Many organizations are adopting active utility management plans for reasons ranging from saving money to being more environmentally responsible. These businesses use KWH meters to monitor and regulate their electrical usage.
Build An Energy Profile
The first step is to create a picture of your company's energy usage. This involves more than just reviewing utility bills for the last year. You need to know now just how much energy is being used, but when and where are the largest loads on the system.
Strategically placed KWH meters provide readings on how much energy is being used by a piece of equipment or even an entire building. By checking and logging these readings over the course of a day, managers get an idea of how the organization's energy demands change. They uncover the energy hogs that may be driving up company expenses unnecessarily. As more meters are placed, finer details of energy usage can be brought into the profile. Soon managers will have a baseline for current company electrical demands and once they have that they can start making changes.
Balance Loads
Utility companies charge higher rates during peak hours to reduce the strain on their electrical generation systems. Companies can use this to their advantage to shift their usage patterns to use more energy during off-peak hours and save the company money. This can have a double benefit since peak hours are usually during the hottest part of the day. Reduced energy usage means less heat generated, less cooling needed, and less energy used.
Of course the needs of the company need to be considered as well. If equipment is needed during peak hours, it doesn't matter how much energy the KWH meter says it uses. However in many cases certain operations can be shifted to morning or evening shifts to distribute the load and save money.
Prepare For Alternate Energy
Some organizations are taking energy management a step further by installing their own alternative energy generators such as solar panels. The dropping cost of alternative energy technologies combined with state and federal government cash and tax incentives has made investment in alternative energy an appealing option for many businesses.
Planning for energy generation requires information on how much energy is needed and when. With the information from KWH meters, companies can determine how much energy is needed during prime daylight hours and decide how large a solar installation is necessary. Armed with this data, a financial analysis will determine the ROI on such a venture and whether such an investment is a smart use of the company's money.
However before implementing new plans for load balancing and solar panel installation, companies must start with baseline data on their energy consumption. A few inexpensive KWH meters are a cost effective start to a comprehensive energy management plant.
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