Energy Audits & Assessments
Identify £50,000-£200,000 in annual electricity savings with comprehensive facility analysis
Most UK manufacturers are unknowingly overpaying for electricity by 15-30% due to capacity charge errors, poor power factor, inefficient equipment, and billing mistakes. Industrial Control Services conducts comprehensive energy audits that identify specific savings opportunities, validate actual consumption against billing, and provide ROI calculations for capital improvements. Our assessments have uncovered savings ranging from £23,000 to £93,000 per year for single facilities.
Free Initial Assessment: We offer a no-obligation review of your last 12 months of electricity bills to identify immediate savings opportunities before any detailed site work.
What We Analyze During Energy Audits
Electricity Billing Analysis
- 12-month consumption patterns
- Capacity charge verification (£23k-£93k recovery potential)
- Reactive power costs (kVArh charges)
- Tariff structure optimization
- Meter accuracy verification
- Standing charge comparisons
Site Power Quality Survey
- Voltage level monitoring (under/over voltage)
- Power factor measurement
- Harmonic distortion analysis
- Phase imbalance detection
- Voltage sag and surge events
- Neutral current issues
Load Profiling & Demand Analysis
- Peak demand identification
- Load factor calculation
- Off-peak usage opportunities
- Shift pattern analysis
- Seasonal variation patterns
- Weekend/shutdown consumption
Equipment Efficiency Assessment
- Compressed air system evaluation
- HVAC system performance
- Lighting survey and recommendations
- Motor loading and efficiency
- Transformer losses
- Process equipment consumption
Common Problems We Uncover
Capacity charge overcharges - Paying for 1000kVA capacity when actual requirement is 600kVA (£23,000-£93,000 annual waste)
Poor power factor penalties - Reactive power charges adding 8-15% to bills due to inductive loads without correction
Billing errors - Incorrect tariff codes, wrong meter multipliers, or standing charges not updated after equipment changes
Baseload consumption - 20-40% of electricity consumed when facility "closed" due to equipment left running unnecessarily
Inefficient compressed air - Leaks, poor pressure control, and oversized compressors wasting 30-50% of compressed air energy
Transformer losses - Oversized or inefficient transformers losing 2-5% of total facility consumption as heat
Our Energy Audit Process
Stage 1: Bill Analysis (Free)
We review 12 months of electricity bills to identify billing errors, capacity charge issues, and tariff optimization opportunities. This desk-based analysis takes 2-3 days and often uncovers £10,000-£50,000+ in immediate savings requiring no capital expenditure.
Stage 2: Site Survey (1-2 Days)
On-site visit to conduct power quality measurements, load profiling, and equipment assessment. We install temporary monitoring equipment to capture 24/7 consumption patterns and identify specific waste sources.
Stage 3: Analysis & Report (1 Week)
Detailed report with findings, quantified savings for each opportunity, capital costs if applicable, and simple payback calculations. We prioritize quick wins (no-cost or low-cost improvements) separately from capital projects.
Stage 4: Savings Validation
After implementing recommendations, we verify actual savings achieved versus predictions, typically using sub-metering systems to provide ongoing verification.
Typical Savings Opportunities
No-Cost / Low-Cost (Payback < 6 months)
- Capacity charge reduction (challenge DNO assessment)
- Tariff optimization (switch to better rate structure)
- Billing error corrections
- Equipment shutdown schedules
- Compressed air leak repairs
- Lighting controls (timers, daylight sensors)
Capital Projects (Payback 1-3 years)
- Power factor correction equipment
- LED lighting retrofits
- Variable speed drive installations
- HVAC control upgrades
- Transformer replacements
- Sub-metering systems (LoRa wireless)
Why Choose ICS for Energy Audits
- Free initial bill analysis - No obligation review before any site work commitment
- Proven savings track record - £23k-£93k capacity charge recoveries, 16-28% ongoing reductions
- Technical expertise - We understand industrial processes, not just spreadsheets
- Implementation support - We don't just hand you a report - we help implement changes
- Validation capability - LoRa sub-metering systems verify savings are actually achieved
- BICS 2027 preparation - Audits include assessment of readiness for 25% government subsidy
Real-World Example: Aerospace Manufacturer
A Staffordshire aerospace component manufacturer was paying £340,000 annually for electricity. Our initial bill analysis uncovered they were being charged for 1000kVA capacity when their actual maximum demand never exceeded 620kVA - a legacy of when they operated additional equipment years ago. We challenged this with the DNO and recovered £47,000 in overcharges going back 12 months, plus reduced ongoing costs by £93,000 per year. During the site survey, we discovered their compressed air system had 28% leakage and poor control. Installing a VSD compressor and repairing leaks saved another £34,000 annually with a 14-month payback. We also found they were being charged reactive power penalties - a power factor correction system (£18,000 installed) eliminated £12,000 annual charges. Total first-year savings: £139,000. Ongoing annual savings: £139,000. No expensive production equipment changes required.
What You Get From Our Energy Audits
- Comprehensive written report (typically 30-50 pages)
- Savings quantified for each opportunity (£/year)
- Capital costs and simple payback calculations
- Priority ranking (quick wins vs. capital projects)
- Implementation roadmap and recommendations
- Bill analysis spreadsheet (capacity charges, tariff comparison)
- Power quality survey data and graphs
- Equipment-specific recommendations
- BICS 2027 eligibility assessment
- Sub-metering system design (if recommended)
Start Saving on Electricity Costs
Request a free bill analysis to see if you're overpaying for electricity. Most manufacturers are.