A fast growth sector in the energy sector is the ESCO (Energy Service Company). An energy service company (ESCO) are providers that offers a diverse range of energy solutions which include plans and implementation of energy cost savings jobs, retrofitting, energy conservation, energy infrastructure outsourcing, power creation and energy sources, and risk management. An energy service company (ESCO) is a company that boasts wide-ranging energy solutions to its clients, which includes auditing, redesigning and developing modifications to the ways the client consumes energy, the main end goal being much better efficiency.

From their inception in the 1980s, energy service organizations have evolved and expanded. Since COVID enveloped the world we’ve seen probably the most radical modifications to this sector while trying to remain relevant. Modern technology has performed a key role in the progress of the energy providers industry.

energy services img1 1024x561 - Energy Services: Fastest Growth Sector in Energy MarketsMainly energy service providers give attention to cutting down on energy usage and saving organizations on energy rates by a range of techniques including moderating energy usage and discount rate agreements regarding energy procurement companies. In the 1990’s with deregulation we observed the rise of energy service companies then circumstances slowed throughout the Obama administration we observed reversals of regulations merely to again be deregulated by the current President Donald Trump. Now they are customary amongst many organizations such as municipalities, school districts, industrial jobs and commercial verticals.

The huge differences between the Republican led government of the U.S. and the left of Canada is drastic where one is convinced in extensive deregulations while the other controls the energy sector to the point of suffocation.

Each energy service company is different in their own technological specializations whereas others address the entire assortment of service  like  lighting, HVAC, piping, meter proving, sampling and analysis, instrumentation and others. While there are numerous different service within this sector, something they all share is an intrinsic tie to the market in general.

One of the more popular energy services is the one of energy management. Energy management firms are progressively more prevalent as energy prices go up. Energy consulting organizations fixate on one thing…budgeting by streamlining businesses from an energy expenditure viewpoint. Setting up a base line before starting on any energy cost savings commitment is an important element to any energy management company. This delivers a structure of existing energy consumption which sets out to ascertain reference points so the energy management consultant can exhibit any future savings. The rewards of operating directly with top organizational directors is that when a determination must be made its made at that moment. For this reason energy consultants work along side and are accountable to, business executives. Whilst energy management firms work singularly of the organization employing them, it is a reality that energy consultants work close with managers for many reasons.

Of the plethora of different service providers available, some may include shutdown service providers, new plant fabrication, fuel flare venting, well service and chemical cleanup to name a few. As to be expected across much of the world, coronavirus has forced the industry to rediscover itself and therefore we are now seeing many providers adapt to this “new normal”.

We spoke with Ellis Boon, an operations executive with Lightspeed Energy service providers and here’s what he had to say.

“Honestly it concerns me with what around the corner for the energy markets in Canada. With political trepidation and the risk of a resurrection of COVID-19 we are all susceptible to the governments of the world.”

Energy services companies oftentimes utilize performance contracting, meaning that if the project does not provide ROI, the energy service provider is accountable to cover the difference, thus assuring their clients of the energy and cost cost savings.

Since its inception in the 90’s, a single US governmental program called “Super-ESPC” (ESPC stands for Energy Savings Performance Contracts) has-been responsible for $2.9B in energy service company contracts. With it being renewed and modified in late 2008 they’ve granted 16 providers with what’s regarded as Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity or IDIQ contracts priced at over $5 billion each on average. The company of energy service often means many things but the one commonality with them all is the common end goal of lowering energy expenses and making current systems more economical.

Energy utility providers started to advance before the pandemic when they started to see the implicit benefit in bundling different service jointly like telephone, internet and TV. But yet more than that you now see utility providers additionally providing home and commercial alarms and smart home solutions. It has become common in the United States and Canada that energy providers are now featuring bundled service like home phone, TV and internet but actually there’s way more of this going on in the B2B side while public surveillance and security systems are also being presented. From a simply economic/company view this marriage of utility company and service company is brilliance.

You’re probably asking yourself that if this truly is happening then wouldn’t that make private ESCOs obsolescent? Still we wish that 2021 brings much good fortune to the energy sector and we can look back at 2020 as a year of lessons.