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ENERGY CONSUMPTION


UNLOCKING HIDDEN ENERGY SAVINGS


In this article, David Pownall, VP of Services at Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, explores the areas that can help businesses recognise where, and how, they can save on energy bills


I


n any competitive business landscape, cost-saving strategies are important. But during today’s dual energy and cost-of- living crises, being as efficient as possible with company expenses has become more critical than ever.


Normally, business leaders might jump to typical cost-cutting measures, such as reducing marketing efforts, minimising non- essential spending like social events, and even reconsidering the size of their workforce. But an often-overlooked opportunity for substantial savings, which has little negative impact on the productivity of a business, lies in optimising energy consumption and digitising energy monitoring.


Analysis from a Remote Energy Assessment can show the most common areas in which a business could make savings by reducing energy wastage. The process begins by identifying where waste is taking place and gaining valuable insights into electricity usage patterns to effect change. In other words, energy monitoring.


How does electricity usage influence your business?


Firstly, conducting a utility distribution analysis is essential. Energy use and performance tracking helps you to minimise spending and accomplish net-zero targets by understanding how energy is consumed throughout your facility and proactively detecting abnormal energy usage. Then, you can use energy normalisation tools to monitor energy in the context of production for energy intensity KPI tracking and automatically generate energy performance, carbon reduction, and regulatory compliance reports.


This analysis will not only reveal the sources of your business’s energy consumption but also provide insights into emissions and associated costs. Armed with this data, business leaders can make informed decisions to cut expenses, reduce their


44 MARCH 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL


carbon footprint, and even build a long-term plan to achieve sustainability goals.


Boost business savings


Utility distribution analysis will often uncover areas of energy waste that you might not have even considered. For instance, have you ever thought about the electricity your building might consume when everyone is off shift? For instance, each desktop computer and PC monitor can use up over £6 worth of energy if they’re left on standby overnight over the course of a year. Multiply this by 100 staff, and that’s a £600 annual loss that can be instantly saved with the simple daily flick of a switch.


A thorough analysis of energy consumption data might reveal that the amount of energy the company’s building and equipment are consuming at night is higher than necessary. By optimising and reducing this night load, businesses can make savings. For example, a large business consumes around 100,000kWh a year, a 50% reduction in night load over that period would translate into significant cost savings.


Reveal year-round cooling needs via energy monitoring


Occupant comfort is a non-negotiable part of business productivity. If your people feel healthy and happy, they’re best equipped to give their all at work. For instance, lighting and heating in the winter will enable your employees to complete their tasks safely, simply, and comfortably.


However, occupant comfort comes at a business cost, particularly in terms of energy. Air conditioning for an office with 100 people can amount to £10,100 a year, for example. Meanwhile, if a business houses a data centre, it will need to maintain the specific environmental conditions for the safekeeping


of the servers and the information they store. According to best practices, the optimal temperature range for a data centre is between 21°C and 23°C. So, it’s no surprise that cooling accounts for some 40% of a data centre’s energy consumption, according to McKinsey. Meanwhile, research by IDC has found that up to 24% of a data centre’s budget can go on air conditioning alone. One surprising revelation that often emerges from energy monitoring is the consistency of cooling demand throughout the year. Are office or site conditions easily maintained regardless of the climate conditions? This may indicate minimal cooling needs during the summer months. Recognising this trend can lead to substantial savings by adjusting cooling systems to meet actual demands.


Commercial facilities and industrial and public buildings consume over 60% of the world’s electricity and produce over half of all global carbon emissions. Not only that, the average small UK business will spend £2,374 on gas per year and £6,899 on electricity each year. That’s a combined total bill of £9,273 on energy alone, for now at least – with Britain’s energy price crisis still described as “alive and kicking”.


Monitoring and optimising usage Fortunately, monitoring and optimising energy usage is a powerful tool for businesses seeking to make extra savings this winter. By putting some simple steps in place and investing in energy monitoring solutions, companies can identify areas where they can save money, reduce their environmental impact, and ultimately thrive in today's competitive market.


Schneider Electric www.se.com/uk/en/


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