And more importantly, why it’s crucial to the future success of your business?
The latest government figures show that businesses consume 31% of the total energy used in the UK, second only to the transportation sector . Although our energy intensity (energy consumed per unit output) has shrunk dramatically this millennium, organisations still have a way to go in reducing their carbon footprint and realising the huge cost savings that can be made through effective energy management.
As climate change becomes a real and present danger, governments will surely look to increase the pressure on businesses to reduce their energy use and move to carbon-free sources. Taxes, such as the Climate Change Levy and the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme here in the UK, are already increasing the cost of energy, and with increasing regulatory control this is surely just the beginning. Establishing a reliable and robust energy management system will save money today and future proof your business for the energy challenges of the future.
Put simply, energy management is:
Only when businesses have a complete understanding of their energy use across their processes, for every energy centre, machine and HVAC appliance. Only when they understand the seasonal changes and daily nuances of their working environment can a true picture of energy usage be established. This data is the driving force behind the effective decisions that will bring about the greatest cost savings.
In defining your optimum energy environment, you create your efficiency target. Certain conditions of temperature, light, pressure or humidity may have to be met, depending on the nature of your business, and these need to be quantified. Working conditions need to be comfortable, but there will always be areas where improvements can be made.
By understanding the data, plant inefficiencies can be found. Where capital investment is required to upgrade to more efficient systems, payback terms can be identified.
The human element shouldn’t be underestimated either. Whether it be a light left on, heaters overused, machines run inefficiently or maintenance opportunities missed, a good energy management system will use the data from every machine, appliance and process to identify energy savings.
We see the same pattern time and time again. The more central the control, the more extensive the energy savings. The most effective energy management systems combine frequent and exhaustive data feeds with remote control. Multiple systems, across all sites, can be controlled from one location, with zonal autonomy maintained by disabling local adjustment.
Maintenance schedules can be planned ahead to minimise downtime, faults can be diagnosed and issues resolved so that machine life is extended.
Once energy management is embedded, businesses start to see a clear map of their site, with all the seasonal rhythms and daily flows becoming more predictable as energy efficiency changes are realised. Spikes in usage will indicate particular problems and a more targeted approach to energy savings can be made.
Energy management is fundamental to many large organisations. It forms a key part of continuous improvement plans, corporate responsibility strategies and financial forecasting. On average, our clients report objectively verifiable savings on their energy costs of up to 50%, and significantly reduce their carbon emissions.
As well as efficiency savings and fine tuning of machines and processes, energy management can highlight investment opportunities such as renewable energy installation, water recycling and waste to energy production.
No other business process can deliver such widespread benefits:
Discover more about bespoke energy management solutions for your business.
We have over 19 years of experience in building bespoke energy management systems across all industry sectors. Our proprietary, cloud-based, technology drives business efficiencies, reduces energy consumption, and realises your corporate and social responsibility strategy.
