (ESCO), is expanding among industrial users as a means of energy saving. The ESCO business normally tends to become a long-term operation. During the operation, fluctuations of fuel and electricity costs significantly impact on the stability of the profit from ESCO business. Therefore, it is essential to reduce the risk of fuel and electricity cost fluctuations. Generally, a transaction called “financial derivative” is used as a measure of hedging against the fuel price fluctuation. In the case of ESCO business, it is necessary to manage the risk of both electricity and fuel price fluctuations because the variation in electricity price strongly affects the profit from ESCO as that in fuel price does.     

建筑业引入合同能源管理新机制的探讨

讨论了合同能源管理机制的特点和作用,结合当前节能建筑和可持续发展的热点话题,探讨节能服务公司的推行前景,分析了合同能源管理机制的运作模式,阐述了将这种机制应用于建筑业可能存在的问题和困难,旨在为建筑企业提供合同能源管理这样一种建设节能建筑项目的新思路。     

建筑节能服务市场发展问题分析与对策

本文首先从市场内部和外部2个方面分析了我国建筑节能服务市场存在的政策、需求、环境与人才、用户与主体等问题;而后结合美国成熟建筑节能服务市场的发展特征,阐述了我国建筑节能服务市场发展面临的机遇与挑战;最后从行业和政府2个层面分别提出了效率评价标准、行业准入门槛、技术创新、人才培养、政策贯彻、经济激励、市场化价格、多元化融...     

The impact of solar home systems on rural livelihoods. Experiences from the Nyimba Energy Service Company in Zambia

An Energy Service Company (ESCO) in the town of Nyimba, Zambia, has been operating 100 solar home systems since the year 2000. The company is part of a pilot project implemented by the Government of Zambia with the aim to apply the ESCO concept for diffusion of solar technology. The change in livelihood as a result of the access to electric services has been investigated in a survey. Clients were satisfied with the services they receive, although they are paying more than previously for energy. Light hours did not increase, but the quality of light was improved, enabling activities such as domestic work at night and studying for longer hours. Many of the clients had acquired TV and video, and become part of a more global culture. Appliances for entertainment, such as video and TV, were considered more attractive than productive appliances such as a water pump by many respondents. In some cases also people from households without solar installations benefited from the installations, for instance, children gathering in houses with solar to study at night.     

AHP-based risk analysis of energy performance contracting projects in Russia

Understanding and properly managing risks that could potentially affect the target- and performance-based profits of energy performance contracting (EPC) projects are essential. It is particularly important for the establishment and success of energy service companies (ESCOs) acting in the vulnerable environment of the vast but highly energy-inefficient Russian market. This study systematically explores common risk factors and causes of risk associated with EPC projects executed in three Russian sectors: (1) industrial; (2) housing and communal services; and (3) public. Several interviews with the Russian EPC experts were accomplished and a qualitative risk assessment by using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. The data were obtained from a web-based questionnaire survey conducted among Russian EPC project executors. For each focus sector, a specific preference-based ranking of the identified risk factors and causes of risk was derived. The AHP results show that causes of risk related to the financial and regulatory aspects contribute most to the riskiness of EPC projects performed in all three focus sectors in Russia, calling for the special attention of EPC policy- and business-makers. Due to sectorial particularities and different actors involved, we conclude that there is a need for elaboration of sector-specific contractual schemes for EPC projects.     

Energy-microfinance intervention for below poverty line households in India

More than 72% of India's population resides in rural India¹ and it also has a high concentration of people living under abject poverty. Of the total rural population 27.1–28.3% lives below the poverty line² (BPL). A lack of energy-finance options is hampering the “quality of life” of the BPL community. The members of this disadvantaged household which forms 27.1% and 23.6% of the India's rural and urban population³ has no ready access to mainstream finance or know—how of sustainable energy products nor do they have access to energy service providing agency. This lack of energy-finance options has provided the marginalized population little means to break the conventional energy paradigm and the corresponding poverty cycle.     

Partnership in building energy performance contracting

Building energy performance contracting is a business strategy to assist building owners overcome the financial barriers for improving the energy performance of their buildings. In return for the investments made into the energy-saving measures, the energy service contractors would share with the building owners the energy cost saving. Although the contractual arrangement is meant to create a win-win situation, disappointments could arise due to mismatches between the expected and actual outcomes. From a micro-economics viewpoint, the key factors contributing to the failure of a building energy performance contract are reviewed. To solve the commonly encountered problems in building energy performance contracting, it is proposed the conventional performance contract is replaced with a partnership formed jointly by the building owner and the energy service contractor, with the latter assuming the role of the performance contractor. This would unite the goals of the two parties and cultivate genuine cooperation between them. The key features for this new contractual arrangement are described along with how this arrangement could resolve typical energy performance contracting problems.     

Promotion of energy conservation in developing countries through the combination of ESCO and CDM: A case study of introducing distributed energy resources into Chinese urban areas

The implementation of an energy service company (ESCO) project in developing countries may result not only in reduced energy cost but also in considerable environmental benefits, including the reduction of CO₂ emissions, which can be assessed in an economic manner under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) scheme. In this way, the economic and environmental benefits of energy conservation activities can be enjoyed by both the investor and the end-user, which can reduce the investment risk and realize a rational profit allocation. This study presents a numerical analysis of the introduction of distributed energy resources (DER) into a Chinese urban area. An optimization model is developed to determine the energy system combination under the constraints on the electrical and thermal balances and equipment availability. According to the simulation results, the introduction of DER systems possesses considerable potential to reduce CO₂ emissions, especially when considering that the economic profit of the CO₂ credit will increase the incentive to adopt DER systems to an even greater extent. Furthermore, by sharing the energy cost savings with the investors under an ESCO framework, the investment risk can be further reduced, and the conditions required for the project to qualify for CDM can be relaxed.