Justifying and planning an energy monitoring system

In order to stay healthy and competitive, businesses are using manufacturing metrics to help drive their goal of making profits in the most efficient way possible. When they are efficiently managed with power monitoring systems, electrical distribution systems can have a significant positive impact on many metrics. Monitoring systems, which many large companies are using successfully, can track energy usage within the plant, allocate costs, manage load, and collect information that can be used to identify equipment or operating problems. In addition, these systems can help reduce capital costs for power system expansion. This article begins with an overview of power monitoring and then explains primary benefits such as avoided investment, improved cost allocation, demand control, and energy conservation. Other benefits in operation and maintenance are also discussed. The second half of the article describes system possibilities and discusses system planning with a focus on how the latter is driven by business needs. Power monitoring system options are then developed for functionality, computers, and transmitters.