Energy Information Systems Facts

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Here are some frequently asked questions and additional facts about energy information systems to help you understand more about the potential for monitoring your facilities or processes.

Utility Monitoring System FAQs

Benefits of Permanently Installed Metering Systems

Utility Monitoring System FAQs

1. What Is A Utility Monitoring System? A Utility Monitoring System consists of meters, sensors, data acquisition systems (remote computers), a communication system to link the meters and sensors to the data acquisition systems, a computer network, or other means of data transmission, and a workstation or file server with EnerTel™ software. These components are integrated into a system which collects, records, displays and analyzes detailed information about building or industrial process energy consumption. The system records the major energy flows (electricity, natural gas, thermal energy) at the building or end-use level at a predetermined frequency.

2. How Will A Building Utility Monitoring System Help Improve The Operation Of An Existing Facility or Process? Utility Monitoring Systems are extremely useful in identifying energy conservation opportunities. Many energy experts believe an energy savings of 10 to 20% per year or more can be achieved by identifying operation and maintenance modifications through monitoring systems such as New Horizon Technologies’ Utility Monitoring System. Verifying equipment efficiency can present additional savings. Utility Monitoring System data can also be used to identify and correct costly power factor or power quality problems.

3. How Can A Building Utility Monitoring System Be Used To Identify Energy Conservation Opportunities? Buildings use more than 30% of our nation’s energy resources and waste large amounts due to ineffective operation and poor design. Energy conservation opportunities are identified by comparing archived “baseline” energy consumption statistics with standards for the building type or industrial process being monitored. These baseline data can also be used in building energy analysis computer simulation programs to predict energy savings. New Horizon Technologies’ engineers have the skills to analyze and interpret the data to identify energy savings opportunities uncovered in Utility Monitoring System data.

4. How Can A Building Utility Monitoring System Be Used To Verify Energy Savings? Savings from an energy conservation retrofit are normally determined by comparing energy consumption after the retrofit with what the consumption would have been if the retrofit had not taken place. Determining savings involves more than simply measuring energy consumption before the retrofit and comparing pre- and post-retrofit consumption. Adjustments must be made to account for differences in weather, building use patterns, occupancy schedules or other factors that influence energy consumption before and after an energy conservation retrofit. New Horizon Technologies’ EnerTel™ energy software provides energy analysis capability to ensure the accurate identification of savings.

5. How Can An Utility Monitoring System Be Used For Billing Or Energy Cost Allocation Purposes? One of the most straight-forward applications for an Utility Monitoring System is to use it for billing or energy cost allocation purposes. While utility-grade revenue meters are not always installed as a component of a Utility Monitoring System, the accuracy of the system as installed is such that it can easily be used for billing or cost allocation purposes. Common applications include determining the energy costs of specific facilities or auxiliary enterprises on university campuses or determining the energy costs for producing certain product lines in an industrial facility.

Benefits of Permanently Installed Metering Systems for Large Scale Energy Users

1. At the premise level in a deregulated energy environment, permanently installed metering systems will be required for real time pricing and load aggregation.

2. At the building or facility level, permanently installed submetering can support building commissioning, operations & maintenance measure identification, energy cost allocation and power quality problem identification and remediation.

3. Permanently installed metering provides continuous feedback rather than "snapshot" measurements. Facility management personnel can be continually aware of a facility’s energy performance and identify problems when they happen, not when an audit or inspection takes place.

4. Building commissioning supported by permanently installed metering systems, shows higher initial energy savings and through "continuous commissioning" these savings have longer persistence.

5. Permanently installed metering systems build long-term customer relationships through the opportunity for frequent customer interaction.

6. Permanently installed metering systems also provide a greater opportunity for the sale of value-added engineering services to customers that use their systems. Customers themselves will generate additional projects.