Energy crisis and rising energy cost are two important factors affecting today’s businesses. In order to fulfill the rising demand, more power generation plants are being planned and the cost thereof is recovered from consumers in form of higher energy costs. Conventional energy sources like coal & oil are getting exhausted faster than expected and alternative sources of power turn out to be more costly.
DID YOU KNOW?
- There is a renewable-energy resource that is perfectly clean, remarkably cheap, surprisingly abundant and immediately available.
- It has potential to reduce the carbon emissions that threaten our planet, our dependency on oil imports that threaten our economy, and energy costs that threaten our wallets.
- It does not pollute, does not depend on weather, does not inflate prices and does not take a decade to build.
This miracle resource is better known across the world by the distinctively boring name of “Energy Efficiency”. It turns out that it is much less expensive, less destructive and less time-intensive to reduce demand through efficiency than to increase supply through new drilling or new power plants.
Energy Efficiency is appropriately considered today as the 5th Fuel to serve our increasing energy requirement.
Energy efficiency has today become the largest energy source. It is bigger than OIL, and much bigger than WIND, SOLAR, HYDROELECTRIC POWER & BIO-FUELS combined.
The utilization of this “5th Fuel” is green, possible and profitable.
As they say, a penny saved is penny earned, in power context, it is well know fact that a unit (of electricity i.e. KWh) saved is equivalent to 2.5 to 3 units generated.
“DO NOT Estimate when you can calculate”
“DO NOT Calculate when you can Measure”
But, …..YOU CAN’T MANAGE …WHAT YOU CAN’T MEASURE.
And, that is why, a new Breed of SMART METERS, Smart Appliances, Smart Sensors & Smart Interfacing & Communication Devices are evolving to enable utilities, organizations & consumers to Measure, Monitor, Audit & Control their Energy Consumption Patterns n devise their respective Energy Conservation/ Efficiency Strategies.
At the heart of the worldwide rollout of Smart Meters and the construction of a Smart Grid Network Infrastructure, lies the goal of Energy Efficiency from the Generation, Transmission and Distribution to the End Consumer of the Electricity.
Governments worldwide are mandating improved Energy Efficiency, requiring an investment in the new Smart grid and Smart Energy Management Structure. The goal is to create a smart grid that will change the way power is deployed for sustainable energy around the world.
The Key Economic & Social Driver for “SMART GRID” Initiatives Globally is nothing but “Energy Efficiency”. “Smart Grid Technology” is Integration of Communication, IT and Power Technologies. Smart Grids can also send signals to both power plants and end-users like homes or office buildings, constantly telling them how much energy they are consuming. The power plant can then either cut down the amount of power it generates or the end user can cut down its consumption accordingly.
It will transform the way we use Energy.
You can monitor your Air Conditioners, Lights, Televisions and other Appliances in real time through smart grid technology. Just by optimizing the uses, smart meters can help reduce power consumption by more than 15 percent. This is very important for the energy-deficient countries like India. Nearly one-third Indians have no access to power. Frequent power cut is a regular phenomenon even in the metros like New Delhi and Mumbai. At peak hours, power deficit rises to nearly 20 percent in major parts of the country. This highlights the need to use innovative measures to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
Of the total Electricity consumption globally, 19% share is for Lighting, amounting to 2650 TWh, out of which 31% is consumed in homes & balance 69% is consumed in commercial & industrial applications.
1.4 Billion people still have no electricity globally. They use 77 Billion Liters of Kerosene only for lighting annually; causing 190 million Tons of CO2 emitted which would be equivalent to emission from 50 million cars.
Imagine, if the effort to conserve the energy consumption result in 20% aggregate saving; it would mean that we shall be able to light up the lives of those 1.4 Billion people, and, may not need to add any generation capacity for next few years.
On the cost of smart meters & other such devices, the new technology is initially bound to cost more, as it is not yet mass-produced. Cost will, of course, be higher, but the savings in electricity bill will more than compensate it. The governments are likely to incentivise the use of Smart Meters at homes, enabling users to monitor their power consumptions in real time and save on electricity bills by over 15 percent.
Demand Side Management and Energy Efficiency:
As per recent regulations, the costs towards setting up demand side management programmes can be passed on to consumers through tariffs. With the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency under the National Action Plan for Climate Change also laying emphasis on DSM, quite a many utilities are exploring the use of energy-efficient devices and strategies for managing demand and flattening the load curve.
Energy Efficiency in Commercial & Industrial Segments:
Different segments of Industry & Business are trying to evolve different Strategies to reduce the Power Consumption with their own set of Business Drivers & Technology Drivers. Energy Cost is one of major component of OPEX for most of businesses & industries that does not directly contribute to the growth or profit.
