Measurement and Verification for Energy Performance Contracts (EPCs)
Measurement and Verification (M&V)
Measurement and Verification (M&V)
This is the process of using measurement to reliably determine actual savings created within an individual facility by an energy management program. Savings cannot be directly measured, since they represent the absence of energy use. Instead, savings are determined by comparing measured use before and after implementation of a project, making appropriate adjustments for changes in conditions. It will include how to isolate savings generated by the proposed Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs). To maintain integrity of the process, we recommend using high quality meter data to attain the highest possible accuracy. ResourceKraft energy management platform systems enable long term periodic reporting to the highest accuracy, for as long a duration as is required by the Measurement and Validation Plan.
An M&V plan using IPMVP Option C – Whole Facility Measurement (kWh) is ideal for multifaceted energy management program.
The ResourceKraft energy management platform software will provide a transparent savings report suitable for verification by the CMVP.
The process is two parted:
Measurement: Establish baseline energy usage. The gathering and collation of metered energy usages and weather data plus other variables, to be agreed with the CMVP.
Verification: the database and software ensure that data is correct and highlights when energy usages go beyond agreed ranges. Confidence levels and other checks are considered to be part of the plan being prepared by the CMVP.
Analysis Procedure
The procedure to analyze and extract the actual savings will be outlined in the agreed M&V plan. Typically this would be extracted from a baseline of use data and strong correlation variables such as Heating and Cooling Degree Days, using multi-variant regression analysis; to produce an ‘intercept’ that is our base-load. This is the adjustment used to calculate savings. Energy price changes may then be then added to the equation.
The availability of digital data of meter readings and weather data allow this process to be conducted, operated and reported on to a very high degree of accuracy, using ResourceKraft systems for the full duration of the project.
Reporting
An IPMVP reporting period may be as short as an instantaneous measurement during commissioning of an ECM, or as long as the time required to recover investment costs of the ECM program (See IPMVP 4.5.2). Our systems provide the data stability and reliability to maintain auditable measurement and validation for whatever period is required.
Persistence of Saving
An organization which has improved its energy efficiency should ensure systems are in place to avoid adverse shifts in ECMs performance. It should also utilize the benefits of continuous monitoring and reporting so unrelated incidents of avoidable energy waste do not pass unchallenged.
Persistence of energy savings can be achieved by completing follow on efforts that build on M&V. A recommended approach is Advisor automated Monitoring and Targeting (aM&T), which can seamlessly overlay the M&V process as it uses the same metering data, for the routine measurement, analysis and reporting of consumption, obtaining additional management capabilities and staff awareness benefits.
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