Real Time Energy Management Systems: On-Premise and Cloud-Based Implementation Challenges

It is well known that energy management is key for the optimal operation of refining and petrochemical sites. Industrial energy systems are constituted by complex utilities networks that are interconnected and interact among each other and that are also subject to environmental and operating constraints and frequent changes in power prices and equipment availability.

Management and optimization of these systems present challenges not only from a technological but also from an organizational and human resources point of view. The first can be addressed by the implementation of an Energy Management System (EMS), which includes capabilities for multi-period optimized scheduling, real-time optimization and monitoring, either installed on-premise or cloud-based. The second by following best practices that are critical to the success of the EMS, which will be influenced by and adapted to the particular environment of each organization and the type of implementation, including appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Two EMS implementation case studies will be presented as examples, providing insight on how success can be achieved in real-time energy management.