In today’s data-driven world, it's easy to assume that every system promising high reliability actually delivers. But when it comes to electrical metering solutions, the gap between claims and reality can be wider than expected. Many vendors boast impressive uptime and accuracy figures, but those numbers often mask a deeper issue: not all data is useful, and network or human errors can silently erode the quality and quantity of what’s truly actionable.
A recent analysis we conducted sheds light on just how significant this problem can be. Incumbent metering solutions at three Fortune 100 companies, with over 8,000 electric submeters, self-reported an average of just 44% useful data. In stark contrast, Verdigris delivered 97% useful data, highlighting the critical gap between what’s promised and what’s delivered.
Figure 1. “Incumbent Metering” is based on self-reported data for >8,000 electric submeters at three Fortune 100 companies.
The Hidden Cost of Unreliable Data
Consider this: you’ve invested in an advanced electrical metering system, confident it will deliver insights to optimize your energy use, cut costs, and boost sustainability efforts. But as time passes, intermittent network issues cause your system to go offline, unnoticed by your team. When the system does return online, it may not pick up where it left off. You now have gaps in your data—gaps that can mislead decision-makers and leave opportunities for improvement untapped.
Even if your metering solution reports back a 99% uptime, if a significant portion of the data is incomplete or unusable, the actual error rate might be much higher. Worse yet, these errors often go undetected, creating a false sense of security. Over time, this unreliability undermines your efforts to improve efficiency, manage demand, and reduce operational costs.
What Causes Data Loss?
There are several factors that can compromise the integrity of your electrical data:
- Network Issues: Unstable connections or poor bandwidth can cause meters to lose contact with the system, leading to missing or incomplete data.
- Human Error: Misconfigurations or overlooked alerts can prevent systems from being properly maintained or restored after downtime.
- System Failures: Software bugs, hardware malfunctions, or power disruptions can bring even the most sophisticated solutions offline.
- Lack of Monitoring: Without proper oversight or alerts, you may not even realize when a problem occurs, allowing gaps in data to grow unchecked.
The True Measure of Reliability: Useful Data
It's not just about uptime or how often your system is online. The real question is: how much of the data collected is actually useful? If even a fraction of your data is missing or erroneous, it can distort analytics, delay insights, and undermine the very purpose of metering in the first place.
To ensure your electrical metering solution delivers value, it’s essential to choose a system with proactive monitoring, real-time error detection, and automated recovery processes. These features ensure that when the inevitable issues arise, they’re caught and addressed quickly, minimizing the impact on your data streams.
Why High-Quality Data Matters
Data reliability isn’t just about minimizing gaps; it’s about maximizing the value of every kilowatt-hour tracked. High-quality, actionable data enables:
- Optimized energy usage: Reliable data empowers you to identify inefficiencies, reduce waste, and improve overall energy usage.
- Informed maintenance: Consistent data allows you to anticipate equipment failure and schedule maintenance before issues escalate.
- Sustainability and cost savings: Data-driven insights lead to smarter energy strategies, saving money and supporting sustainability goals.
- Compliance and reporting: When regulations require precise energy reporting, gaps in data can lead to compliance risks, fines, or reputational damage.
The Verdigris Difference: Trust in Every Data Point
Despite the best efforts of metering solutions to maintain data integrity, traditional architectures are prone to points of failure outside of their control.
Our goal at Verdigris is simple: deliver data you can trust, day in and day out. We don’t just promise reliability; we ensure it by combining advanced metering technology with a cloud-connected architecture, building resilience into the platform to counter network issues, human error, or system failures that lead to data loss.
Unlike legacy systems, Verdigris meters are continuously monitored for accuracy, with automated health checks that validate data quality in real-time. When issues arise, they’re detected and can be addressed immediately, so your data remains complete and actionable.
Additionally, Verdigris offers remote troubleshooting capabilities, allowing users to address errors—like CT type mismatches or phase assignment errors—without the need for on-site fixes. This reduces costly service calls and ensures consistent data flow, a key advantage over less resilient systems.
Ready to Make the Most of Your Data?
Schedule a demo with Verdigris today and see how our cloud-connected solution can ensure every data point is accurate, actionable, and useful in making smarter energy decisions.