In today’s business world, energy efficiency and sustainability are not just trends. They are crucial for staying competitive.
As energy costs rise and the need to cut carbon footprints grow, companies seek ways to use energy more efficiently. They want to improve their energy use and keep their operations dependable. This is where the Internet of Things (IoT) and a power monitoring system come into play.
What is Power Monitoring?
Power monitoring involves measuring, recording, and analyzing real-time electrical parameters – such as current, voltage, power factor, active power, and load status – to assess the performance and efficiency of electrical systems. Unlike energy monitoring, which tracks total energy consumption over time, power monitoring provides granular data on how power is being used at a specific moment, helping identify inefficiencies, detect anomalies, and optimize energy use. When energy monitoring and power monitoring data are combined, enterprises gain a holistic understanding of their energy use, enabling informed decisions to enhance efficiency, reduce operational costs, and achieve sustainability goals.
Why is Power Monitoring Crucial for Businesses?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, on average, 30% of energy used in commercial buildings is wasted. This highlights that businesses need help improving energy efficiency. Power monitoring addresses this challenge by providing real-time data to understand where and how energy is used or wasted. It opens opportunities for operational efficiencies to achieve the following benefits.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Access to detailed power data enables businesses to make informed, strategic decisions about energy use. For example, IoT sensors can be installed at the circuit or equipment level to monitor the real-time consumption of kitchen appliances like fryers, grills, ice machines, and refrigeration units. This data can help restaurant operators detect inefficiencies and implement energy-savings tactics, such as boosting ice production overnight to reduce energy use during peak demand periods or replacing power-hungry equipment with more energy efficient alternatives. Additionally, aligning equipment usage with demand ensures operators only power appliances when necessary, avoiding superfluous energy consumption (e.g., turning all equipment on at the start of the day).
- Proactive Maintenance: Businesses can implement preventive maintenance strategies by continuously monitoring the power quality and performance of power-hungry equipment. For instance, pharmaceutical labs rely on ultra-low temperature freezers for storing temperature-sensitive assets. Monitoring power consumption patterns allows lab managers to detect equipment issues early, such as when a freezer starts to use more energy to maintain its set temperature. Proactively addressing these performance issues can help prevent unplanned downtime and extend the life of critical equipment.
- Sustainability: As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives takes center stage for businesses, power monitoring can help enterprises cut energy use, especially for machines with long run times. Furthermore, it enables businesses to track and monitor progress towards sustainability goals, which is critical for measuring success towards ESG initiatives. For facilities managers in hospitality, this includes high-demand equipment like HVAC systems, industrial laundry machines, commercial kitchen appliances, pool heaters, and filtration systems. In an industry that prioritizes sustainability, smarter energy management not only helps reduce carbon footprints but also sets brands apart – giving guests a reason to choose them.
- Cost Reduction: By reducing energy through enhanced decision-making, proactive maintenance, and sustainability efforts, businesses can unlock significant financial benefits. Detailed power data allows operators to cut unnecessary energy use, like optimizing appliance usage or shifting energy-heavy processes to off-peak hours. Proactive maintenance minimizes costly breakdowns and extends equipment lifespan, preventing expensive replacements. Additionally, sustainability-driven energy management reduces operational expenses while positioning companies as forward-thinking, efficient, and environmentally responsible.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Power Monitoring
With rising energy costs, stricter sustainability targets, and a growing focus on operational efficiency, the importance of monitoring and optimizing power consumption is becoming more and more essential. For businesses looking to stay ahead in today’s energy-conscious world, power monitoring is not just an option – it’s a necessity.
