A Day in the Life of an Energy Consultant: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Are you considering hiring an energy consultant to help your organization conserve power and reduce its carbon footprint? That’s a smart move! When you do so, you not only invest in the short-term success of your company, but you also set it up for the future, as well.

There’s a reason the global energy and resources industry has grown to a staggering $15.5 billion. The need for expert advice is there, and future-focused business leaders are catching on.

Yet, unless you’ve worked in this profession yourself, you may not be completely clear on what to expect. How involved will your consultant be in your daily operations? What level of insight should you expect? What are some of the major steps you can expect to take together?

Today, we’re here to allay those concerns and help give you a clearer picture of what you’ll find at that initial meeting and beyond. Ready to peek into this exciting and rewarding profession? Let’s get started!

Delving into Current Energy Sources

An energy consultant will typically start his day by taking a look at an organization’s current energy sources to determine what’s working and what isn’t. He will leverage energy intelligence software to learn as much as possible about how your existing systems are operating. From there, he’ll ascertain whether certain, outdated ones are absorbing a majority of the power generated.

From there, he will map the usage of your systems. Especially if you’re a major corporate entity, you likely rely on an interconnected maze of facilities, warehouses, teams and routes. Yet, when is the last time you tracked your energy use across these various touchpoints? A consultant will spend part of his day doing just that.

From there, he will analyze your current and past utility statements. Is your current plan and pricing the best you can do or, if you live in a deregulated market, are their alternatives beyond your local utility provider?

Researching Alternate Solutions

If the flexibility is there, your consultant may then check into the viability and value of procuring alternative energy solutions. In some cases, this might mean making the switch to commercial solar solutions or installing wind turbines.

Or, it may simply require obtaining pricing from a few local Retail Electricity Providers (REPs) to ensure you’re not paying more than you need to be. During this period of initial research, your consultant will also consult current and future, proposed regulations and legislations around local energy procurement.

Data Sharing and Recording

Of course, insights are only actionable if they’re recorded. Your energy consultant may hold briefings or conference calls with your organization’s stakeholders to discuss findings, but even if this data is relayed verbally, it will also be consolidated into formal reports for your reference.

As such, a portion of an energy consultant’s day will include time set aside for generating and sharing reports. These will be clear and concise, detailing what the consultant realized during his analysis and the recommended next steps toward improved efficiency.

From there, if anyone in your organization has issues with or questions surrounding the data, the analyst will schedule follow-up discussion meetings. At these, he will expand upon the information presented and answer any outstanding inquiries.

Brainstorming Future Solutions

After any new suggestions have been reported, an energy consultant will then work on determining how feasible these actions are in the company’s current work environment and any implications they may have.

The consultant may use data modeling software to perform this step, making sure the numbers are accurate to predict future performance. Alongside such software, the consultant will often participate in meetings with C-suite executives and together, they will brainstorm creative approaches to existing problems.

Benefit from an Energy Consultant Today

If you’re on the fence about whether an energy consultant is a smart investment for your company, let us put any hesitation to rest.

The better you understand how your company uses energy and how it can improve its efficiency, the closer you are to performing under a lean usage model that enables operations without the generation of unnecessary fossil fuels.

Our network of top-tier solutions providers is capable of turning even the most energy-dependent company toward a more eco-friendly tomorrow. Contact us today for a quote and take a step in a new direction.