Power and energy answer different questions
kW measures power; kWh measures energy over time. A constant 10 kW load running for two hours consumes 20 kWh. This is an illustrative calculation, not customer data or a promised saving.
An energy total tells you how much was consumed, but not the full pattern during that period. A power chart helps reveal operating patterns, while differences in cumulative meter readings help summarize energy use over an interval.
Define the meter boundary first
Record what each meter covers: a building, a production line or one machine. Adding a main meter to downstream submeters can double-count the same energy.
Use names that operators recognize, such as Building A / Packing line / Main meter. Record units and the relationship between meters before producing reports.
Compare periods with comparable context
Use matching time boundaries, verify system timestamps and note production volume or shift count. A day with greater energy use may simply have greater production.
Separate operating days, holidays and maintenance stops. Energy per unit of output also requires a trustworthy production count for the same interval.
- Compare equal periods
- Check for meter resets and missing readings
- Record changes to machinery, shifts and production schedules
Validate readings before setting targets
Compare the dashboard with the meter display and confirm units and scaling. Inspect a period when you know the machine was running or stopped to identify configuration errors.
Missing readings should not be interpreted as zero consumption. Make the gap visible and agree how it will be handled before reporting a result.
Turn the readings into an operational discussion
Choose a useful starting question, such as out-of-hours loads or simultaneous machine starts. Let the site team investigate causes and record the changes they make.
Cost figures in the demo are estimates based on simulated data. Actual costs depend on the site’s contract, applicable rates and bill components; multiplying kWh by one rate does not reproduce every electricity bill.
