The Energy Efficiency sector is in great turmoil. Many of the companies that operate there, the so-called ESCOs, are for sale, some perhaps already sold. The buyers are the large national and even international utilities which see good development opportunities in the Energy Efficiency market. Enel, Eon, Terna, A2A, Iren, Engie, but also other minor entities are taking action to strengthen their skills/skills both in terms of technology and commercial penetration.
What is driving utilities to such moves? There are several reasons. Energy Efficiency has been at the top of the energy policies of Europe and our country for years; this means that the support policies will have to continue also in the future, albeit with more effective and convincing logics.
Furthermore, utilities systematically declare in their strategic plans that they aim for energy efficiency but often have skills limited to simple applications such as public lighting with LEDs or insulation interventions on buildings. In reality, however, it is a highly articulated market, where large segments such as real estate, commercial, civil, residential and industrial can be distinguished, but where it is however possible to single out numerous market segments and virtually infinite technologies. The distinction between public administration and private is important. Each sector has very diversified problems and potentials with respect to which it is necessary to know how to build an adequate offer.
Another relevant point is that, during 2015, thousands of energy audits were drawn up (as required by the standard transposing the European directive) which highlighted not only the investment areas but also the specific directions in which to operate.
The problem is that the world of ESCOs, despite being made up of hundreds of subjects, in reality has no more than twenty really qualified entities to face the new challenges. Apart from those that already belong to large groups, such as Cofely, Fenice, Siram, there is a plethora of small and very small operators who for many years have lived on the essentially bureaucratic activities to obtain white certificates. There shouldn't be any more space in the future for this type of operator. On the other hand, the few who are qualified have systematic problems of undercapitalization and project financing and for them it is almost forced to sell or enter into partnerships with more financially sound groups.
In short, as foreseen and hoped by CESEF, the sector has embarked on a path of growth; an undoubtedly positive trend: in order to carry out effective energy rationalization interventions, artisanal approaches are no longer enough but a significant industrial evolution is needed which also passes through the dimensional and qualitative growth of the operators. The hope is that these operations will lead to an enhancement of the strong specialist technical and planning skills of the ESCOs and not to their dispersion and debasement through the implementation of simple and standardized interventions.
