ENERGY AUDIT
ENERGY AUDIT
An energy audit is an inspection survey and an analysis of energy flows for energy conservation in a building. It may include a process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting the output. In commercial and industrial real estate, an energy audit is the first step in identifying opportunities to reduce energy expense and carbon footprint.
Objectives of Energy Audit
The Energy Audit provides the vital information base for overall energy conservation program covering essentially energy utilization analysis and evaluation of energy conservation measures. It aims at:
- Identifying the quality and cost of various energy inputs.
- Assessing present pattern of energy consumption in different cost centers of operations.
- Relating energy inputs and production output.
- Identifying potential areas of thermal and electrical energy economy.
- Highlighting wastage’s in major areas.
- Fixing of energy saving potential targets for individual cost centers.
- Implementation of measures for energy conservation & realization of savings.
Preliminary Energy Audit
The Preliminary Energy Audit focuses on the major energy suppliers and demands usually accounting for approximately 70% of total energy. It is essentially a preliminary data gathering and analysis effort. It uses only available data and is completed with limited diagnostic instruments.
The PEA is conducted in a very short time frame i.e. 1-3 days during which the energy auditor relies on his experience together with all the relevant written, oral visual information that can lead to a quick diagnosis of the plant energy situation.
The PEA focuses on the identification of obvious sources of energy wastages. The typical output of a PEA is a set of recommendations and immediate low-cost action that can be taken up by the department head.
Detailed Energy Audit
The detailed audit goes beyond quantitative estimates of costs and savings. It includes engineering recommendations and well-defined project, giving due priorities. Approximately 95% of all energy is accounted for during the detailed audit.
The detailed energy audit is conducted after the preliminary energy audit. Sophisticated instrumentation including flow meter, flue gas analyzer and scanner are use of compute energy efficiency.