Energy Management
Last updated 9/2/2021
Welcome to the EnergySage guide to home energy management!
As more and more states commit to clean energy targets or emission reduction goals, electrification–converting fossil-fuel-powered processes to be electric-powered–will become increasingly important. And once more of your appliances–and perhaps even your car!–are electrified, it will be important for you to have improved insight into your energy usage and a way to take control of it.
Home energy management, or, more simply, energy management, is a growing sector that provides people with a window into how, where, and when they use energy, as well as with the insights necessary to change that usage, reduce their electricity bills, and get the most out of their solar–and storage–installations.
In our guide to energy management, you'll find everything you need to know about:
- What energy management entails
- The components of energy management systems
- The benefits of energy management systems
- How to decide if you should get an energy management system
- How to evaluate energy management systems
- Company and product reviews for the components you need to complete your energy management system
Not sure where to start? Here's a quick explanation of what you'll find in each of those sections, as well as links to the individual product reviews.
Energy Management 101
An energy management system can take various forms but always consists of two key components: monitoring and controls. If this is the first time you're hearing about energy management systems or want to brush up on your understanding of this sector, this is the place to start. In the 101 section, we cover what energy management is and why it’s so important for meeting clean energy and emission reduction targets.
To learn more, visit our Energy Management 101 section.
If you’re a solar owner, you’ll also want to make sure you have a production tracking system to help you follow how much solar energy your panels are producing. Your installer will set you up with an app run by your solar inverter manufacturer, which can often be upgraded to include consumption tracking as well. Be sure to ask your installer if that’s a possibility with your setup. And if you're considering adding storage to a new or existing solar panel system, an energy management system is essential to unlock the full value of your battery. If you came here looking for solar and storage quotes, check out the EnergySage Marketplace.
Components
The two keys to any energy management system are monitoring and controls. Without both of those aspects, it’s not truly an energy management system. The main difference between the different components of an energy management system is where they are situated: are they downstream (i.e., at each individual outlet in your home), or are they a top-level setup (i.e., a smart panel that covers your whole home).
To learn more, visit our energy management system components section.
Benefits
Energy managemet systems provide four key benefits:
- Actionable energy usage insights
- Right size your solar (and storage) installation
- Get the most out of your battery
- Receive tips for preventative maintenance
To learn more, visit our benefits of energy management systems section.
Is energy management right for you?
Adding an energy management system to your home can help you make smarter energy decisions: with this technology, you can better understand how, where, and when you use energy, allowing you to maximize your electricity savings and get the most out of your solar–and/or storage–system.
To learn more, visit our should you get an energy management system section.
Evaluating energy management systems
More and more companies are now offering home energy management systems (or at least components of one). If you've decided that an energy management system is right for you, how do you evaluate all of the different options available?
To learn more, visit our evaluating energy management systems section.
Product and company reviews
There are a LOT of products and companies in the energy management space. To help you better understand the layout of the energy management industry–who are the main players, what are their primary prodcuts, and how do they stack up against each other–we have a series of reviews of both products and companies.
