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Advances in the Field
With the
volatility of recent energy markets, the need for Energy Managers has
grown and has attracted a new pool of talented individuals making this
their chosen profession. Leading the way in the
development of those individuals is The Association of Energy Engineers
(AEE). The AEE establishes and upholds rigorous
standards to ensure only well qualified energy managers receive their
stamp of approval. In order to qualify as a CEM, applicants must
complete two to four years of education in a related field. Then based
on their level of formal education, they must acquire three to ten
years experience in the energy field. All this is merely a
prerequisite. In order to become a CEM applicants must pass a
rigorous exam covering at least eleven different aspects of the energy
trade. The training and education doesn't stop once an individual is
certified. A CEM must remain active in their field
to maintain their certification. The process of becoming a CEM is not
an easy one, and it ensures that if you retain a CEM, you are working
with a competent professional.
Learn more about Energy Managers
and how to retain them without adding to your payroll.
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Your
Energy Manager
Topic: Energy Managers - Return to Prominence
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Welcome, 
Independent
Energy Consultants, Inc. is committed to helping its clients make
well-informed and cost-effective decisions regarding
their energy supply and consumption. We are sending you this newsletter
to help you understand how decisions that are made, or not made, affect
your company's bottom line.
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A New Year
The New Year is often a time for making
resolutions. As we begin 2010 many companies will resolve to make
a variety of changes necessary to move forward and grow in a lean
economy. Energy management is one area where companies can assure
that they are using their resources wisely. A resolution to
form a relationship with an Energy Consultant, or to take full
advantage of a current relationship, can improve a company's energy and
financial performance.
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Professional Asset
Whether
you run a city, a company or a factory, it is important to know your
assets. An important asset to any of these entities is a Certified
Energy Manager (CEM). A good Energy Manager will have a balanced
arsenal of education and practical experience dealing with energy
concerns. An Energy Manager can help guide you through ever-changing
markets to ensure you are capitalizing on the latest technology,
operating practices and incentive programs. At Independent Energy
Consultants we have a saying that you should want to work with someone
who can identify problems in your boiler room and then explain the
financial solutions in your board room. If you are looking for that
type of ally, please contact us to discuss your situation. |
Economic
Necessity
The
Energy Manager profession, while always needed, tends to go in and out
of favor with the ebb and flow of energy prices. One
could argue that the oil embargo of the seventies was the event that
gave birth to the Energy Manager profession. The
profession was born out of necessity when fuel supplies became scarce
and energy prices skyrocketed. During this crisis,
people realized the value of a good Energy Manager, and the energy
conservation movement began to take hold.
However, as so often happens, when a crisis wanes, so too do the
corrective actions that it spawned. By the time the 1980's had arrived
all seemed right with the energy world again. We
saw the free flow of Mideast oil return, and the U.S. had just
commissioned over 110 new nuclear power plants. The
motto of the nuclear industry, which we wholeheartedly support, was
electricity would be "too cheap to require metering". A
20-year period of ample cheap energy supplies once again left Energy
Managers out in the cold - no pun intended.
As we close out the first decade of the 21st century, this
is no longer the case. Energy supplies are once again being
artificially constrained or manipulated and rates have changed
drastically without warning or reason. With these changes in the
market, and a push toward a greener economy, the energy manager is once
again in high demand. In these times of economic instability, energy
management cannot be ignored or viewed as a part-time job assigned to
an Engineer or Facility Manager. These duties are becoming more
complicated and require the attention of a trained professional. A
relationship with a CEM is an investment that can save money and pay
for itself many times over.
Contact
Independent Energy Consultants if
you would like to speak to experts about effectively sourcing energy
supplies and ensuring that you use that energy efficiently.
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Tools for the Trade
Just as the
training for Energy Managers has improved, so too have the tools
they have at their disposal. Advances in technology have produced many
devices that complement the CEM's expertise and allow for new
possibilities.
New equipment has enabled us to economically capture, store and analyze
data that didn't exist 10 years ago. As an example,
small box-like devices called data loggers can now be installed on
equipment or in an environment to record information such as, energy
use, illumination, temperature and moisture levels. The data can then
easily and even remotely be downloaded to a PC for detailed analysis.
The data provides a starting point for operational improvements and/or
cost effective equipment upgrades.
Another useful
tool that has come down in cost is a thermal camera. These
devices allow for quick hands-on investigation in many applications.
Thermal cameras can be used to spot leaks in insulation that could be
sending heating funds quite literally out the window. Another use
is to spot overheating in electrical panels or rotating machinery.
Thermal images can also be used to
capture the operating characteristics of new equipment so a baseline is
available to spot changes or degradation over time. Early
identification of problems can not only save you money, they might
prevent a safety hazard from developing.
One last tool we'd like to mention is a combustion analyzer.
This device, commonly used by
CEMs, can quickly tell you how efficiently a boiler, furnace or hot
water tank is operating. By measuring the exhaust
gases and temperatures, the instrument can tell you how much energy is
being converted into useful work and how much is being wasted.
This can help spot equipment that
may need repairs, adjustments or even replacement.
Devices such as these are helping Energy Managers play an ever
increasing role in helping companies manage their energy dollars.
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