Reference library
Energymanagementglossary.
Plain-English definitions of the terms and acronyms used across UK energy management, Net Zero, funded delivery and SECR/ESOS compliance.
- SECRStreamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting
- UK regulation requiring large companies to disclose energy use and carbon emissions in their Directors' Report.
- ESOSEnergy Savings Opportunity Scheme
- Mandatory UK energy assessment scheme requiring qualifying organisations to audit their energy use every four years.
- EaaSEnergy as a Service
- A subscription-based delivery model in which the provider owns and operates energy assets, and the customer pays for the outcome.
- PPAPower Purchase Agreement
- A long-term contract to buy electricity from a specific generation asset at a fixed price.
- PUEPower Usage Effectiveness
- A data-centre efficiency metric — total facility power divided by IT equipment power. Lower is better.
- BMSBuilding Management System
- The controls platform that orchestrates HVAC, lighting and other building services.
- BESSBattery Energy Storage System
- On-site batteries used for peak-shaving, self-consumption and grid services.
- HH dataHalf-Hourly data
- Electricity meter readings taken every 30 minutes — the base data layer for any credible energy model.
- kWp
- Kilowatt-peak — the maximum output rating of a solar PV system under standard test conditions.
- LCOELevelised Cost of Energy
- The average per-kWh cost of energy over the full lifetime of an asset.
- REGORenewable Energy Guarantee of Origin
- UK certificate proving one MWh of electricity was generated from renewables.
- EPCEnergy Performance Certificate
- The A–G energy rating shown on commercial and domestic buildings when let or sold.
- MEESMinimum Energy Efficiency Standards
- UK regulation setting minimum EPC ratings for let commercial and domestic property.
- Scope 1
- Direct greenhouse-gas emissions from sources owned or controlled by an organisation.
- Scope 2
- Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heat or cooling.
- Scope 3
- All other indirect emissions in the value chain, including purchased goods, use of sold products and business travel.
- CDP
- Non-profit disclosure system that many corporates use to report environmental data to investors and buyers.
- SBTiScience Based Targets initiative
- Framework for setting corporate emissions targets consistent with keeping warming below 1.5°C.
- TCFDTask Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
- Framework for disclosing climate risk in mainstream financial filings.
- IPMVPInternational Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol
- The standard M&V methodology used to demonstrate energy savings under performance contracts.
- ISO 50001
- International standard for energy management systems.
- DUoSDistribution Use of System
- The charges paid to distribution network operators for using the local electricity network.
- TNUoSTransmission Network Use of System
- Charges for using the national transmission network, historically driven by demand during Triad periods.
- Triad
- The three highest half-hour demand periods on the GB transmission network — historically used to set TNUoS demand charges.
- G99
- The UK grid connection standard for generators over 16A per phase.
- PDCPublic Dividend Capital
- Long-term public sector capital funding provided to NHS bodies.
- M&VMeasurement and Verification
- The methodology for quantifying and reporting energy savings from an efficiency project.
- HHDHalf-Hourly Data supplier
- An electricity supplier providing settlement data at 30-minute resolution.
- Net Zero
- A state in which residual greenhouse-gas emissions from an organisation are balanced by an equivalent amount of removals.
- Digital twin
- A calibrated software model of a physical asset used to predict behaviour and evaluate interventions.
- IBSGInsurance-Backed Savings Guarantee
- An insurance wrapper covering a shortfall between measured and guaranteed energy savings.