MELBOURNE-based B&D Doors has achieved remarkable savings on its electricity accounts in the past three years, after utilising unique kWatch energy management system.
The kWatch system was developed by Utilacor over the past ten years and can detect incorrect electricity charges and billing faults that may never be picked up by the average Australian business.
B&D Doors' electricity bills range from between $10,000 to $15,000 per month, so it is no wonder B&D Doors, requested Utilacor provide them with a structured electricity management system.
“When the electricity market deregulated, businesses like us became contestable and suddenly there was a lot more emphasis on power negotiation,” B&D Doors' operations manager Ross Coates said.
"I have a background in engineering, so I basically know most companies don't pay enough attention to their energy costs. Energy companies can easily exploit the weaknesses of business. A lot of businesses would just pay their energy bills and would not know how to analyse their tariffs," Mr Coates said.
B&D Doors called on Utilacor when its electricity account was up for negotiation. Through the use of the kWatch system, and by utilising its knowledge of the energy industry, Utilacor was able to source a contract which achieved significant reductions in the company's power costs.
"Since then, Utilacor also assisted us with our power factor correction. We have also installed equipment to correct poor power factors. This equipment helped us identify any tariff changes," Mr Coates said.
"Utilacor is also very good at monitoring our account and this is collaborated in a monthly report that is sent to us.”
Utilacor managing director Matthew van der Linden said he developed the kWatch system after finding the complexity of different billing systems meant there was no way for the average business to be certain that the electricity account they were asked to pay, was correct.
"The complexity of the market makes it impossible for customers to detect an overcharge. Due to a lack of consumer awareness, businesses continue to pay incorrect electricity accounts," Mr van der Linden said.
"It is amazing to think that even now, there are businesses that routinely pay their energy accounts and yet do not know for certain that the account is correct," he said.
The kWatch system also analyses quality of supply and monitors the highest power "demand" that is set for a business.
The "demand" level set by the energy supplier can be one of the main items on the energy bill. KWatch identifies when a "demand" is set too high and ensures it is reset by the energy provider, potentially saving a business substantial costs.