When it comes to preventing costly failures, a timely response is key. That’s why real-time utility monitoring is a game changer in smart energy management. These real-time tracking systems provide a unique perspective on power consumption patterns, allowing for quick detection of anomalies and optimizing resource allocations for reduced costs.

Previously, building engineers had to physically go down the basement to read the utility meter each morning to get an accurate picture of energy use. Now, they can easily access real-time energy data from their EMS through an online server or software. However, the quality of that information is what’s really important. For example, interval data – typically collected every fifteen minutes or so – reveals only what happened during the day and night with a 24-hour delay, while real-time tracking systems can detect the most minute change in demand, even on a weekend.

The advantages of using real-time tracking systems go beyond simply reducing cost and waste. They can also enable more efficient utilization of renewable energy sources, enhance grid stability and improve customer service.

The ability to instantly detect any type of unusual energy pattern, from equipment failures to unanticipated demand charges, can avert thousands of dollars in energy losses and potential damage each year. Moreover, advanced real-time tracking solutions use machine learning to identify trends and anomalies and can trigger alerts via text or email for user-defined threshold values. In addition, two-way communication and automation can trigger remote action to reduce energy losses as they occur. real-time utility monitoring