ISO 50007:2017

Overview

ISO 50007:2017 - Energy services - Guidelines for the assessment and improvement of the energy service to users - provides best-practice guidance for energy service providers on how to assess, measure and improve the quality of energy services delivered to users. The standard treats energy service broadly to include both energy supply/generation and distribution and advice or improvements related to energy efficiency. It focuses on user needs and expectations and promotes consistent terminology, assessment criteria and performance improvement practices.

Key topics and requirements

ISO 50007:2017 covers practical elements that help standardize and improve interactions between providers and users:

• Common language and definitions for stakeholders to reduce misunderstandings and enable comparable assessments.
• Key components and characteristics of energy service relating to access, provision, continuity, coverage, pricing, quality and billing.
• Energy efficiency services: guidance on services aimed at improving user energy performance and how they should be presented and assessed.
• Assessment criteria for evaluating service aspects (access, repairs, continuity, billing clarity and accuracy, customer contacts).
• Performance indicators: introduction to indicator systems, example indicators and variables, and guidance on quality of information.
• Performance improvement: methods for monitoring, testing, auditing and updating indicator systems.
• User engagement and education: guidance on providing information, handling complaints, and training users to understand services.
• Environmental protection and safety considerations as they relate to energy services.

The standard explicitly excludes topics such as the design/construction of production, transmission and distribution systems, management structures for provider operations or ESCO-specific services, and energy services inside building systems.

Practical applications - who uses ISO 50007

ISO 50007 is useful for:

• Energy utilities and suppliers aiming to improve customer service quality and transparency.
• Energy service companies (excluding ESCO-specific technical methods) and consultants designing user-facing programs.
• Regulators and policy-makers evaluating service performance and consumer protection.
• Customer relations, billing and operations teams seeking standardized assessment criteria and performance indicators.
• Organizations developing training or communication materials to increase user understanding of energy services.

Related standards

• ISO 50001 (Energy management systems) - complementary for organizational energy performance management and continual improvement.
• Other ISO consumer protection and service-quality guidance may be used alongside ISO 50007 for comprehensive user-focused programs.

Keywords: ISO 50007, energy services, energy service assessment, energy efficiency services, performance indicators, energy service providers.