Guidance

Comply with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)

Qualification, compliance and notification requirements for ESOS.

Documents

Appendix A3: Example template of phase 3 ESOS recommendations

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Details

This guidance gives a comprehensive overview of ESOS for the third compliance period (phase 3).

It details:

  • which organisations qualify for this mandatory scheme
  • what qualifying organisations need to do to comply
  • how organisations should notify the Environment Agency that they are compliant
  • when the compliance deadline is
  • what the penalties are for not complying

Past versions of this guidance for the first and second compliance periods are on the National Archive.

Alternatively, check the shorter overview of ESOS.

Updates to this page

Published 17 February 2015
Last updated 29 August 2024 + show all updates
  1. Section 11.1 The ESOS compliance notification system - provided information about the new digital system releases and how to use the compliance notification system. Section 11.3 After you’ve submitted – clarified that ‘You should keep a copy of your submitted notification of compliance as a record of your submission.’. 12.3.7 Sign off and action plan submission – clarified ‘If you do not intend to carry out any energy saving action you must notify the Environment Agency through the notification system by 5 December 2024’.

  2. Updated the guidance to include the changes for phase 3.

  3. Replaced the PDF with a HTML guide for accessibility reasons. This included adding text alternatives for graphics. Updated section 1.1 to add qualification dates and criteria for the third compliance period. Added table to section 1.7.4, as this was missing from the previous version. Edited section 1.8 to say copies of the written agreement should be kept in the evidence pack. Updated sections 3.1, 3.2 on carrying out an ESOS assessment. Added new section 3.3 on zero energy supplies. Updated section 3.6.2 on buildings to say you should keep copies of any notes or emails to support what you exclude from your total energy consumption in your evidence pack. Updated section 5.3 to correct the date that assessments can have been made for the second compliance period. Updated section 5.4.1 to correct when data used in ESOS energy audits must begin from for the second compliance period. Added section 5.8 on ISO 14001:2015. Updated section A3.1 to say where copies of ISO 50001:2018 can be obtained from. Updated section A3.2 on the use of ISO 14001. Updated section A7.4 to remove the section on enhanced capital allowances, as this is no longer applicable.

  4. Updated Complying with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS).

  5. Updated Complying with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) to include phase 2.

  6. The attachment about complying with the ESOS has been updated.

  7. New version 4 of document: Inclusion of enforcement position and link to the Environment Agency's Enforcement and Sanctions Guidance in Section 9.1. Inclusion of references to this position in sections 2.1 and 8.1. Annex B - Clarification in Q18 of the notification that the number entered should only include 'active' entities. - Clarification of Q25 and additional answer added to reflect enforcement position.

  8. Minor wording changes have been made and some additional paragraphs of text added to this guidance and these are referenced in the version control table in the document.

  9. Minor changes have been made to the guidance document. The version control table in the document contains further information.

  10. First published.

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