Demand Side Energy Management
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What is Demand Side Energy Management?
Demand Side Energy Management (DSEM) refers to actions designed to efficiently manage a site’s energy consumption with the aim of reducing costs. Energy costs are tied to the facility, energy usage, and the price paid for energy. The energy usage is a combination of kWh (consumption) and KW (power required). The kWh is managed through the retail contract and KW is managed through facility monitoring and controls. DSEM is key to not only controlling costs, but also to achieving energy resiliency.
Demand side self-generation such as solar or gas generators allow you to generate your own energy and are referred to as Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and can reduce utility KW/demand charges and lower kWh price over the long term. By utilizing the best energy technology tools available, you can deploy a strategy that is customized to you own commercial or industrial facility.
How can Efficient Power Tech help you become a demand side champion?
Each customer is unique in energy needs and usage. Commercial customers often have fluctuating facility usage. Industrial power consumption requires effort to manage spiking energy costs. The first step in the process of Demand Side Energy Management is an evaluation to understand your unique power needs. Efficient Power Tech will suggest strategies that match your needs. Often the strategies include:
Upgrading to Energy Efficient Hardware
Many customers use dated hardware and fixtures that consume unnecessary power resources. In many cases upgrading to energy efficient hardware and fixtures will pay for itself quickly. And, future financial returns in your energy savings can be used elsewhere. In addition, technology upgrades have made fixtures higher performing than their energy consuming predecessors. Rebates and incentives also make upgrading easier for customers wishing to switch to energy efficient fixtures.
Manage Your Peak Load
As a commercial customer you not only pay for your energy usage, but you also pay for the amount of energy that needs to be available to serve your account based on your peak load (kW demand). This cost can can comprise up to 50% of your supply bill and more than 30% of your total electricity bill. Reducing your peak load and understanding how it is determined is essential for managing your energy costs.
Generate Your Own Power
You can offset your power usage by generating your own power, known as Distributed Energy Resources (DER). If you use solar lighting for street lights or flood lights, you remove the cost of that energy from your total consumption. DERs provide energy value when they displace the need to produce energy from another resource. The energy value allows you to lower energy production costs, and producing energy on the demand side gives you energy resiliency when the supply side has challenges or outages.
Purchasing Power Like a Pro
You can also reduce your costs by buying your energy with a better contract. Understanding which energy supplier offers the most beneficial products and contract terms for your needs can be a complex process. Efficient Power Tech can help you determine the risks, benefits, and real costs of your energy contract.
Contact Efficient Power Tech
Our team can help you become a demand side energy management champion.
