Nisa partners with Simble to help retailers control energy usage and spend

Nisa is partnering with technology company Simble to help retailers control their energy usage and spend.

Using the company’s cloud-based analytics platform SimbleSense, retailers connect the software to their energy meters to access real-time information on their usage.

This data reveals insights including where energy is being wasted, what equipment needs upgrading to provide the greatest ROI, and consumption data that could be used to renegotiate contracts with utility providers, Nisa said. It can also alert retailers when energy usage goes above set parameters.

SimbleSense aims to help retailers understand where energy is being used and how it can be managed to minimise costs, thereby creating a “financially sustainable business”.

During a three-month trial period with SimbleSense, 28-site Nisa forecourt retailer MPK Garages reduced its energy consumption by 31%, amounting to £3,000 less in monthly costs per site.

It was able to assess energy behaviour patterns across components including refrigeration, lighting and heating, it said.

One incident included finding one defective meter using SimbleSense insight, which showed MPK Garages was being billed incorrectly due to the meter misreading its usage.

The forecourt operator has also seen a 42% reduction in its chiller energy consumption, after the data highlighted its fridge doors were not retaining optimum temperatures.

“This has been achieved by following the detailed reports generated by the system and suggested changes discovered using the technology,” said an MPK Garages spokesman.

“The daily insight from the system allows us to make informed decisions and reduce our energy costs across the estate with significant savings per site. We are continuing the rollout across the estate.”

Nisa retailers can sign up to SimbleSense through Nisa’s OCS online platform, where they can order specific equipment packages, including submeters that attach to the energy meters, to suit different store sizes, and training material provided by SimbleSense.

Thanks to the partnership, retailers can also invest in SimbleSense at a discounted price, Nisa said.

SimbleSense has also gone live with Tout’s, and is in discussions with a number of other Nisa retailers.