Clear answer, explained.
Ontario utilities provide 15-minute interval data for commercial accounts — a detailed record of exactly how much electricity a facility consumed at every 15-minute window throughout the year. Analysing this data against weather records, operating schedules, and building system run times gives auditors a precise picture of how energy is being used, when demand peaks occur, and where consumption is higher than operations should require.
Interval data analysis identifies issues that are invisible at the monthly bill level: HVAC systems running at full load on mild-weather days, equipment left running outside production hours, demand spikes caused by simultaneous equipment start-ups, and seasonal patterns that indicate control system drift. These anomalies become the starting point for the on-site assessment — directing the auditor's attention to the highest-value systems before the site visit begins.
For solar sizing, the annual consumption profile derived from interval data is the input that determines the right system size. A solar system is sized to match the facility's annual electricity consumption — not its peak demand or its daytime load at any given moment. Accurate interval data produces accurate sizing.
What this means in practice.
- Interval data is electricity consumption recorded at 15-minute intervals — available from Ontario utilities for commercial accounts
- 12–24 months of interval data is the standard input for a commercial energy audit baseline
- Interval analysis reveals demand patterns, peak windows, and operational anomalies invisible at the monthly bill level
- Anomalies identified in interval data — HVAC running on mild days, after-hours consumption — direct the on-site assessment
- The annual consumption profile from interval data is the primary input for solar system sizing
- Solar is sized to the facility's annual consumption profile — not peak demand or daytime load at any specific moment
Best-fit environments.
- Your utility bill is high but you cannot identify the primary cost drivers from the monthly statement
- You are preparing for an energy audit and want to understand what data the auditor will need
- You are evaluating solar for your facility and want to understand how the system will be sized
- You suspect HVAC or process equipment is running outside of necessary operating hours
