Recently state owned power utility firm in South Africa, Eskom, reached a near over capacity level, and  declared emergency regulatory protocol, which requires key industrial users to cut 10% of their energy load and consumers to urgently switch off nonessential appliances.

Experts now support the move to use ICT to reduce energy consumption. EES a management and audit company asks companies to employ energy saving tactics including the use of ICT rather than pointing fingers at the energy company.

“Support and implementation of appropriate policies that aim to reduce energy consumption are key contributors not only to ensuring energy savings and improving security of supply, but also to achieving sustainable development in the country going forward,” says Bradley Hemphill, Managing Director of EES.

By means of sensors and other devices, ICT gathers data that can be converted through energy business intelligence applications into real-time knowledge.

“‘Intelligent’ use of ICT can bring direct efficiency gains through measurement, monitoring, management and control.  Across the board implementation of ICT in the form of an intelligent infrastructure makes facility management more effective, results in energy savings and reduces the pressure the national power grid in under,” Hemphill said.