Getting the most out of demand response
Summit Energy’s Metering Tools Create Real-Time Savings for Cold Storage Company
One of the largest cold storage companies partnered with Summit Energy for guidance on building a corporate energy strategy, including how to meter its usage, to address this issue in a cost-effective manner.
The Right Tools Provide the Best Results:
Oftentimes, end-users can unknowingly use more energy than they intend. At large industrial sites, machinery will run unnecessarily at peak demand, and lighting fixtures may be left on in unoccupied areas during the day. These factors can put a drain on the amount of energy consumed at a single site. By taking a more proactive approach and monitoring consumption in real time, a company can save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
SITUATION
One of the largest cold storage companies in the world was looking for a proactive approach to managing energy. This meant collecting real-time energy data at individual sites and using the results to develop a strategic approach to lowering overall energy consumption. The company partnered with Summit Energy for guidance on building a corporate energy strategy, including how to meter its usage, to address this issue in a cost-effective manner.
LEADERSHIP
Summit presented the cold storage company several energy metering options and discussed how each option fit into the company’s overall energy management strategy. After guiding the client to the best option, Summit implemented metering solutions across 75 of the client’s North American sites, installing a total of 111 meters.
These meters captured real-time energy data, which was then relayed to Summit’s team for analysis. With this data at hand, Summit identified ways to curtail energy loads to lower demand periods, established energy usage baselines, and optimized operations equipment. Summit also suggested installing more efficient lights and replacing older, inefficient machinery.
RESULTS
With an accurate picture of the cold storage company’s energy usage, Summit developed strategies that reduced the company’s kWh energy consumption by 4.5% and saved them over $1 million per year. Further, with Summit receiving the real-time data from the meters for analysis, the company could continually make adjustments to its energy use. For example, when facilities are about to consume unusually large amounts of energy, property managers receive text message and email alerts prompting them to take predefined steps to lower usage at that site.