Energy Service Companies in the Building Sector — A Review of International and Chinese Experience

Since the oil crisis of the 1970s, a business model known as energy service company (ESCO) or energy performance contracting (EPC) has been practiced in many countries to help identify and realize opportunities in energy conservation and energy efficiency. ESCOs have met with varying degrees of success in different countries and sectors, indicating the existence of important barriers to its wider application. To shed some lights on what the future may hold for the ESCO industry, this report reviews the current status of ESCOs in the United States, China, the European Union, and Japan, including the characteristics, business models, the supporting policies, and the main barriers to their further development.