Energy Monitor
Electricity supply is fundamental in all business and production processes, such as in department stores where they are expected to maintain their lighting, cash registers and other equipment that are critical to store operation. However, in order to make sure your store is energy efficient, it is important to have an energy management system in place to monitor energy usage for equipment, sectors in the store, HVAC units, compressors, etc.
Monitoring energy usage in commercial applications is a field that has arisen due to the need for industry to have a knowledge of the machinery that is being used, and know exactly what the real power consumption is for each process and equipment. An energy management system is better than hiring energy consultants because it is a system that monitors 24/7 and does not have human error. In addition, once a consultant has finished their review of your facility, he leaves and you have a big pile of statistics and recommendations that seem overwhelming. With an energy management system, you choose the reports you want to see, what loads you want to compare, dates, locations, square footage of facility etc. You only get a report on what is critical for that day and information that is useful for the project you are undertaking.
How Does the Energy Management System Work?
The system measures energy use in all electrical loads, including compressors, lighting, heating, and air conditioning. Custom email messages can alert the Energy Manager of abnormal usage or motor failure. The energy management system can predict the energy use for the next day. This ensures that the user only receives an email about the use of abnormal power.
Custom designed email messages can alert the Energy Manager of abnormal energy usage or a pending motor failure.
The advantages of using a energy monitoring systems to control electricity consumption, is to know what equipment is consuming more energy, if any equipment is malfunctioning, as well as automatic control of HVAC, refrigeration, etc.
Examples of the loads that can be monitored in a store are:
Low Temp. Compressors
Med Temp Compressors
Main HVAC (Heating / Cooling)
Sub HVAC
Deli Department
Bakery Department
Sales Lighting
Décor Lighting
Cooler Lighting / Fans
Sales Floor Lighting
Parking Lot Lights
Main Ovens
Water Consumption
Gas/Oil Consumption
Energy Monitoring Improves Profits
Every good business owner or manager is always on the lookout for ways to save money. One of the highest expenses for most businesses is their monthly energy bill. Energy rates typically rise every year. It’s becoming more important for companies to find ways to reduce their energy usage.
Fortunately, there is a proven method for doing so: energy management systems. The web based energy monitoring software allows remote access to the crucial data for energy savings in different locations.
The system is built to monitor up to 17 sub-loads per module. All within a single facility. This is to better detect energy leaks, and provide benchmark reports, bill verification, and be alerted when abnormal energy usage occurs
Notification & Alerts!
Alerts and notifications can be setup to notify you via email if loads are not running. Or if a load exceeds kWh usage, if loads are running outside operating hours, or if a failure occurred.
Ways To Reduce Your Power Bill
Another way of greatly reducing your power bill would be to switch to a renewable energy solution. Such as a parabolic dish system.
Parabolic solar concentrators can power AC systems and provide consistent hot water for businesses. Commercial units can produce up to 12kW of solar heating per hour at 90C. Solar energy is cost-effective and eco-friendly for businesses when managed properly.
What is Demand Usage?
Load shedding reduces demand usage in a facility, cutting energy usage up to 20%. Demand charges can make up over 50% of total power bills, so controlling demand is an attractive option to reduce costs.
Demand usage is the total amount of electricity being used by a consumer during a defined time period. By performing demand control, huge savings can be achieved.
Demand varies from hour to hour, day to day and season to season. This usage that is expressed in kilowatts (not kilowatt-hours) and is called the demand peak on the system.
The utility records demand over a 15-minute time period. The company is charged for the highest 15-minute usage recorded on the demand meter. After the utility reads the meter each month, demand is reset to zero and the meter starts over, recording the highest 15-minute usage for the next billing period. You will see this charge on your power bill.
- kva charge
- kWh charge (not kW)
- Demand charge
- Demand usage
How Does Load Shedding Work?
The Maximum Demand Controller helps reduce peak demand in buildings by monitoring and measuring usage every 5 minutes. It automatically sheds load when a peak is detected. See below for what can be connected to it for optimal demand control.
- Compressors
- Fan Motors (with variable speed systems)
- Electric Heaters
- Pumps
- Air Conditioners & Other
- Demand Usage Reporting
