ISO 50045:2019

Overview

ISO 50045:2019 - Technical guidelines for the evaluation of energy savings of thermal power plants provides a practical, standards-based framework for assessing energy savings of existing thermal power generating units (TPGUs). Applicable to fossil-fuel-fired boilers, steam turbines, gas turbines and combined-cycle or combined heat-and-power (CHP) systems, the standard covers principles, indexes, component efficiency assessment, analysis procedures and reporting for evaluating energy performance improvement actions (EPIAs). Results can be used to estimate saving potential or to verify fulfilment of energy savings contract guarantees (e.g., energy performance contracting).

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Applies to existing TPGUs burning coal, oil, natural gas or similar fossil fuels for electricity generation or cogeneration.
  • Results are for evaluating potential savings or contractual verification; not intended for inter-TPGU savings comparisons.
• Evaluation principles and indexes
  • Defines evaluation indices and fuel-equivalent accounting concepts to compare energy types consistently.
  • Introduces fuel equivalent consumption rate metrics for generation and supply.
• Unit/component efficiency
  • Guidance on assessing efficiency and energy balance of major components:
    • Boilers: boundaries, energy balance and efficiency calculation considerations.
    • Steam turbine/generator efficiency assessment.
    • Gas turbines: guidance for simple-cycle and combined-cycle systems.
  • Considers auxiliary equipment and pipe/steam transmission efficiency.
• Calculation methods
  • Procedures for calculating fuel equivalent and consumption rates; parameters of interest are specified (the standard does not mandate specific test methods or instruments).
• Analyses, M&V and reporting
  • Stepwise procedure for performance evaluation, determination of energy savings and energy savings income.
  • Reporting structure covering project overview, current equipment status, influencing factors and suggested measures.
• Constraints
  • ISO 50045 does not prescribe sampling, fuel analysis, emissions control additives testing or the precise measurement instruments to be used; it specifies parameters to consider and points to other documents for applicable procedures.

Practical applications and users

• Energy managers and plant engineers assessing retrofit or optimization projects
• ESCOs and auditors performing measurement and verification (M&V) for energy performance contracting
• Consultants and financiers evaluating project viability and guaranteed savings
• Regulators and policy makers establishing evaluation frameworks for thermal power plant efficiency
• Useful for planning EPIAs, benchmarking component-level improvements and preparing verification reports

Related standards and references

• ISO 17741, ISO 17743, ISO 2314, ISO 10987, ISO 14452 and other ISO/IEC terminologies cited in the document inform terms, heating value definitions and related procedures.
• ISO 50045 complements national and industry test standards by specifying evaluation parameters and reporting requirements while pointing to applicable measurement procedures elsewhere.

Keywords: ISO 50045:2019, thermal power plants, energy savings evaluation, TPGU, boiler efficiency, turbine efficiency, gas turbine, combined cycle, fuel equivalent, energy performance improvement (EPIA), measurement and verification (M&V).