ENERGY MANAGEMENT & OPTIMISATION
New data era set to transform I&C energy landscape
The Ofgem- mandated Market- wide Half-Hourly settlement (MWHH) reform planned for implementation before 2025 looks set to transform the energy landscape for industrial and commercial (I&C) energy users
T
his new era will deliver half-hourly energy data, through data collectors and aggregators such as Energy Assets, and will enable business
users not only to analyse their consumption patterns but to negotiate customised ‘time-of- use’ tariffs with suppliers. David Sing, Energy Assets Group managing director (Assets), believes that I&C users will be better placed than ever before to leverage the value of data to optimise energy performance, bear down on cost and reduce their carbon footprint. “Half-hourly meter reads enable businesses and public service organisations to collect and analyse consumption data in granular detail,” said Mr Sing. “Harnessing the power of data through automated monitoring and analytics will open up opportunities to implement energy efficiency strategies, influence consumption profiles and potentially reward organisations for shifting some processes and operations off-peak.”
Focusing on fundamentals
To leverage the power of data, Mr Sing says organisations must “focus on getting the fundamentals right.”
This means:
• Checking effectiveness of automated meter reading systems and sub-metering arrangements to ensure core consumption data is captured in granular detail • Ensuring half-hourly energy data is collected, monitored and analysed through advanced AM&T portals, such as WebAnalyser • Establishing ‘standard’ consumption profiles for each building in a portfolio, and setting automated alerts for unusual patterns of behaviour
Getting these basics right will not only bear down on cost at a time
of spiralling energy bills, they will also become increasingly important as enablers for carbon reduction strategies and actions linked to Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) targets. “However, the challenge for managers, and particularly those in medium-sized enterprises, will know how best to make sense of these huge volumes of data,” said David Sing.
“The good news is automatic monitoring and targeting systems can easily be customised to receive and analyse half-hourly data to provide managers with granular performance trends and alarms linked to unusual consumption patterns.”
AFE Group:
Harnessing the power of data and people
When it comes to energy efficiency, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional cooking, bakery
and refrigeration equipment has developed a recipe for success. AFE Group, which employs 1,500 people over 15 sites, has identified a sweet spot for optimising energy performance by harnessing gas and electricity data with people power. The result is year- on-year energy performance improvements on the road to Net Zero, supported by metering and data services from Energy Assets. AFE operates multiple manufacturing, service and contracting centres across Britain – each with distinctive energy profiles. So, the Group provides each site with the autonomy and the tools they need to manage their individual energy footprint. “As a business, we have a clear aim to lead by example when it comes to optimising energy consumption and operating sustainably,” says AFE Group chief executive Tim Smith.
“This means not only monitoring and measuring the energy we use in granular detail, but also creating a workforce trained and empowered to take responsibility for consumption.” Through a 10-year partnership with Energy Assets, the company receives half-hourly electricity and gas data through automated meter reading systems. This data feeds into the
WebAnalyser monitoring and reporting platform, enabling AFE to compare actual performance versus benchmark parameters and to measure the impact of any process improvements. The tool also enables the company to track the impact of its solar renewables investment on energy costs and carbon emissions.
Mr Smith says: “At one level, the dashboard quickly enables us to take the ‘pulse’ of energy consumption by day, week, month or over the course of a year and compare it to ‘standard’ operating conditions. At another level, we can dive much deeper into data to validate and analyse usage and spot unusual consumption patterns.
20 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2022
“The ultimate aim is to operate as efficiently as possible, to minimise our environmental impact and to make good our pledge to work towards Net Zero.”
Leveraging the power of people While data provides the hard operational evidence – and helps drive AFE’s ESOS actions - it is staff engagement that creates the momentum for success. Each business unit nominates an Energy Champion to drive energy and sustainability improvements aligned to targets. This includes a daily energy walk to eradicate waste, identify inefficient equipment usage and flag poor energy habits. In addition, every colleague
receives an AFE Guide to Energy Management. This demonstrates how even small efficiency gains can enhance the bottom line, support customer sustainability goals and mitigate environmental impact. Regular energy audits also identify areas for improvements, tagged with potential financial and carbon benefits.
Mr Smith says: “Our data focus, together with staff training, progress bulletins and regular audits, gives our people the information and tools they need to support our energy consumption goals. Our aim is to create a culture in which everyone can be an active contributor to our group-wide Greenlogic energy efficiency, waste reduction and sustainability initiative.”
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