An energy audit answers two questions: where is your power going, and which changes will cut your costs the most for the money spent? Here is what a practical audit involves.
Before the visit
A few documents make the audit faster and more accurate:
- Electricity bills for recent months.
- Generator sizes, running hours and diesel purchase records.
- A list of major equipment, or access to its nameplates.
- Any existing drawings of your distribution boards.
On site
- Inspecting distribution boards, cables and connections for overloading and overheating.
- Connecting a power-quality analyser to log demand, voltage, power factor and phase balance over time.
- Walking the site to see how equipment, lighting and cooling are actually used.
The analysis
The data shows when your demand peaks and how much power is wasted. It also shows whether unbalanced phases or poor power factor are tripping your equipment.
The report
A useful report lists actions in order, with their cost and effect. Simple fixes come first, such as rebalancing loads or changing settings. Upgrades like LED lighting, automatic changeover, solar or storage come after.
The best audits pay for themselves through the first few no-cost fixes. Start with measurement, not equipment.