IOT Energy Management: How it Works, What it Means
One of the most impactful applications of the internet of things (IoT) is the ability for utilities (and other parties involved with energy production) to increase energy efficiency.
This concept is being referred to as IoT energy management, and it’s a valuable new asset when it comes to decreasing CO2 emissions.
One of the big challenges in energy production is that you can’t easily keep track of the condition of the equipment across your operation. This inability to know when parts are old and need replacement leaves utilities vulnerable to power outages.
The good news is, there is a shift happening.
The shift is towards integrating more sensors into current energy facilities which gather useful data that allow utilities to save energy and reduce the costs and risks associated with energy production.
What follows is a brief synopsis of how IoT energy management works, and what it means for us.
How Does IoT Energy Management Work?
It all starts with connecting (via the internet) sensors that record information in real time to software systems that can analyze that data.
Sensors can be used to measure things like vibration, temperature, spikes in energy usage, or changes in voltage (among many other things).
While these sensors work around the clock to collect data, software can organize and visualize that data to help operators identify things like:
- Faulty equipment
- Sources of inefficiency
- Opportunities to align energy production with demand
Utilities can then use those insights to make better decisions when managing their facilities. But there are a slew of limitations, challenges, and unanswered questions that utilities and other energy operators have to deal with.
In their article, Sensors and Remote Monitoring Enable Smarter Renewables , John Miller and Doug Young discuss examples of IoT energy efficiency and the challenges that are coming up, including:
- How to deal with all the data (AKA the “data tsunami”)
- Crucial gaps in communication
- Protecting against cyber threats
- Capital investments
- Learning new skillsets like how to work with data analytics systems
So while the technology available to us is offering a better way forward, just like so many other aspects of addressing climate change, we have much to figure out when it comes to when, how, and where to use the technologies at hand.
The IoT Energy State of Affairs
In their article, Miller and Young emphasize the importance of using a holistic and integrated systems approach when applying IoT to energy production.
For utilities, focusing on how both the energy generation process and the energy distribution process can be connected to work together and inform each other will lead to the best results.
The time it will take for integrated systems for energy management to become the status quo is unclear, but it’s safe to say there is momentum to move to more connected, efficient, and resilient energy systems in the US and abroad.
Originally published at https://cleantechrising.com on June 14, 2019.
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