Welcome to the EC aIM 4 SME's project (Automatic Intelligent Metering For Small and Medium-sized Businesses)
Project Summary
· The project has involved 9 partners from 5 countries (Austria, Hungary, Poland, Portugal and the UK), including businesses, local/regional energy agencies, an association of municipalities, universities and a utility company.
· The project has set out to demonstrate the potential for energy savings from automatic intelligent metering in small/medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
· Results of the project included:
o over 75 SMEs using detailed energy consumption monitoring in the project
o Energy cost, consumption and related carbon dioxide savings in participating SMEs
o SME staff trained in energy savings opportunities/intelligent metering
The 2 year project finished in March 2010 and has been supported by the European Commission's Intelligent Energy - Europe programme (contract no. EIE/07/136/SI2.466711).
Background
· With rising fuel prices there has been a need for small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) to have access to independent energy efficiency advice and training in order to reduce costs to help maintain their competitiveness.
· The project has involved supporting small/medium businesses to use automatic detailed monitoring and targeting technology (intelligent metering).
· The detailed metering has been established for a range of business types and sizes in the small/ medium business sector and the resulting detailed energy and water use data has been analysed to identify energy saving opportunities.
· This information has helped with providing energy awareness training to staff of the business, and in providing any on site energy survey. It has been intended that the training will form part of certified training programme, and the training will give staff the ability to continue to analyse the data themselves beyond the duration of the project.
Aims/Objectives
· The project set out to demonstrate the potential for energy savings from automatic intelligent metering and to increase the uptake of intelligent metering in small and medium sized businesses.
The project's objectives/aims were:
· to automatically monitor energy (electricity, gas, heat, etc.) and water data in 75-100 SMEs from a range of sectors (manufacturing, commercial, etc.) in 5 different European countries.
· to identify energy saving opportunities from the intelligent metering data, and to investigate the savings potential from using intelligent metering in SMEs.
· to provide a bureau service to the SMEs.
· to train and raise awareness of the employees of the businesses with the help of the detailed monitoring information and high quality visual materials.
Results
Results included:
· Detailed (e.g. 1/2 hourly) monitoring of energy (electricity, gas, heat)/water data in over 75 small/medium businesses (SMEs) from a range of sectors (manufacturing, commercial, etc.) in 5 different European countries.
· Energy and CO2 savings in participating SMEs.
· Businesses have been helped to analyse their energy use data.
· About 80 training sessions delivered, with over 300 SME facility users receiving energy efficiency-related training with relevance to their own building.
· Increased take up of intelligent metering in small/medium sized businesses and community groups.
· Over 20 case studies produced, 37 presentations given, 13 workshops held, over 20 press releases and 8 articles prepared.
· Increased awareness by SMEs of automatic intelligent metering, its applications, benefits and its potential for savings.
Partners and contact details
Coordinator contact details:
Leicester Energy Agency (Leicester City Council),
2-4 Market Place South, Leicester. LE1 5HB. UK
Tel. +44 (0)116 262 4698 +44 (0)116 262 4698
Fax. +44 (0)116 299 5137
Email: info@energyagency.co.uk
The Leicester Energy Agency was set up in 1996 as a partnership between Leicester City Council and De Montfort University with European Commission support. It is based at Leicester City Council and has worked to improve energy efficiency in Leicester. It helps local businesses with energy efficiency and renewable energy and related climate change issues, and it has provided the Secretariat for UK Local Authorities under the Home Energy Conservation Act.
Project partners:
- Energieagentur der Regionen - RENA (Austria) - The “Energieagentur der Regionen“ is an association born by municipalities. Since 1998 we consult municipalities and enterprises in Lower Austria in energy affairs like energy-saving, energy-production and energy-buying. During all consulting activities we follow the ecological targets we are aligned to. We think global and act local.
- Sonnenplatz Groβschönau GmbH (Austria) - We're building the future! Sonnenplatz Großschönau GmbH is the company behind the first passive house village with the Probewohnen scheme allowing you to try before you buy, as well as a Centre of Excellence in Construction and Energy of the Future. Since it was formed in 2001, Sonnenplatz Großschönau has concerned itself with popularising energy-efficient and sustainable construction and renovation.
- Csanady & Partners Consulting Ltd. (Hungary) Cs&P is a Hungarian consultancy company founded in 1997 in order to provide regional development services to Hungarian and international institutions across a range of areas such as elaboration of regional development concepts and programmes, marketing research and management consulting including energy service advice.
- Association of Municipalities Polish Network "Energie Cites" (Poland) - The Association of Municipalities Polish Network “Energie Cités” (PNEC) is a non governmental, non profit organisation with its office in Krakow. Since June 1994, when it was registered, the association co-operates with local authorities for promotion of local sustainable energy policies.
The Association’s objectives:
• to help in creating the municipal development strategy, in the sphere of energy efficiency and environment protection
• to promote renewable and decentralised energy sources
• to develop municipality initiatives through exchange of experiences
- Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica (IDMEC) (Portugal) - IDMEC-Institute of Mechanical Engineering, is a private non-profit, science, technology and training organisation, created by the Instituto Superior Técnico de Lisboa (IST) and the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP). IDMEC develops its activity based on five strategic objectives: Promote the R&D, develop plans for advanced training, promote technology transfer, evaluate and audit processes in new businesses, and develop integrated management programs in the areas of energy, logistics and technology.
- LABELEC (Portugal) - LABELEC was created in August 1994 and its part of the EDP Group, the major electricity utility company in Portugal. LABELEC focus its activities on metering: metering audits, meter testing, metering installation.
- De Montfort University, Leicester (UK): The Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development is an interdisciplinary research institute at De Montfort University. Staff have undertaken research, teaching and consultancy for over 30 years to create the underlying knowledge and technologies necessary to achieve more energy-efficient and sustainable lifestyles. This work includes analysing electricity, gas and water data from buildings and working with small businesses.
- Energy Control Group Ltd. (UK): Energy Metering Technology provide smart energy/water monitoring systems to help organisations with utilities management.
Links
www.intelmeter.com
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