Utility Submetering
Why
We believe you can only manage what you measure. In a large manufacturing facility with multiple lines and dozens of pieces of equipment, it can be challenging to know where you’re spending the most on energy. Bills only reflect the monthly kilowatt hours and don’t show where and how the energy is being used. Submetering provides specific insight into the electricity usage in your facility. With this data, you can compare efficiency between manufacturing processes, identify issues in breakers/panels, and find ways to reduce demand charges. Understanding your actual electricity spend can also help you predict the per unit utility price to determine manufacturing costs and margins more accurately. If you’re pursuing custom rebates for energy efficiency projects, submetering can verify your savings.
How
Our energy engineers will visit your facility to determine the most strategic pieces of equipment or breakers to submeter. Assisted by an in-house or hired electrician, we will open your electrical panel and clamp-on current transducers (CTs) to the appropriate wires. Within a ten-foot radius of the CTs, we plug in a Bridge to collect and transmit real-time electricity usage using cellular data. After collecting the data for the length of time required for the project, our engineers will generate a report of their findings in accordance with your goals.
Benefits
• Identify problems in equipment or process
• Increase manufacturing efficiency
• Cost savings by reducing demand charges
• Verification of utility charges
• Custom rebate verification
Case Study
Client Profile
North American Automotive Supplier
Before Foresight
At their manufacturing facility, this company used many large electric ovens. They turned the ovens’ temperatures down halfway overnight when they were not in use, presuming to spend less energy than turning them off entirely or leaving them running all night. In an effort to optimize their electricity spend, this company wanted to review their production processes with our energy engineers.
After Foresight
After submetering the equipment for an accurate KWh usage for the ovens, our engineers compared the current strategy's cost versus the energy spend and potential demand charges of other options. They determined that the demand and usage impact to restart the ovens every morning was still less expensive than running the ovens at half capacity throughout the night. Equipped with verified data, the facility managers confidently changed their processes to create energy and cost savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you decide what to submeter?
Our engineers will work with your team to determine your submetering goals (rebate verification, manufacturing process comparison, energy troubleshooting, predictive maintenance, etc.). From there, they will visit your facility and submeter the necessary equipment.
How long does it take?
We collect data for as long as required based on our client’s goals and then report back with our analysis.
How much does it cost?
This depends on the number of points we measure and for how long we track the data.
How invasive is it in our facility?
Your facility can operate as normal while we submeter. Our equipment only requires a power outlet for each Bridge, and we do not need access to your wifi.
Do you only submeter electricity?
No. Although it is a longer process, we can submeter water and natural gas.
