Energy Monitoring and Targeting

Energy monitoring and targeting (M & T) is an energy efficiency technique based on the standard management axiom stating that “you cannot manage what you cannot measure”. M&T techniques provide Energy Managers with feedback on operating practices, results of energy management projects, and guidance on the level of energy use that is expected in a certain period. Importantly, they also give early warning of unexpected excess consumption caused by malfunctions, operator error, unwanted user behaviours, maintenance errors and the like.

The foundation of M&T lies in determining the normal relationships of energy consumptions to relevant driving factors (production thoughputs, weather, available daylight, etc.) and the goal is to help business managers:

• Identify and explain excessive energy use
• Detect instances when consumption is unexpectedly lower than would usually have been the case
• Draw energy consumption trends (weekly, seasonal, operational…)
• Determine future energy use when planning changes in the business
• Diagnose specific areas of wasted energy
• Observe how the business reacted to changes in the past
• Develop performance targets for energy management programs
• Manage their energy consumption, rather than accept it as a fixed cost that they have no control over.

The ultimate goal is to reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency and energy management control. Other benefits generally include increased resource efficiency, improved production budgeting and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.