Commercial Energy Monitoring Software | e2Companies

Key Takeaways:

• With record-breaking commercial energy consumption and rising electricity rates, businesses must invest in efficient energy monitoring to stay competitive.
• Commercial energy management software identifies high-usage periods, triggers load-shifting strategies, and supports demand response programs—helping reduce operational costs and qualify for utility incentives.
• AI-powered solutions forecast anticipated power utilization with greater accuracy, allowing facilities managers and stakeholders to extend asset life and participate in energy markets for potential revenue generation.
• e2Companies’ Grove365 software, now enhanced with AI capabilities, enables real-time monitoring, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and automated grid event response for seamless energy management.
  

Why Commercial Buildings Should Invest in Energy Efficiency

Energy demand in the U.S. is skyrocketing. Power consumption in 2025 and 2026 will reach record highs, with demand increasing from 4,097 billion kWh in 2024 to 4,252 billion kWh in 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s recent Short Term Energy Outlook.

At the same time, commercial energy costs are climbing. For example, in New England, commercial electricity rates rose from 20.79 cents per kWh in February 2024 to 23.63 cents per kWh in February 2025. This trend highlights the increasing financial burden of energy costs on commercial properties—and underscores the urgent need for better energy management to reduce consumption and costs. 

Analyzing energy consumption helps you identify areas of improvement and optimize usage. In this article, we’ll look at how an energy monitoring solution can analyze your site’s energy usage, help manage peak demand, and unlock opportunities for new revenue streams.

Energy Monitoring Solutions

Energy monitoring solutions help businesses track their energy usage and identify opportunities for energy efficiency. Using connected sensors to monitor local energy systems, an energy monitoring solution typically includes Energy Management Software (EMS), a platform that collects data and presents it visually with charts and dashboards. EMS allows commercial building managers to monitor energy consumption, analyze data, and develop insights for optimization.

Energy management systems can be integrated with existing infrastructure to provide a comprehensive view of energy usage. The software helps businesses identify energy waste caused by underperforming equipment, inefficient or unnecessary use of HVAC systems, and more.

Monitoring power usage can help businesses reduce their energy costs and improve their bottom line. One example is the Bank of America Tower at 1 Bryant Park in New York, a project that combined energy-efficient windows, HVAC and water systems with an EMS to achieve a 50% reduction in energy consumption.

Another global example is found in Amsterdam, where city officials are experimenting with blue-green roofs, specifically designed to capture rainwater. These roofs gather stormwater and repurpose it for common functions, like cleaning and watering plants. This also provides advanced cooling for the top floor and flood prevention.

Today’s EMS solutions can track energy usage and provide real-time data, often with AI-powered tools for automation and decision-making.

Peak Demand Management

Peak demand management reduces energy consumption during periods of high demand, when power is typically more expensive. This strategic regulation can help businesses cut energy costs, minimize strain on the public grid, and improve their bottom line.

EMS, as established above, tracks energy consumption and identifies opportunities for peak demand management. With access to real-time data on energy use, you’ll be equipped to make informed decisions about energy usage throughout your facility. Here are three ways an EMS can help you effectively manage peak demand:

• Real-Time Monitoring and Triggered Alerts
  An EMS offers a holistic view of energy consumption with reports and dashboards. The software can notify you with triggered alerts when use nears established thresholds or peaks, giving you a chance to take action in advance. For example, your facilities manager receives an automated text alert when energy use is spiking. They are able to deactivate non-critical systems and adjust HVAC settings to minimize power consumption until the peak period passes.
  
  
• Load Forecasting
  Using historical energy usage data, an EMS can predict when peak demand is likely to occur, allowing you to be proactive in reducing usage during that time. For example, on a hot and humid July day, the software might anticipate a peak demand period in mid-afternoon, during the most intense heat. You can use this insight to pre-cool the building earlier in the day and minimize HVAC usage during that peak window.
  
  
• Demand Response and Incentives
  When you link the EMS with a utility demand response (DR) system, you can participate in incentives to lower power consumption during these peak periods. When a peak period begins, the utility sends a signal to reduce consumption, and the local EMS responds. The entire exchange is documented in verifiable data logs to demonstrate compliance, helping you qualify for credits or rebates, depending on your region and utility’s program.

