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For nearly a century, the reasons for monitoring electricity and the tools used by industrial, commercial and institutional facilities remained relatively unchanged. But in the last several years, important changes have occurred in the way electricity is used, the electrical utility regulations and the technology available to meter this resource.
Users of electricity have always had the need to meter basic electrical parameters — voltage and current.
The earliest needs to monitor voltage were to ensure the electrical supply had the capacity and stability to power the load. Monitoring amperage (current) ensured conductors were appropriately sized and that the load was not being damaged by excessive current. As centralized power generation grew and power distribution systems within industrial and commercial buildings became more sophisticated, the reasons for metering also grew. Electricity customers were becoming interested in the amount of electricity they were using (watts) and how efficiently they were using electricity (power factor).
Until the early 1980s, electrical meters were all electromechanical devices. They took advantage of basic electromagnetic principles to cause a pointer or needle to move (ammeter and voltmeter) or a disc or rotor to rotate (wattmeter), proportional to the parameter being measured. Although there were advances in the quality, cost and capability of the meters manufactured, the basic design and operation remained unchanged.
Advances in the microprocessor industry changed the way we all live and work. The term “personal computer” went from science fiction to commonplace. Microprocessors became common components of just about everything. Everybody was going “digital.”
The earliest usage of microprocessors in the electrical power distribution market was in circuit protection and metering equipment.
One digital meter could take the place of several electromechanical (analog) meters. An electronic switchboard meter could save the switchboard OEM or the end user time, money and space. When comparisons between analog and digital meters included mounting, wiring, layout and stocking expenses, the cost savings became even more apparent.
However, the recent high growth in the electronic metering business is no longer being fueled by simple analog to digital conversions. Electricity users now need better, more timely data to make decisions and take actions that will increase overall productivity and profitability. They need to develop power management programs.
The first factor in an effective power management program is energy management.
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