IoT-based energy management

The way to the future

IoT-based energy management combines the benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things, sophisticated measurement technology, and constantly evolving Smart Services.

Energy management managers benefit from the easy availability of measurement data, automated data storage, and location- and time-independent access to energy and performance data, among other benefits.

To the energy monitoring product page
Proficloud.io user interface visible on a notebook computer

Energy management and climate protection

Diagram: the four steps on the path to climate neutrality

In a time of scarce resources, rising energy prices; and the importance of climate protection, comprehensive energy management is one of the central issues for today's companies.
The need to reduce CO2 emissions, create transparency about the production process, and evaluate the specific CO2 footprint of a manufactured product poses new challenges for those responsible for energy management.
In order to derive the right energy efficiency measures from this situation, energy data must be collected, monitored, analyzed, and evaluated. Precisely tailored and easy-to-integrate energy monitoring forms the basis for meeting the requirements of the energy management standard ISO 50001.

Energy management standard ISO 50001

Reference to ISO 50001 and possible questions from customers

The international standard ISO 50001:2018 (DIN EN ISO 50001:2018) is a guide for companies and supports them in implementing an energy management system. The standard describes the energy management system as a systematic approach to improving energy-related performance and can mean additional cost benefits for certified companies.
To evaluate the success of implemented energy efficiency measures and continuously monitor processes, energy managers need to define the right key performance indicators (KPI) or energy performance indicators (EnPI).
In the context of management reviews or internal and external audits, these key figures provide an indication of how well energy management is functioning and whether government and/or normative requirements are being met.

Energy management manager at a desk

How do energy management managers work today? The crux of data acquisition and analysis

Energy management managers must always have an overview of processes and resource consumption within their company. The measurement data relevant for this is partly collected manually from distributed data sources (energy measuring devices) and imported, e.g. via CSV files, into energy data collection systems.
The analysis and evaluation is often carried out via self-created MS Excel sheets, from which the necessary diagrams are subsequently created. Additional software tools that prepare the data graphically are also used.
Typical topologies today include a large number of measurement points that must be networked together. Standard systems can often only be installed or supplemented with great effort and extensive expertise in the area of complex networks. This requires trained personnel and can result in high system maintenance costs.
What is the right system of software and hardware to capture and process the required measured variables? And what IT infrastructure is needed for this?

Employee uses the energy manager app

The benefits of IoT-based energy management

  • Fast availability of measurement data, without special knowledge of complex networks, through simple plug-and-play integration of IoT-capable measuring devices in the cloud system
  • No need to maintain in-house IT resources or have extensive IT knowledge due to automated data storage directly in Proficloud.io
  • Generate cross-site reports faster with access to energy and performance data independent of location and time
  • The data security is always up to date through regular, automated security updates
  • Access to new functions is always fast and up-to-date due to dynamic release cycles of the IoT platform (cloud environment) and smart services

Topology of IoT-based energy management

Topology of IoT-based energy management with EMpro application Ethernet f. Cloud

IoT-capable measuring devices (smart devices) are connected directly to a cloud platform via an Ethernet interface and the MQTT protocol using plug-and-play. Within the cloud environment, the measuring devices can be easily and quickly integrated into a new or existing system via the Device Management Service. The selected measured values are automatically transferred and stored. Energy management managers have immediate access to this data via the Smart Service and can use it directly. Complex configurations of classic industrial networks (e.g. Modbus or PROFINET) are now a thing of the past.

EMpro and EMMA service of Proficloud.io on screen

The EMMA energy management service on Proficloud

Energy Monitoring, Management, Analytics: EMMA is the smart energy management service from Phoenix Contact. EMMA focuses on the energy manager as the user and is tailored precisely to their needs. With a simple, intuitive design, EMMA provides a flexible spectrum of functions in the field of electrical energy and power data visualization for monitoring, analyzing, and evaluating this data.
EMMA thus supports energy managers proportionally in the check step of the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act) in accordance with the international standard ISO 50 001:2018 (Energy management systems – Requirements with guidance for use).

The advantages with the EMMA smart energy management service

  • High-level user-friendliness with a systemic overall concept with intuitive menu navigation and automated data transfer to the Proficloud.io
  • Energy and power data, targeted overviews independent of time or location via purpose-oriented visualization systems
  • Constantly increasing value benefits for your energy management system with continuous, user-oriented further development
  • Secure communication between the device and cloud via TLS encryption
  • Device management for a clear overview of the applications