Sub-metering and EMS software to obtain Certificati Bianchi
In Italy, only measured energy savings qualify for Certificati Bianchi.
This article concerns companies located in Italy.
Certificati Bianchi, or energy efficiency certificates, reward the energy savings of Italian companies. Each certificate corresponds to one tonne of oil equivalent (TOE) saved. In April 2026, it traded at an average of 254 euros on the GME market (the Italian energy market operator). The company must prove its savings with reliable measurements, before and after the works. Lynx sub-meters and Wattseeker software meet this requirement.
Certificates issued for measured savings
For most industrial projects, the GSE (the public body that reviews applications and certifies savings) applies the so-called a consuntivo method. Savings are calculated by comparing post-works consumption with a reference consumption, the baseline, according to a measurement programme approved in advance.
A project must generate at least 10 TOE in its first year of monitoring. The application is submitted by a company with an ISO 50001-certified energy management system, a certified energy service company or a certified energy management expert.
Building the baseline with Lynx sub-meters
The baseline requires at least twelve months of measurements prior to the project, at least daily. The site's main meter is not enough. The measurement programme must isolate the project scope, a compressor or an extrusion line for example, and exclude the effect of other actions carried out on the site.
The Lynx-E electrical sub-meter measures each feeder and is installed live, without interrupting production. Data is logged in real time, at one-minute intervals, far finer than the required daily interval.
For other energies, the Lynx+ fluid sub-meter extends measurement to gas, water or compressed air. Installed one year before the works, these connected sub-meters produce the baseline required by the scheme.
Normalising consumption with Wattseeker
The GSE compares consumption for an equivalent service delivered. The project owner must therefore identify the variables that influence consumption, such as production volume or load factor, measure them and include them in the calculation. If normalisation is not possible, the GSE uses a market reference consumption, which is generally less favourable.
Wattseeker aggregates the site's energy and production data. Its analysis modules establish correlations between consumption and activity level, up to multi-factor regressions. The software also calculates savings according to IPMVP, the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol, which neutralises the effects of activity or weather. The normalisation model required by the GSE is then based on data that is already structured.
Measuring instruments that meet GSE requirements
For electricity, GSE documentation requires accuracy class B under the European standard IEC EN 50470 on electricity meters, i.e. an error below 1%, or an equivalent class.
The Lynx-E complies with IEC 61557-12, the standard governing industrial power metering devices, as established by the Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais (French national metrology and testing laboratory).
Reporting to the GSE every year
After the works, measurement continues at an interval at least as fine as that of the baseline. Each year, the project owner sends the GSE a reporting file within 120 days of the end of the monitoring period. For each interval, it states the measured consumption, the operating variables, the recalculated baseline and the savings achieved.
Wattseeker exports all data at the chosen time interval and generates automatic reports. The GSE can audit the project throughout its useful life, up to ten years. The history stored on the platform then serves as supporting evidence in the event of an inspection.
