Smart metering, the first step towards energy efficiency
The first and most important step to save energy and increase energy efficiency in your company is to know your existing consumption. If you can’t measure, you can’t improve!
Smart metering is the modern solution for monitoring energy consumption, recording and remotely transmitting consumption data at a frequency that can be preset, and at the same time storing consumption information and other parameters for a long period of time.
Various studies prove that the average savings achieved by economic operators through smart metering of energy consumed can be up to 30%, with an average saving of 12%.
Smart metering, i.e. the installation of meters to monitor consumption remotely, is a great advantage in particular due to the fact that all smart meters are able to transmit data instantaneously, which allows better management of tariff plans.
When it comes to energy efficiency aspects, it is not only cost savings that can be achieved, but especially the possibility to perform energy balance calculations and the detection of unmeasured loads and measurement errors. It is also useful to be able to detect energy losses, which may indicate a future malfunction.
Based on consumption monitoring using smart meters it is possible to make consumption estimates as well as reductions in electricity consumption.
By implementing comprehensive energy management solutions it is possible to both reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency in various aspects such as:
- Improving energy efficiency in industrial facilities by allocating energy consumption and costs to each task
- Easily perform energy balance calculations and set up alerts to detect unmeasured loads, possible measurement errors, and the efficiency and condition of transformers
- Energy loss detection, useful for both energy saving and preventive maintenance
- Peak load prevention and power factor reduction from overload, from the facility level to the load level
- Baseline calculation of energy consumption, normalized to operating and environmental conditions (such as temperature or a given workload), to enable correct implementation of energy-saving measures and energy-efficient equipment
Fitting smart meters is useful for all companies that want to achieve energy efficiency and then, most importantly, monitor it to ensure that it stays within the set limits. For this purpose there is equipment and associated software for remote monitoring.
Smart metering is intended, under the 2020 Directive, for EU Member States to ensure the implementation of smart metering systems that contribute to the active participation of consumers in the electricity supply market.
