subject: Energy Metering And How It Help Save Your Money And The Planet [print this page] The damage caused to the environment due to indiscriminate usage of finite energy resources is beginning to haunt us and the impact in terms of the depletion of the ozone layer as well as the glaciers melting in the Himalayas and in the Arctic are all harsh realities of how badly we have handled this precious resource.
The good news is that there is a concerted effort at least now on the part of many countries to address this problem and they are taking various policy initiatives to ensure that the carbon footprint is reduced to the best extent possible. As individuals, we too have to play our part and that can be done through the frugal use of energy, fuel and water.
While some of the auto manufacturers are doing their bit in bringing into play hybrid cars, electric cars and others with great emphasis on fuel efficiency, these efforts by themselves are not enough.
Companies too face a challenge in making appropriate use of energy and need to put in place adequate monitoring mechanisms to ensure that staff do not misuse the same. While many have turned to lighting systems that consume less electricity and have installed other energy saving devices, they need to do more. This is necessary for not only the reduction of carbon footprint but also to save money. Taking firm steps now is the only way to ensure future energy security for everybody.
In this regard, companies should become proactive and instead of relying on past records of energy consumption, put in place energy metering systems so that they can make a quantitative difference. It is a very common management practice and mantra that you cannot do much about a particular thing or cannot bring about the desired improvements if you are unable to measure it.
Unless companies can set up proper monitoring mechanisms, they would not be able to find out the effects of their initiatives, whether they have been able to achieve the desired targets and how they can improve upon it further.
The good news is that this system of energy monitoring through use of energy metering is not a very costly one. Existing meters need not be discarded and can be used. The technology associated with such meters will provide you with real time information on the type of energy consumption and once regular reports on this become available and are shared with the stake holders, improvements are bound to follow. Even if the setting up of such a system involves some capital expense, the management of companies must make allocations for it since it will pay for itself over a period of time.
The expenses on energy utilities have always been on the higher side for most companies and they have not been able to do much about it. Through the use of energy metering systems, they would be finally in a position to analyse, compare and make necessary adjustments or process improvements so that this expense can be brought under control.
