Peak shaving: why?

Electricity bills for high voltage power customers will account for both, the energy consumed in normal and silent periods (in kWh) as well as the maximum power (kW).

Some providers do not subject the maximum power to any fees for – however, others do. And nevertheless, the distribution and transport costs generally include a factor that accounts for the maximum power.

Consequentially, reducing the maximum power will result in a lower electricity bill. And also when it comes to gas, occasionally the maximum power will play a role – however, this is generally based on hourly consumption.

Peak shaving: who?

In order to reduce the maximum power, consumers will be switched off for brief periods. Self-evidently, respective consumers will usually not be essential operating equipment, which differs from company to company.

Certain cases might, for instance, require an oven to be continuously being operated at a most accurate, pre-defined temperature in order to act as connecting link in a production process. It will thus not be regarded a consumer to be switched.

In another company, the oven’s temperature may possibly vary, which allows for integrating it with the peak shaving system. In numerous cases, fridge-freezers will make ideal control devices, since minor temperature fluctuations will usually not have any impact on them. However, this will of course be verified ad hoc.

15 Minutes Peak: Definition.

For each individual interval (e.g. 15 minutes), we will continuously calculate the power expected at its end. This final value represents the result of the average energy consumption (kWh) during the respective interval – it’s NOT the maximum (starting) current experienced by individual seconds.

If the forecast should exceed the pre-defined maximum, non-essential consumers will be switched off for short periods. Excess energy might then be consumed by this specific consumer in any subsequent quarter of an hour.