Energy management is the process of collecting information about where, when, how, and why energy is being used within an organisation, so you can increase efficiency, reduce cost and improve sustainability.
The process usually involves collecting accurate, real-time energy usage data using IoT sensors, analysing this data with software to highlight areas of inefficiency, and taking action based on the results of the analysis.
Energy management projects can yield dramatic savings by highlighting areas of inefficiency so action can be taken. This can reduce the overall amount of energy used within a building, site or company by up to 35%, which reduces cost and the associated environmental impact.
EpiSensor’s IoT platform makes it easy to collect the real-time data that’s essential for any energy management project.
– John Hensey (Managing Director, AKMS)
EpiSensor provides the first ingredient – accurate, granular, real-time data that tells you where and when energy is being used. Data is collected by installing meters, and sub-meters on the main incoming supplies and large energy consumers.
This could be electricity monitors installed on HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) distribution boards, natural gas meters installed on boilers, or water meters installed on a production line.
The objective with this step is to achieve 80-90% ‘coverage’, in other words, that users have a real-time data showing where the majority of their energy is being used.
When the monitoring system is in place, the next task is to analyse and interpret the data, and transform it into useful information. This is typically done using a software tool, which imports the raw data and presents it to a user in a friendly, meaningful format.
Energy management software can be specialised or general purpose, basic or feature rich – EpiSensor’s Industrial IoT platform can export data to a wide variety of these software packages – see our Integrations section for more information.
It is important for this software to have the capability to import data from many sources. You may want to collect data relating to building occupancy, production levels, weather, and other factors that could influence energy usage to generate Key Performance Indicators.
Turning information into meaningful reports requires knowledge of the facility and some expertise in energy management. This work can be done your in-house facilities or engineering teams, or outsourced to consultants.
The role of the energy manager is to interpret the information the energy management software is producing, combine this with knowledge of the organisation or process, set targets and gauge progress towards reaching them.
When energy usage reports are available and responsibility has been assigned to an energy manager, a management process should be put in place to facilitate communication between departments and agree on an action plan that outlines the changes that will be made. Following this process can lead to an reduction in energy usage by up to 35%.
Energy Management Application Note (PDF)
Advantages of EpiSensor for ISO50001
ISO50001 Standard
LEED Certification
Dell IoT Solutions Partners
Accelerated Capital Allowance (IE)
Enhanced Capital Allowance (UK)
Interested in finding our more about our Industrial IoT solutions for energy management?
The benefits of reducing energy usage extend far beyond the financial return. There are many ‘peripheral’ benefits associated with industrial energy management. If you take the example of a data centre – although it is located on one site, it could be serving a much larger part of an organisation. It may be possible to share the associated energy costs by invoicing other business units, and increase the competitiveness of the site that’s hosting the shared resource.
Similarly, if part of a building is sub-let, rather than covering energy costs within an estimate within a monthly rent agreement, you can accurately monitor electricity, water and gas usage and invoice tenants on a weekly or monthly basis.
Our environment is delicate, and we have been burning fossil fuels at an unsustainable rate for hundreds of years, while our demand for energy is increasing. Reducing energy usage reduces the associated environmental impact and improves the sustainability of an organisation. Making your organisation more green not only helps the environment, but can also provide a competitive edge that distinguishes your company. This is especially important for manufacturing organisations – end customers are focusing more on the sustainability the full supply chain when making buying decisions.
If you have real-time visibility of where and when energy is being consumed, this information can also be used for predictive maintenance and to diagnose problems quickly.
EpiSensor’s systems qualify for tax relief schemes such as the Accelerated Capital Allowance in Ireland, the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme in the UK and similar schemes internationally.
