Firms below the size threshold for the EU’s ESOS scheme may be missing out on the opportunity to much improve the efficiency of their compressed air installations.

ESOS is the Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme, which makes energy saving recommendations to companies with over 250 staff, a balance sheet over €43 million or turnover in excess of €50 million.

BCAS note the “sigh of relief” that can often be heard from companies that fall below this threshold – but have warned against missing out on the kinds of efficiency opportunities that would be recommended under ESOS.

In a recent news post, the organisation said: “In today’s competitive world with increasing pressure on margins, any activity that can improve your bottom line has to be worth exploring.

“And compressed air systems can typically cost you around 10% of your annual electricity bills, so it is an area that demands your focus.”

For instance, BCAS asked compressed air users to consider whether their existing equipment is still fit for purpose, whether it suffers from any leakage or other inefficiencies, and if they even know the specific annual running cost of their air compressor.

ISO11011 is a recently adopted European Standard that covers the supply, transmission and demand for compressed air within a facility, allowing accurate assessment of performance and efficiency.

“This approach provides a structured framework for data analysis, reporting and documenting any findings. It identifies the estimated energy savings as a result of the assessment and thus a clear means of reducing your costs,” BCAS explained.

In this way, potentially costly inefficiencies – as much as 40% in the case of a single serious leak that has previously gone undiagnosed – can be spotted and repaired, helping to slash the compressed air bill for the year by hundreds, if not thousands of pounds.