The right energy management system in Alaska (AK) will help you lower your electric bills and make you competitive in today’s highly competitive market. Energy management reduces energy costs and can improve the effectiveness of your business. Read on as we illustrate a few things to consider to ensure you choose the right energy management system for your business.
Know your requirements
You need to understand the energy flows that you want to monitor so that you can choose the best solution to deploy. Do you wish to measure and record electricity consumption data only or do you also want to monitor the use of thermal fuel such as oil or gas consumption? Do you want specific circuits and areas to be monitored? Do you wish the solution to integrate existing energy monitoring systems?
Consider real-time data
You need to ask your supplier about the type of data that will be available from your solution of choice. Some energy monitoring solutions will provide only data after 15 minutes on your facility or building as this is straightforward to collect from the energy utility meters. There are other solutions that offer better granularity on energy usage data collection when it comes to electricity consumption, offering real-time data on a site-wide basis and also by circuit or area. This type of data offers better scope for identifying saving opportunities.
Don’t go for monitoring alone
When choosing energy management systems, do not just consider monitoring alone. The solution should also do more than just display energy data on a yearly, monthly, weekly or daily basis. The solution should also offer cloud-based solutions that can be accessed from any device. You also need to consider the customer care services provided and whether the solution can automatically identify the biggest energy consumers and help you discover energy-saving opportunities.
Match the energy management system to your expertise
It is crucial to understand who will be using your energy management solution. Are the users looking for a complete system that offers control of appliances and equipment? These solutions can be over-specified, complex and sometimes very expensive for most people to use. A solution that is intuitive to use will allow you to monitor the usage of energy in the areas you want.
Label circuits before you install
You should ensure that all energy flows are monitored and correctly labelled before installation. This is very important to ensure you get reliable data.
Understand the installation requirements
You need to ask your supplier if there will be any business disruption during the installation process and ensure that the installation is done by a certified and professional installer.
Engage with the solution
If you want to get the most out of your energy management systems AK, it is crucial to engage with your solution. Will you have enough time to use the solution? Will you understand energy data and will you need support? Will you be capable of using the data to save energy? If your answer is no then it is best to work with a qualified service provider.
