In Industrial Automation, the energy audit, or energy analysis, consists in verifying and optimizing the energy efficiency of a production plant. In other words, it’s aimed to collect information about the real energy consumption during production processes and corporate activities,so as to allow clients to take the necessary measures in order to improve the situation. In fact, today, as highlighted by the fifth edition of the Energy Efficiency Report, energy efficiency must be considered as “action priority” for the sustainability of our industry. That is why ESA Automation has developed a range of Smart Meter and Data Manager solutions.
How to do an energy audit
Most of the companies specialized in energy consultancy are ESCO, that is societies that operate energy efficiency interventions on production processes and industrial infrastructures. In fact, final customers must turn to these subjects or to EGEs (Energy Management Experts) in order to do an energy audit. It’s their job to look for and start partnerships with providers of the technological solutions for monitoring and collecting data about energy consumption. Once contacted by the client, the ESCOs or the EGEs intervene by installing a monitoring system that allows them to get all the necessary information to create a complete energy profile of the production and/or corporate plant. Energy audit today is not a simple strategic advantage that guarantees maximum optimization, but a real obligation for all “energivorous” companies. The 4th of July 2014 Legislative Decree (in force since July 19, 2014) forces companies that present great consumptions to make a first energy analysis within the 5th December 2015. The results of such analysis must then be delivered to ENEA (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development).
Economical advantages of the energy audit for companies
The fact that it’s an obligation doesn’t mean that it’s not an opportunity for companies. In fact, it is a huge opportunity! Energy efficiency is not only important from an environmental point of view, but it is also an economical benefit which has a positive impact on any company balances. This is the reason why doing the energy audit is a crucial strategic move. First of all, it allows you to verify that the amount of energy consumed doesn’t exceed the necessary. And this is the only way to have a complete and true picture of the real productivity of any plant. Second, it makes you find out possible problems or malfunctioning, in order to avoid power peaks and other situation of energy waste.
ESA Automation solutions for the energy audit
Due to the impact of energy efficiency in the industrial field, ESA Automation has created a range of solutions for the continuous and distributed monitoring of energy consumption. Once installed, without any expensive or invasive operation, Esaware Smart Meters start collecting information about the energy efficiency of the plant and make it available for its management (through cable or wireless network). Smart Meters are controlled by our Data Manager, which, thanks to the HTML5 technology based software Energyaware, historicizes these data, so that they become available in real time or in differentiated time through an extremely advanced WEB interface that includes graphical and tabular representations. And that’s not all! With ESCOs in mind, ESA Automation has also created the kit ESCO: a solution that includes a base measurement framework and an extension measurement framework, which provides all you need to start a complete energy analysis. As you have read, energy audit is a true investment for any company, with great incomings both economical and in terms of sustainability. Share this article and find out more about Esaware solutions for energy management. For further information click here.