Between 2007 and 2022 (coinciding with the onset of the first wave of load-shedding), the average Eskom tariff increased by 450%, consistently exceeding headline inflation by a substantial margin. Energy-intensive industries (in fact, all industries and consumers) have felt the strain, and it’s become a business imperative to find effective ways to improve efficiency and reduce electricity costs. The problem is that most companies don’t have enough information about their consumption to make these informed decisions.

THOHO Energy understands the challenges large organisations face in accessing better energy monitoring tools and systems to manage their consumption, which is why they've partnered with Centrica, a leading FTSE 100 listed company, to bring a proven energy insights solution to Africa. Centrica’s cloud-based platform, PowerRadar™, allows businesses to easily view and manage their energy to develop a data-driven energy strategy to reduce costs and downtime.

Here are 7 financial benefits of real-time energy management

1. Pinpointing wasted energy

One of the first steps to reducing your electric bill is identifying areas of wasted energy. Many organisations struggle with this because they lack the necessary information about their energy consumption. With THOHO Energy's real-time energy monitoring tools, you gain comprehensive insights into your energy footprint. Device-level monitoring allows you to precisely pinpoint where energy is being wasted, enabling you to take corrective measures.

2. Understanding consumption for strategic reduction

To effectively reduce your power bill, it's essential to understand how energy is being used across your facility. THOHO Energy empowers you with intelligent data through PowerRadar, which visualises your energy consumption and enables you to develop a data-driven energy strategy. With this strategic approach, you can significantly reduce costs and downtime.

3. Improving operational efficiency

Many businesses lack an effective energy strategy that leverages off-peak energy times or considers device performance. THOHO Energy's solutions not only provide visibility into your energy consumption but also offer the insights needed to optimise operations, for example:

• Implementing energy-intensive processes during off-peak hours
• Identifying which machinery could benefit from preventative maintenance to make it run more efficiently
• Making informed decisions based on actual energy data to justify the appropriate investments, leading to a greater return on investment (ROI)

4. Uncovering illegal connections and abuse

Undetected illegal connections and employee abuse can go undetected for long periods, contributing to inflated energy bills. Illegal connections also cause electricity infrastructure to fail because it can't support that unaccounted-for demand. But, without evidence, it’s difficult to pinpoint where abuse is occurring and put a stop to it.

THOHO Energy's energy insights equip you with the evidence needed to identify and stop such abuse. This proactive approach ensures that you're only paying for legitimate energy consumption, further reducing unnecessary costs. For example, one of THOHO’s clients recently identified a spike in energy consumption on a Saturday, when the facility was meant to be closed. They discovered that staff were using the facility during this time, and were able to put a stop to this illicit energy use.

5. Managing load shedding effectively

Of course, one cannot write an article about electricity in South Africa without mentioning load shedding, which poses a significant challenge to most organisations. Some may invest heavily in generating power through solar or generators, but a lack of understanding of their actual needs leads to over-investment and over-generation. THOHO Energy's solutions help you navigate this challenge by clarifying how much power is required and where it's needed most during load shedding. When you know how energy is being consumed, you can ensure that resources are directed efficiently, avoiding over-supply and unnecessary expenses.

• 6. Maximising revenue from excess power

Organisations in certain major municipalities producing excess power through sources like solar panels can be remunerated by selling it back to the grid. THOHO Energy's solutions enable you to measure and manage this excess power effectively, ensuring you're getting the financial benefit you deserve and helping you assess ROI.

7. Reduce carbon tax

The Carbon Tax Act is one of the mechanisms that the South African government has put in place to help achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions as communicated under the Paris Agreement. By using data to reduce your business’ energy consumption, you’ll be able to reduce your carbon footprint, and thus your carbon tax liability. Being able to demonstrate a commitment to carbon reduction also bodes well for organisational reputation and external investment.

Be confident and in control of your organisation’s energy expenditure

Good decisions can only be made with intelligent information. That’s why THOHO Energy is committed to helping large energy-consuming industries take control of their consumption. Powered by Centrica's cutting-edge technology, real-time energy insights provide the intelligence and visibility needed to make informed decisions that positively impact your bottom line. By reducing wasted energy, understanding consumption patterns, and optimising operations, you can maximise profits while contributing to a more sustainable future.

Visit the THOHO website to learn more about how THOHO Energy can help you take control of your energy consumption and add to your bottom line.

About THOHO Energy

When you don’t have enough information about your energy consumption, you can’t make informed decisions to reduce spend and improve operational efficiencies. An energy insights solution with real-time data from THOHO Energy will allow you to[1]  holistically manage your consumption so you can put a stop to escalating energy bills and start making more profit.

https://thohoenergy.co.za/