Thursday 4 October 2018

Environment Agency yet to unleash maximum ESOS punishments

The Environment Agency (EA) is yet to unleash maximum Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) punishments, with the largest fines potentially running into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The EA has the power to punish businesses that have failed to provide their ESOS details for initial deadlines or that have not taken action to remedy issues with energy efficiency.

Despite the EA generally minimising punitive action thus far, a number of household names are among the companies hit with fines - these include Ebay and Gumtree each being ordered to pay a £12,150 fine.

Software and services firm Amdocs is facing the highest fine issued so far, which totals £45,000.

The total fines implemented by the EA add up to £157,770, spread across only 15 businesses, indicating the majority of affected companies are complying with the initiative to encourage energy efficient installations and investments.

More than half of small and medium-sized enterprises that undertook an ESOS audit have made financial savings as a result.