With real-time oversight from an EMS, these and other peak demand strategies can help you manage energy usage more efficiently.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Energy management systems such as Grove365Ⓡ provides detailed data analysis and reporting to help businesses optimize their energy usage. This AI-powered energy monitoring software works alongside our patented R3DiⓇ System, a turnkey solution for on-site power generation. The software monitors several key elements to optimize use of the system, including:  

• Energy Consumption
  The platform analyzes energy consumption, breaking down usage by time periods, equipment, or departments to help you identify inefficiencies.
  
  
• Demand Changes
  Access detailed reports to identify peak demand windows and plan load shifting to reduce use and cost.
  
  
• Financial Reporting
  View operational expenses and energy usage side by side to help you make more informed budget decisions.

In addition to big-picture dashboard reporting, also lets you set up alerts to help you deal with anomalies or maintenance issues before they become crises. Alerts include:

• Real-Time Anomaly Detection
  Users receive an alert when something unexpected happens, such as a spike in energy usage or a malfunctioning piece of equipment.

• Predictive Maintenance
  The software can predict potential equipment failures before they occur and will issue an immediate warning so you can schedule service before the machine goes down.

• Grid Events
  You can set the system to adjust automatically when grid conditions change, such as during an outage or demand response event.

Metering and Measurement

At the core of any EMS are tools for precise metering and measurement. These connected components provide the data needed to help you understand your site’s energy consumption patterns and make informed decisions.

They constantly track electricity usage, measuring key electrical parameters such as current, voltage, power factor, and harmonics. The high-resolution data flows into energy monitoring platforms and interprets and displays the information in real-time. With these insights, you’ll be able to:

• Identify inefficiencies like poor power factor, unbalanced loads, and unnecessary runtime.

• Customize configurations to meet your facility’s operational profile, whether it’s a manufacturing plant, commercial building, or data center.

• Track energy usage at the equipment, circuit, and system levels.

Turn Power Into a Revenue Stream With AI-Powered Grove365 Energy Monitoring Software

Energy monitoring is about maximizing efficiency and cutting costs. With Grove365’s, our new AI-powered software, you can go beyond monitoring and start optimizing your energy assets for efficiency and revenue. Let’s take a look at how it works.

• AI Machine Learning (AIML)
  Grove365 uses a type of AI for numerical analysis, called AI/Machine Learning (AI/ML), allowing the platform to detect patterns in data that humans generally cannot identify. The system digests detailed information about your site’s power generation assets, battery energy storage system (BESS), and other components. 
  
  
• AI-Driven Load Balancing

Grove365Ⓡ uses historic data and predictive analytics to decide when to bring generators online, when to charge batteries, and when to utilize them to absorb load spikes and dips throughout the day. The AI system understands how to maximize battery life and minimize wear and tear on generators, making seamless adjustments to keep your energy system functioning at maximum efficiency.

• Continuous Improvement
  Along the way, AI modeling learns from how your site’s energy usage unfolds. The system creates a new demand model each day to predict energy demands and be ready to respond with appropriate actions—whether it’s charging batteries, kicking a generator on or off, or pre-cooling the building before the heat of the day.
  
  
• Expert Energy Optimization Services 

The software is supported by a network operations center working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to monitor weather, grid conditions, and market prices and determine a playbook for your business to run the R3DiⓇ System when it’s most beneficial to your company. 

This combination of experts and AI-powered monitoring software allows your company to reduce utility consumption during peak times and even gain a potential revenue stream if your utility offers demand response programs, net metering, performance-based incentives, or other options for selling energy back to the grid. 

Advanced energy monitoring tools like Grove365Ⓡ and the R3Di® System reduce energy costs, boost reliability, and prepare your business for the future. In addition, the Grove365Ⓡ places everything at your fingertips. The network is mobile enhanced and accessible 24/7, meaning you always have full visibility to your EMS, to track energy usage, asset health and real-time market-pricing. The power is literally in your hands.

Want to see what Grove365Ⓡ and the R3Di® System can do for your company? Schedule a discovery call today.