In a typical organization, there are several departments and areas each having its own consumption pattern. It is important to understand these patterns and address them properly to gain energy efficiency. The key to a successful energy efficiency program lies in the control you have over your energy consumption.
The 1st Step:
If you want to
- Introduce an energy saving program
- Reduce utility costs & carbon footprint
- Monitor effectiveness of existing campaign
Then you will need accurate data to
- Understand consumption patterns
- Identify and focus on energy wastage
- Monitor the effectiveness of your actions
Online Energy Monitoring:
Identifying the key energy consumption and wastage areas of your organization is your first step towards achieving energy efficiency.
You need new n comprehensive Online Energy Monitoring Solutions for accurate real-time monitoring, recording and reporting of energy and utilities usage.
A solution, that lets you create information base for overall energy conservation program, to improve facilities operation and maintenance practices and above all optimize Energy Costs.
A system that enables you to access a range of real-time and historical data including voltage, current per phase, frequency, power factor, power and energy. With this data you can gain an accurate understanding of your usage patterns. A solution, which also provides, you with the ability to produce graphical trend reports. Any irregularities in usage patterns could be highlighted in the graphs for further investigation.
Advantages of Online Energy Monitoring:
- Monitoring & capturing of Dynamic Load Patterns
- Immediate data during Adds, Moves & changes
- Comparative Consumption Analysis across various timelines like hour, day, week etc.
- Maximum Control over accountability
- Factual Data Analysis for Informed Decisions
- Basis for adoption of Appropriate Control Strategy
Some vital catalysts enabling the Society to take full advantage of the“5th Fuel”: ENERGY EFFICIENCY include the New Generation of Smart Meters, Communication &Interfacing Devices like:
- Smart Plugs
- Din Rail & Penal Mount Smart Meters
- Home Area Networks
- Home Energy Gateways
- Data Concentrators
- Grid Routers
- Smart Sensors
- Smart Breakers….
…enabled by Communication Technologies like ZigBee, PLCC, MODBUS, ETHERNET GPRS/3G etc. and Comprehensive Suites of Energy Monitoring, Audit & Management Softwares.
Countries across the globe are adapting “Continuous Energy Monitoring” or “Sub-Metering”, as a part of the green initiative. Studies have shown that through online monitoring and control, energy consumption in organizations may be reduced by up to 20%.
Some of the major energy guzzler industry segments have already started very strong initiatives to curtail their consumption by implementing green initiatives. Three sectors, who are leading this drive being: “TELECOM”, “IT” & “Hospitality” Industry.
Another approach that can reduce your carbon footprint as well as your electricity bills is adoption of new breed of highly energy efficient equipment and appliances, enabled by the latest technological developments in their respective fields. Today,
It is high time; we put in perspective, the importance of “ENERGY EFFICIENCY” being touted as the 5th Fuel & “the green fuel” today.
We need to appreciate & accept the changing role of Energy Meters & Metering in context of Smart Grid, AMI, Energy Crisis (because of Depleting Conventional Natural Resources) and Green Initiatives of the Society & different segments of Industry & Business.
And, how different new types of Smart Meters, Smart Metering Solutions, and Smart Energy Auditing/Monitoring Softwares & Solutions backed by Innovative Integration of communication technologies and supporting Smart Devices like Smart Sensors, Smart Appliances & Smart Breakers etc. are helping evolve a seamless and ubiquitous eco system to monitor, audit/manage and hence control Energy Consumption of all categories of Electricity Consumers.
Last but not the least, if we want India to remain a key participant in global “energy efficiency” movement and a hot destination for buying the carbon credits, then, Indian “Energy Industry” has to be prepared to meet the new environmental and social impositions and yet offer quality and a competitive price. Our Energy Industry has to believe in & ENSURE the Principle of Sustainable Development, which makes us responsible and accountable to “Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. Environment and Social considerations have influenced business environment of the Global Industrial Sector, bringing to fore some new Regulations & Compliances to be practiced by the members of all the ECO-SYSTEMS, including but not limited to:
- Restriction on Hazardous Substances (“The RoHS Regulations”)
- Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (“The WEEE Regulations”)
- Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation & Control) Rule (ODS rule), 2000 –Montreal Protocol
To meet such Challenges, compliances and obligations, we have to merely add a touch of GREEN to our outlook to each aspect of the Energy Efficiency from the Generation, Transmission and Distribution to the End Consumer of the Electricity Eco-System. We need to explore ways to make our DESIGNS, SYSTEMS, and PRODUCTS & PROCESSES Eco-Friendly and Carbon-Neutral to make our WORLD a little more GREEN.
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