The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme will use league tables to compare the performance of participants in the same sectors and to provide a basis for the allocation of penalties and bonuses. The league tables will be based on three key metrics – the Absolute Emissions metric, the Early Action metric and the Growth metric. The relative weighting of these metrics will vary through the first four years of the scheme.
Absolute Emissions metric
The Absolute metric simply reflects the relative change in an organisation’s CRC emissions, using a comparison to the previous year. Performance is assessed using a five-year rolling average, so that each year is compared to the previous five. During the first five years of the scheme, current emissions will be compared against the average across the preceding years available.
Early Action metric
The Early Action metric is designed to give recognition for good energy management before the beginning of the scheme. It is based on two equally weighted factors, which are described by DECC as:
1. The percentage of non-mandatorily Half Hourly (HH) metered electricity and gas supplies which are covered by voluntarily installed Automatic Metering (AMR) by 31 March 2011.
2. The percentage of your organisation’s CRC emissions covered by a valid Carbon Trust Standard (as well as any recognised equivalents) or an Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme certificate on 31 March of each compliance year.
Growth metric
The Growth metric recognises that organisations may be growing or declining and seeks to relate emissions to these changes with a change in emissions per unit turnover - or revenue expenditure for public sector organisations. It compares the current level of emissions per unit relative to the average over the preceding five years.
League tables and additional questions
League tables will be published after the end of each annual reporting year on the public pages of the CRC EES registry. At the end of the first year, the league tables will be based solely on the Early Action metric as at this stage there will be insufficient data to calculate the other metrics.
When submitting their annual report, organisations will also be asked to answer four questions – the responses to which will be published alongside the league tables. It will not be compulsory to answer these questions but the absence of any answers will also be made public.
The four questions are:
1. Does your organisation disclose long-term carbon emission reduction targets, which cover the majority of your CRC emissions, in its annual reporting?
2. Does your organisation disclose performance against these emissions targets in its annual reporting?
3. Does your organisation name a Director with responsibility for overseeing carbon performance in its annual reporting?
4. Does your organisation actively engage with its employees to establish means of reducing energy usage?