Other EEDSM Interventions

  • Solar Hot Water Heaters

Solar water heating is the conversion of sunlight into renewable energy for water heating, using a solar thermal collector. Upgrading the utility’s owned homes and/or immovable facilities with a solar water heater to a more sustainable way of living will save the utility and/or homeowners money. The utility and/or homeowner will save up to 40% of each facility’s electricity bill.

Solar water heating is efficient, eco-friendly, and economical. It’s an investment that offers immediate cost savings and good long-term returns. M3 will install solar water heating systems to these utility facilities and guaranteed a consistent supply of hot water round the clock and irrespective of power outages.

How a M3 solar water heating systems work?

  • M3 will install solar water heating systems that consists of a roof-mounted solar panel containing a network of tubes that are filled with water and connected to a holding tank via an inlet and outlet valve.
  • In addition, M3 will install the best solar water systems with electrical backup that automatically kicks in on cold, cloudy days so that the facility users are guaranteed hot water even if there’s no sun.

 

Gas Stoves / Ovens

The clear winner in the energy efficiency battle between gas and electric is gas. It takes about three times as much energy to produce and deliver electricity to your stove.

Most electric ovens draw between 2,000 and 5,000 watts, with the average electric stove wattage coming in at around 3,000 watts.

So how much energy does an electric stove use per hour?

Assuming an electricity rate of 240 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), a 3000-watt oven will cost you about  720cents per hour at high heat.

Before the advent of gas, cooking stoves relied on solid fuels such as coal or wood. M3 endeavour to install  gas stoves that are fuelled by combustible gas such as syngas, natural gas, propane, butane, liquefied petroleum gas or other flammable gas.

We conclude that of the major appliances in any home, gas ranges have the longest life expectancy: 15 years. Refrigerators last about 13 years.

The Benefits of Using a Smart Metering System

Additional Delivered Benefits

M3 smart revenue enhancement solution will benefit the utility with: –

  • Increased revenue collections for the utility, and optimize cash-to-cash cycles as revenue is received upfront and not +60 days post statements.
  • Collection of bad debts in arrears and keep on top of recoveries going forward using M3 Smart Prepaid Metering.
  • Improved credit rating.
  • Improved credit control and revenue management.
  • Identification and reduction of technical losses due to real-time utility management such as Power-Quality, Phasor Diagrams for load balancing and transparency of costs and tariff applications.
  • Zero-Upfront Cost of hardware, software, management and maintenance with minimum standard financial guarantees being required
  • Reduction in customer complaints due to estimated meter readings, as readings are real-time and based on actual readings for the hour/day/week/month.
  • Increased customer satisfaction as customers will get access to a utility branded web-portal for user-friendly energy management and prepaid electricity credit purchases.
  • Unlocking business intelligence for the utility by using meter data and client collections for reporting, forecasting and planning.

List of Advance Metering Technologies available for each Project

  • Single phase M1100R Smart pre-payment meters with associated Meter Enclosures
  • Three phase M3100R Smart pre-payment meters with associated Meter Enclosures
  • Three Phase M3020CTL CT Connection with associated Enclosures
  • C3020CTL concentrators with associated Enclosures
  • Customer Interface D121KPL Unit (CIU)
  • Smart pre-payment vending software (at the vending office level only)
  • Installation kits

Please note:

  • The above Technologies Data Sheets are readily available
  • Since the solution will be integrated with existing utility systems and managed from the utility’s offices, we recommend that the utility dedicate offices and computers for this purpose.
  • M3 will manage the entire implementation of the project at NO COST to the utility
  • As a result, M3 will be responsible for all installations, communication, IT and software, back-office management and maintenance for the duration of the contract.
  • Upon each project economics and in lieu of the proposed service fee, we suggest that the utility receives 80% of the recovered electricity sales on a monthly basis to secure / protect its electricity revenue. M3 in turn receives 20% of the sold and secured electricity revenue over a negotiated predetermined period / term

Critical Success Factors

  • Successful vending by customers using M3 smart meters and smart pre-payment vending software.
  • Remote reading of electricity meters.
  • Receive remote alerts from electricity meters (tamper, bypass, and leakage).
  • Remotely disconnect and reconnect electricity meters.
  • Remote power limitation.
  • >97% two-way communication with the meters

NB:

Each project will be deemed a success if the utility successfully attain the above milestones.

Conclusion

Effective Utility Management is a journey not an end-point. Proper revenue collection and asset management is an increasingly vital component within utilities – for reasons relating to cash-flow collections, operational and maintenance efficiencies.

M3’s Smart Revenue Enhancement Solution entails a total turnkey approach to hardware, software and related services to ensure a reliable, robust and future proof solution for the utility, which can even be expanded to smaller commercial and industrial customers.                  

We are able to assist each utility in both the short and long term to achieve the utility’s revenue collection and load reduction strategy.