Energy Audit Services
An energy audit is defined as a systematic procedure that obtains an adequate knowledge of existing energy consumption profile of the site. It is a process inspection, survey and analysis of energy flows for energy conservation in a building, process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system without affecting the output. It helps to identify the factors that have an effect on the energy / power consumption. The performance of an energy audit is the essential step to the energy efficiency improvements. It is a procedure that helps to analyze the use of energy in an industries, enterprise, commercial or building. It serves to identify how a facility of factories uses energy and to identify opportunities of energy conservation. Energy audit can assist in evaluating energy efficiency, identifying energy saving opportunities and establishing a plan to implement energy saving projects. It is a process to collect comprehensive data on energy use. Energy Audit is a process which needs experienced personnel know as Energy Auditor and some auditing equipment’s. Through the energy audit we can assess the energy cost and its effect to the total production cost. Also, we can identify financially and technically viable options for reducing energy usage. It will help us to identify possible ways to improve productivity through interventions in areas not directly linked to energy consumption. There are different types of energy audits, which can include simple or detailed data analysis & surveys. The time required to conduct any audit depends on the size and type of factory. But priority should be given to the departments or sections of the plant of highest energy / power consumption. Broadly Energy audit is having two types, one Preliminary Audit & another one is detailed audit. Preliminary Audit is type of energy audit uses existing or easily obtained data for energy audit. The amount of energy consumptions in a facility is obtained by conducting a simple survey. Detailed Audit is done in three phases, preparing for the audit visit, performing the facility survey and implementing the audit recommendations. Let’s take an example of one medium scale industry to conduct preliminary energy audit & evaluate the possible energy savings which in turn, we can compare with how much we can save the energy if we conduct such audits in each and every industry in India.
When the object of study is an occupied building then reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving human comfort, health and safety are of primary concern. Beyond simply identifying the sources of energy use, an energy audit seeks to prioritize the energy uses according to the greatest to least cost effective opportunities for energy savings.
An energy audit of a home may involve recording various characteristics of the building envelope including the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows and skylights. For each of these components the area and resistance to heat flow (R-value) is measured or estimated.
The leakage rate or infiltration of air through the building envelope is of concern which are strongly affected by window construction and quality of door seals such as weather-stripping. The goal of this exercise is to quantify the building’s overall thermal performance. The audit may also assess the efficiency, physical condition and programming of mechanical systems such as the heating, ventilation, air conditioning equipment and thermostat.
A home energy audit may include a written report estimating energy use given local climate criteria, thermostat settings, roof overhang and solar orientation. This could show energy use for a given time period, say a year and the impact of any suggested improvements per year. The accuracy of energy estimates are greatly improved when the homeowner’s billing history is available showing the quantities of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, or other energy sources consumed over a one or two-year period.
Energy-audit is the basic tool by which a rational energy management programme can be developed in any sector using energy. Until an assessment has been carried out on how the energy flows within an establishment, areas where wastage occurs cannot be highlighted and the scope for improvements identified.
Energy audit is similar to the financial audit. It involves brief on site survey and analysis of the systems concerned. It can be defined as the technique for assessing the energy conservation potential. Energy audit is the key to a systematic approach for decision-making in the area of energy management. It attempts to balance the total energy inputs with its use and serves to identify all the energy streams in a facility. It quantifies energy usage according to its discrete functions. Industrial energy audit is an effective tool in defining and pursuing comprehensive energy management programme.
As per the 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.”