Energy monitoring and sub-metering for manufacturing sites

On most plants, the first few weeks of monitoring show:

• Baseload out of hours: compressors, HVAC, chillers and lighting running when production has stopped
• Compressed air leaks, often one of the largest hidden losses on a site
• Peaks that set your maximum demand, and so your capacity charges
• Lines or machines using far more per unit of output than others

BICS relief is worked out from the share of a site's grid electricity used to make eligible products. The government guidance says that if you have sub-metering or monitoring data covering the six-month evidence period, you must use it. Without it, you can estimate, but estimates may be checked later. For sites close to the 25% or 50% thresholds, good sub-meter data can be the difference between a 50% and a 100% exemption.

Start with the biggest and most controllable loads:

1. Main production lines, especially if they make both eligible and ineligible products
2. Compressed air
3. Process cooling and chillers
4. HVAC and space heating
5. Offices and non-process areas, which matters for CCA splits

A handful of well-placed meters usually gives most of the value.

Sites typically save a few percent of consumption from behavioural and out-of-hours fixes alone, before any capital projects. On top of that, monitoring protects the value of capacity right-sizing and supports levy relief claims, both of which come straight off the bill.