A deep divide exists between the average utility provider and the typical commercial organization today, despite the fact that they should be clearly communicating. Do we all realize that we are fighting a common battle to make sure that we have the correct amount of energy, that we balance our costs and that we avoid failure in the system?
The utility providers and the consumers are not playing from the same sheet. In fact, they aren’t even talking to each other. Each party is aware that there are two sides to the argument and that the integrity of these systems needs to be protected while budgets are balanced and profits are made. However, while current demand response programs go a little way to bridging the communication gap, they are far from the truly intelligent energy management systems that we must adopt very soon.
At the present time, demand response is effectively a one-way type of communication. It’s intended to be essentially proactive, but effectively is reactive. The consumer is still not able to attach any truly intelligent decision-making process to help out. Automation is important if we are to understand what intelligent energy management really means. We have automatic systems in place to help us manage building energy for example, but we are not integrating to reveal real savings.
Utility companies cannot hope to manage their businesses efficiently unless they truly communicate and interact with their customers. Production and distribution are one half of the equation and consumption the other. Consumers should dictate their supply requirements. With intelligent energy management solutions in place across the board, utility companies will be much better at managing their own business.
A real-time analysis of energy needs, based on historical benchmarks, a high level of education and a good grasp of internal business systems will all combine to enable a level of intelligent energy management never seen before.
Sooner or later the smart grid will really arise and demand response programs will come into their own. Parties will be ideally placed to respond quickly to various changing market conditions and unexpected threats will be not so feared. One day we won’t have to rely on those expensive, standby power stations that are littered across the country, maintained solely with the aim of dealing with emergencies.
When we can gather accurate and detailed data in real-time there is no limit to the level of intelligent energy management that we can engage. Predictive analysis allows us to plan for so many different scenarios, increasing productivity and safeguarding our financial future.
The energy pumped through the system today does not reflect actual needs. The amount of wastage is staggering and is largely a result of the poor levels of communication between consumers and utility providers. In reality, we cannot wait for intelligent energy management to mature.
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