Most companies and organizations would like to reduce their energy footprint. There are many reasons why organizations may want to reduce energy consumption. Whether it is because you want to save money, reduce your carbon footprint or just to be a good member of society, reducing energy consumption can benefit all types and sizes of companies. The first step in this is to create an energy savings plan in order to be successful in cutting down on energy costs.
Because of this most companies, at one time or another, have implemented an energy conservation measure, yet some of these companies have not seen the return on investment they were hoping for. These four steps to a successful energy plan can help achieve better ROI.
Step 1: Properly measure your energy profile
To properly measure your energy consumption you need to know your energy profile. Energy management platforms such as the VITALITY platform can help you better manage your energy costs and consumption. You wouldn’t fly in an airplane without the proper information and instruments, so too you should not consider implementing energy conservation measures without a full understanding of your energy consumption.
Step 2: Reduce energy consumption.
Often times when companies or organizations first implement an energy conservation measure they skip this critical step because they are anxious to implement power generation options. Properly reducing energy consumption, however, can help reduce the size of future energy conservation measures as well as have a lower upfront capital cost.
Another way to look at the reduction of energy could be to look at the reduction of energy costs. Energy costs are complex and critical to a proper energy plan. There are a number of ways to reduce your energy costs, such as purchasing natural gas and optimizing utility rate schedules.
Some examples of energy conservation measures that reduce energy consumption include
- Lighting retrofits
- HVAC upgrades
- Insulation and envelope improvements
Step 3: Produce your own energy
After you have implemented all energy conservation measures and reduced your energy costs, energy production should be installed. Energy production can come in a number of different styles and flavors. When it comes to producing your own energy it is important to fully understand your energy profile as well as understanding the underlying effects that producing energy may have on your facility.
Types of energy production include:
- Solar PV
- Co-Generation
- Biofuels
Step 4: Energy storage
The final step in any energy plan is to consider energy storage. Energy storage devices such as BYD’s battery system can help increase energy dependence by storing the energy that is produced when energy consumption is low. Having energy storage inside of a facility can help reduce a company’s demand as well as provide critical power when and if the grid goes down, keeping your organization functional during critical times.
- Types of energy batteries:
- Lead Acid
- NICAD (Nickle Cadmium)
- NiFe (Nickle Iron)
To learn more about the successful implementation of an energy savings plan, contact a VITALITY energy professional today!
