Energy Audit and Energy Management

Energy Audit: 

As per Indian Energy Conservation Act 2001, Energy Audit is defined as: “The verification, monitoring and analysis of use of energy including submission of technical report containing recommendations for improving energy efficiency with cost benefit analysis and an action plan to reduce energy consumption.”

The main purpose energy audit is to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy related costs. Energy audit is not an exact science. It involves collection of detailed data andits analysis.Energy audit is a fundamental part of an energy management program in controlling energy costs.

Need of Energy Audit:

* The three top operating expenses are energy (both electrical and thermal), labour and materials.

* Energy would emerge as a top ranker for cost reduction.

* primary objective of Energy Audit is to determine ways to reduce energy consumption per unit of product output or to lower operating costs.

* Energy Audit provides a “ bench-mark” (Reference point) for managing energy in the organization.

Types of Energy Audit:

1. Preliminary Energy Audit

2. Targeted Energy Audit

3. Detailed Energy Audit

Preliminary Energy Audit:

Preliminary energy audit uses existing or easily obtained data.

- Establishes the energy consumption in the organization.

- Estimates the scope for saving.

- Identifies the most likely areas for attention.

- Identifies immediate(no cost or low cost) improvements.

Targeted Energy Audit:

- Targeted energy audits are mostly based upon the outcome of the preliminary audit results.

- They provide data and detailed analysis on specified targetp rojects.

- As an example, an organization may target its lighting system or boiler system or compressed air system with a view to bringa bout energy savings.

- Targeted audits therefore involve detailed surveys of the target

subjects/areas with analysis of the energy flows and costsa ssociated with those targets.

Detailed Energy Audit:

*  Detailed Energy Audit evaluates all systems ande quipment which consume energy and the audit comprises a detailed study on energy savings and costs.

* Detailed Energy Audit is carried out in 3 phases.

1. The Pre-audit Phase

2. The Audit Phase

3. The Post-Audit Phase

Energy Management:- 

Energy Management is defined as “The strategy of adjusting and optimizing energy, using systems and procedures so as to reduce energy requirements per unit of output while holding constant or reducing total costs of producing the output from these systems”.

*The use of energy resources is required to be reduced by managing the utilization of electricity which is termed as energy management.

* It is all about reducing the cost of energy used by an organization.

Energy management systems (EMS) are automation systems that collect energy measurement data from the field and making it available to users through graphics, online monitoring tools, and energy quality analyzers, thus enabling the management of energy resources.

The objective of Energy Management:- 

1. To achieve and maintain optimum energy procurement and utilization, throughout the organization.

2. To minimize energy costs 

3. waste without affecting production & quality.

4. To minimize environmental effects.

5. To minimize the losses