What is an energy monitoring system and how does it work?

• By enabling monitoring of a building’s energy consumption – targeting even down to the level of a single room – managers can determine ways to reduce energy use. This level of facility performance helps reduce energy waste (and cut energy bills);
• Based on sophisticated, specially-developed software platforms, building energy monitoring systems enable accessing real-time data about energy use. This means companies can generate by-the-minute pictures of energy consumption, tracking it over a period of time. Such systems also enable monitoring energy use at extremely detailed levels: from a single room to an entire building;
• An intelligent energy monitoring system can also flag any faults in real time and indicate what energy-saving measures will solve the problem. In some cases, the solution also enables remote activation/deactivation of the faulty equipment, allowing building managers to both reduce energy waste and prolong the lifespan of the equipment itself;

• Intelligent energy consumption and monitoring systems can provide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as patterns relating to specific areas of energy consumption, intensity of energy usage and other indicators that can be of use in setting energy targets;

• Energy monitoring solutions often offer the possibility to set real-time alerts that warn of unnecessary energy use – for example the office light or air conditioning that is accidentally left on after hours – so that action can be taken in almost real-time;

• Another benefit of energy monitoring systems is that they help in reaching Net Zero emissions, thanks to data-driven energy use tracking that enables setting baseline energy consumption values. By knowing how much energy their company should be using to efficiently execute operations, managers can act to reach their net-zero targets.

Energy management software is the 'brainpower' that enables energy monitoring and energy use optimization by collecting, analyzing and comparing consumption data from any energy vector from customer-specific systems in real time. It also generates reports on how to reduce costs and consumption.

The Enel X Distributed Energy Resources Optimization System (DER.OS) is an end-to-end optimization software platform that interfaces with distributed energy resources on the customer’s premises in order to monitor energy usage and production in real time. DER.OS is integrated into all our battery storage solutions, making them unique.

DER.OS automatically learns about your company’s operating data and behaviors and cross-references it with external data such as weather forecasts, energy market prices, tariffs, demand prices, and available incentive programs. The system then acts automatically to maximize financial gains and resilience for utilities as well as commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses.

It is a setup that is often used together with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), whose function is - as the name suggests - to store energy in large batteries. Such systems are supplied by both renewable power, for example storing excess energy generated from solar PV systems, and directly from the grid. 

Enel X energy management software consists of two components - one cloud-based and one site-based - that interface with other software systems and hardware devices in a fully integrated energy management network. This energy management system uses innovative, scalable cloud-based analytical tools to meet the demands of any segment of the energy market.

The DER.OS analytical control tools can also aggregate the management of several different plants simultaneously, thus creating a virtual power station. This solution boosts efficiency and multiplies both savings and revenue streams thanks to the combination of multiple applications such as: Demand Charge Management, Time-of-Use Management and participation in Demand Response programs.