Chiller software promises energy savings
4th March 2021
UK: A new energy efficiency software designed to optimise the cooling loads of commercial and industrial chillers claims to be able to reduce energy usage by up to 20%.
The ARC (Automated Response Command) energy efficiency software has been launched by UK energy cost management consultancy Utility Team.
Live field tests of the ARC software across a range of sectors are said to have delivered reductions in energy usage of between 8% and 20%.
The installation of ARC software at the Ricoh Arena for Wasps Rugby is said to have already delivered a 14% reduction in energy consumption, with the peak summer months still to come.
According to the developers, ARC is a self-learning software that constantly monitors and logs chiller output, total energy consumption, and common header temperatures. ARC then uses this data to predict what is going to happen within the plant, based on historic events under the same ambient conditions and then recommends optimal adjustments accordingly.
The software is said to constantly monitor its own performance to account for seasonal demand changes and adiabatic conditions. The developer stresses that ARC does not replace the existing controls on the plant but rather uses them to optimise performance.
“Sustainability is a core pillar of the business and why we invested in the idea of ARC,” explained Utility Team CEO Delvin Lane. “Having identified that commercial and industrial chiller plants are often inefficient and waste both energy and money, we set about finding a solution to this challenge. The potential energy savings ARC could deliver was clear from the outset, as was the positive impact on reducing carbon emissions globally.
ARC is also a Software as a Service (SaaS) licence and delivery model, meaning that there is no upfront investment required by the customer.
“Having undertaken months of real-world testing, the efficacy of ARC has exceeded all expectations,” said Christopher Toze, ARC MD and head of energy services at Utility Team.
“ARC is a fully packaged solution that is simple to install, is backed with performance guarantees and robust measurement and verification and, with an innovative Software as a Solution (SaaS) model that removes barriers to investment.”
While the initial launch is in the UK, the ARC team plans to roll the product out across the world.
