Optimization of grid fees through efficient load management

How do I know if my company is paying too much for grid charges?

In the modern business world, where every company is looking for ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency, the management of energy costs plays a crucial role. A key factor influencing energy costs is the concept of peak load in relation to grid charges. Companies and industries that consume more than 100,000 kWh of electricity per year often face high costs due not only to the amount of energy (kWh) consumed, but also to the largest peak load (kW) measured during the year.

What is a peak load?

The load peaks, which represent the average power consumption within 15 minutes (see Figure 1), are given special consideration by the grid operator and have a direct influence on the level of the grid charges.

A critical aspect that often leads to unnecessarily high grid charges is the phenomenon of a significantly higher peak load occurring in just a few quarters of the year due to high consumption at certain points. Such situations can be particularly costly, as they drive up energy costs without there being a continuously high level of consumption.

The challenge for many companies is to identify whether they are actually paying too much in grid charges and whether there are ways to optimize these costs through efficient peak load management and targeted interventions in load management.

A load management system based on load profile measurement makes it possible to control energy consumption in such a way that peak loads are reduced. This can be achieved through technical solutions such as load shedding or through organizational measures to improve the distribution of consumption. The use of peak load management and peak shaving is a decisive step towards optimizing energy costs and avoiding excessive peak loads .

The first question that often arises is whether there is any potential at all for reducing peak loads and thus grid charges in companies. There are two simple methods for this, which are described below.

How can you find out whether you are paying too much for grid fees?

Energy managers often ask themselves the question: "Am I paying too much for peak loads?". There are two simple methods to approach the answer.

1. calculation with the help of the electricity bill

To answer these questions, a first look at the electricity bill and in particular at the annual usage duration is informative. The annual usage duration indicates how many hours the annual consumption would extend over if the peak load were applied continuously and therefore serves as an important indicator for the potential of load management measures. The annual usage period is calculated from the ratio of annual energy (in kWh) to annual peak load (in kW). Theoretically, constant consumption throughout the year would correspond to an annual usage period of 8,760 hours (365 days times 24 hours). A low annual period of use indicates that the use of a load management system to reduce the peak load and thus reduce energy costs could be advantageous.

2. analysis using the annual duration curve

In addition to analyzing the electricity bill, a look at an energy management system also provides valuable insights. The annual duration curve (Figure 2), which visualizes the power purchases of a year in descending order, can show how often and to what extent peak loads occur.

The sharper the annual duration curve on the left-hand side, the more effectively peak load management measures can be evaluated.

The decision for a load management system and measures for peak shaving should be based on a well-founded analysis of the company's own energy consumption patterns. The annual usage duration and the annual duration curve provide crucial indicators that help companies to make their energy consumption more efficient and optimize the costs for grid charges. By actively managing peak loads and avoiding peak loads, companies can make an important contribution to reducing their energy costs and stabilizing the electricity grid.

Practicalexamples of peak load management

Below you will find three practical examples of load management that have already been implemented to reduce peak loads:

Load management with ENIT act

ENIT act is characterized by its flexibility and intelligence in the control of various energy consumers, which qualifies it for a variety of applications. Thanks to the creative and targeted use of ENIT act, our customers have already achieved significant improvements in the following areas:

Optimization of charging stations: The ENIT act enables intelligent control of charging processes for electric vehicles by prioritizing charging processes based on actual demand and grid load. This helps to avoid peak loads and reduce the need for grid expansion.
Load shedding with heating rods: In situations where companies want to specifically reduce peak loads, the ENIT act can help to intelligently control the operation of heating elements. By dynamically adapting operation to the current grid load and energy prices, considerable cost savings can be achieved.
Atypical grid usage: For companies whose load consumption is close to the atypical grid usage defined in Section 16 (2) StromNEV, ENIT act offers a solution by efficiently controlling and optimizing energy consumption within the peak load time windows. This can be achieved by adapting the operating times of energy-intensive processes to the grid load situation. Load profiles that exceed the atypical grid usage limit can thus be avoided.

Outlook for extended load management strategies

Innovative load management solutions for future-oriented companies

The spectrum of load management is continuously expanding by using advanced forecasting technologies for consumption, electricity prices and the feed-in of renewable energies. These developments enable even more precise and optimized operations in various areas:

Self-consumption optimization: intelligent control systems maximize self-consumption of self-generated electricity. These technologies use forecast data to coordinate the use of renewable energy and storage systems so that as much of the self-generated electricity as possible is consumed directly on site. This leads to a significant reduction in energy costs and increases energy independence.
Battery management: The integration and optimal control of battery storage systems not only enables the efficient use of surplus energy, but also stabilizes the overall grid. By taking into account energy price forecasts and the availability of renewable energies, battery systems can be controlled in such a way that they store energy at times of low cost and release it again when demand is high, which further reduces energy costs.
Control of combined heat and power (CHP) plants and other decentralized energy generation systems: These systems offer additional opportunities to increase efficiency thanks to their flexibility. The combination of forecast data and intelligent control makes it possible to operate CHP units and other systems precisely when they are needed most or when energy costs are at their lowest.

The future of load management: Integration and innovation

The future of load management will be significantly shaped by the integration of innovative approaches in the field of battery management, the use of renewable energies and the intelligent control of decentralized energy generation systems. The key to a sustainable and cost-efficient energy strategy lies in the ability to not only optimize these systems in isolation, but to integrate them into a comprehensive energy management concept.

These advanced strategies in peak load management, peak shaving and load shedding, enhanced with the latest technologies and forecasting methods, are paving the way for an efficient, sustainable and economically beneficial energy future for businesses. These innovative approaches show that load management goes far beyond simple cost savings and has the potential to fundamentally change the way companies generate, store, share and use energy.