Comparative Study of an Energy Information System and Energy Management System According to ISO 50001

Energy management, especially in communities, is attracting growing interest but is often marred by confusion between the terms “energy information system” (EIS) and “energy management system” (EMS). This ambiguity hinders understanding of their uses and roles in improving energy performance. Our objective is to clarify these terms and their contributions to energy management. We used a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the criteria of definition, objective, functionality, and role, as well as correlated elements, such as organizational structure, responsibilities, planning, and policy, according to the requirements of ISO 50001, in addition to criteria specific to the two systems. The study revealed differences in the roles of the EIS and the EMS, with a complementarity of 40% between the two systems depending on the positioning of the EIS in relation to the elements of the EMS process. The EIS plays a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of the EMS according to ISO 50001. This clarification contributes to a better understanding of the respective roles of these systems in energy management, thus helping communities to improve their energy performance in an effective manner.