energy management systems (heaters, buy, costs, electric)
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I just realized I have installed a pensar energy management system, but it has been disconnected for quite some time. It looks pretty old, not sure if it still works, bur wondering what purpose this serves and if its worth turning back on (assuming it works). I'm tempted to just remove the dang thing, as its taking up a switch on my circuit box.
I just realized I have installed a pensar energy management system, but it has been disconnected for quite some time. It looks pretty old, not sure if it still works, bur wondering what purpose this serves and if its worth turning back on (assuming it works). I'm tempted to just remove the dang thing, as its taking up a switch on my circuit box.
Here's what their website says...
Quote:
PENSAR® is an advanced microcomputer load control system that can help substantially save on your utility bills. It does so by monitoring your total electric consumption and controlling high energy usage appliances in order to limit your "peak demand".
If this limits your peak demand, it will not save money on a typical residential bill because most residential service is billed based only upon total energy used. Some tariffs bill based upon time of use. I'm not aware of any that bill residential service based upon peak demand. Check with your utility.
There used to be off-peak heaters using storage salts, and homes with them had a peak and non-peak rate. Sometimes water heaters were handled that way as well, but electric companies have gone more towards addressable load reduction for peak limiting. A pulse on the power line indicates to turn particular high load appliances on or off during peak periods.
If this limits your peak demand, it will not save money on a typical residential bill because most residential service is billed based only upon total energy used. Some tariffs bill based upon time of use. I'm not aware of any that bill residential service based upon peak demand. Check with your utility.
Actually there are some utilities that also bill based on peak demand load. In other words if you needed 20KW you'd pay extra for that demand.
For an example, see the Juneau, AK electricity rates.
Snippet:
"Your electric bill not only includes charges for the amount of energy you use, but it also tracks and charges you for an electrical "demand" that occurs at your home during each monthly billing cycle. This demand component charge is designed to cover part of the actual costs of providing electricity to your home."
With a thousand utilities there will always be one. Demand billing is a typical billing format for commercial and industrial accounts, but not the norm for residential. My guess is the poster doesn't live in Juneau.
In some areas, if you have an energy management system and it limits peak time energy use then the utility company might exempt you from certain energy conservation requirements being imposed upon you in critical times.
There is some talk about having different tiers of cost for energy based on the time the energy is being used. Smart meters are a step in that direction along with other objectives. If that becomes a reality, then an energy management system would have some financial benefits.
In some areas, if you have an energy management system and it limits peak time energy use then the utility company might exempt you from certain energy conservation requirements being imposed upon you in critical times.
There is some talk about having different tiers of cost for energy based on the time the energy is being used. Smart meters are a step in that direction along with other objectives. If that becomes a reality, then an energy management system would have some financial benefits.
Time-of-use meters have been around for decades. On the residential side, they haven't produced much behavioral change. Peak demand management would produce very little impact on a time-of-use meter.
With a thousand utilities there will always be one. Demand billing is a typical billing format for commercial and industrial accounts, but not the norm for residential. My guess is the poster doesn't live in Juneau.
Yep. Usually for businesses and it just happened to be that we almost moved to Juneau and I was looking up utility rates in the area.
Now that I thought about it. I remember when I was looking at whole house generators.
That EMS system is more than likely for when you are running on a generator at your house during an power outage. I can easily pull 20 KW or more if everything were to turn on at the same time. However, a 10 KW generator would keep me comfortable. An Emergency Management System could prevent all of my central a/c units from kicking on at the same time as an example or turn circuits off to allow the water heat to run.
These are common with automatic transfer switches to whole house generators. It would be silly for me to buy a 50KW generator just to handle a few minutes of potential high demand when for the most part I am utilizing under 10 KW.
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