Smart metering makes sense: NYSERDA offers saving tips.

Smart metering helps building owners and facility managers track their energy use in realtime, helping them better understand energy patterns and determine which equipment wastes energy.

Smart metering uses new technology to capture complex energy use information and can automatically relay that information close to actual time of use, or real-time. The smart meter, also known as an advanced meter or interval meter, records a building's electric load, or largest electric demand in time frames in 15-minute intervals. This information, when collected over a 24-hour period, creates the building demand profile.

Smart meters are an essential tool for energy accounting and tracking. Facility-specific demand profiles can be useful for building operators to identify inefficient equipment and diagnose solutions. Smart meter data can also quantify energy use profiles before, during, and after the installation of energy-efficient and demand reduction technologies or operational procedures. Emerging utility rate structures, such as dynamic pricing or real-time pricing of electricity, will require building operators to better understand their energy demand pattern. In these cases, access to consumption and demand data allows the operator to intelligently plan and respond to periods of high energy cost.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York State Public Service Commission are encouraging users of electricity throughout New York State, particularly in the New York Metro area, to participate in demand response programs offered by the New York Independent System Operator and Transmission Owners. In order to measure and verify demand reduction, smart meters or interval meters are a key component to program participation. As reductions are measured and documented through better peak-load management, customers not only reduce energy use and save money, they receive incentives from the NYSIO.

Purchase and installation of smart meters may also qualify for reimbursement offered through NYSERDA's Peak-Load Reduction Program, PON 733-02 (http://www.nvserda.org/ 733pon.html).

To participate in a demand response program, electric customers need to have an interval meter in their buildings. Customers must be enrolled in a demand response program in order to be notified of the need to curtail electric use during times of statewide or when local electric peak-demand approaches capacity shortfall or system distribution constraint.

Beyond measuring and monitoring electricity use, there are additional benefits that can be realized from smart meters:

The transition from regulatory structures to a competitive energy market has sometimes led to wholesale market-price volatility. Data readings from smart meters strengthen a customer's ability to benefit from price fluctuations in the wholesale market and places a customer in a better position to take advantage of the electricity retail market.

Good energy data and the ability to use that data is essential for customers who want to control costs in an ever-changing energy environment. Smart metering is an effective means to gain control of energy costs. With smart meter data, customers can verify energy savings projected from investment in various energy-efficiency modifications, as well as identify and implement operational strategies to control peak-load requirements and reduce energy waste.

In addition, smart meters can help monitor and address complex issues, such as power quality.

NYSERDA offers reimbursement incentives to customers who install approved interval meters and are enrolled in the NYISO or local utility demand response programs. Reimbursement incentives were recently extended to include interval meters that meet the NYISO's acceptable accuracy requirements.

Previously, only meters installed under PSC guidelines were eligible.

"As more large electricity users monitor and manage their energy use in real-time through the latest technologies, we believe they will make the necessary adjustments that will benefit their operations and the State's electricity grid," said Peter R. Smith, acting president of NYSERDA.

"With Governor Pataki's support, NYSERDA will continue to provide the financial and technical assistance, as demonstrated through the Peak-Load Reduction Program, to help reduce energy costs and improve the customer's bottom line."

For more information on interval meters and demand response, visit www.nyserda.org or call toll-free 1-(866)-NYSERDA.