Making Use of Utility Data
How to ensure your data resources are more than a ‘digital paperweight’.
written by energyx Solutions inc. ・toronto, ontario
Whether it’s Green Button, meter data, or information from EnergyX’s Virtual Audit, utilities have never before had access to so much data about their customers.
The focus over the past few years has been to make data available and accessible, and now, because of digitization and software upgrades, data availability has become table stakes.
The sheer potential of what can be done with this amount and variety of data can be overwhelming. And it is precisely because of this, that so much data ends up unused—little more than a proverbial ‘digital paperweight’. You might be surprised—or perhaps you won’t be—to hear that when asked, “What do you do with all this data?”, most utility teams fall uncomfortably silent. We have all heard several stories about “the power of data,” and nearly everyone has an understanding of what they could do with data. Why then is it that so few people are really sure about how to make the best use of the data resources they have?. How do you effectively turn a mountain of data into actionable insights and make good use of utility data?
EnergyX understands that utilities have access to more data than ever. Reviewing energy usage has become only the first step in understanding a path forward for energy efficiency. Realizing the full potential of efficiency programs requires that energy consumption is analyzed and utilized along with other data sources such as building data, weather data, construction standards, demographic data, and more. ) We can use data to identify patterns at an aggregate level, and generate individualized insights for account-level reporting.. Even without deep analysis, data can often be used to automate workflows and create powerful dashboards that clearly disseminate information and save hours of administrative reporting work. EnergyX’s data analysis, using machine learning, AI, and advanced analytics techniques, enables utilities to develop customer-first programs, targeting, and engagements and improve program delivery in real-time.
This is part of EnergyX Solutions’ 3-part-series on Data:
Making Use of Utility Data (this article)
Or, get in touch to learn how we can help make your data work for you.