What Is It?

Because Wexus is dedicated to helping growers save money, energy & time, we’ve created a first-of-its kind feature to help you automatically identify and track cost ($), energy (kWh) and peak power (kW) savings. With the Savings Plan feature, Wexus automatically creates a plan based on your historical energy usage with suggested ways to drive savings. Then Wexus automatically tracks the savings for you by pulling in your utility bills and energy usage every month (or in real time if you have add’l hardware installed through our partners).   

What Drives the Savings Plan?

Wexus drives cost and energy savings by identifying several savings measures based on your historical energy usage from your utility bills and meter usage data. And then we help you verify the ACTUAL savings from your energy efficiency investments by automatically tracking your energy bills and meter data each month.  This includes:

Cost ($) Savings:

• Changing your utility rates to the best plans for multiple service accounts/meters based on your actual historical usage, and then tracking the cost savings every month automatically based on the new rates you’ve switched to. 
• Enrolling in utility money-back incentive programs like demand response that can save thousands of dollars of your utility bill and earn you a check every month.
• Labor time savings due to avoided cost of not having to track down paper utility bills for multiple accounts each month and not having employees drive around in a truck writing down water flowmeter readings for irrigation pumps across your farm.

Energy (kWh) Savings:

• Irrigation pump efficiency improvements through regular maintenance, upgrades/replacements, installation of variable frequency drives (VFDs), or improvements in well water depths/aquifer levels. 

Power/Demand (kW) Savings:

• SMS text alerts from Wexus up to 90 minutes before peak hours begin for a specific pump when its running. Your Wexus account manager verifies the power drop with you during your monthly checkin-in call.
• Hardware controls installed at your pump with automatic shutoff feature based around peak energy hours/time of use.

How Does it Work? Savings Score Card

The Savings Score Card automatically calculates your potential cost, energy (kWh) and power demand (kW) savings versus your actual, implemented savings. We do this by verifying which energy efficiency measures you’ve implemented each month by a check-in with your Wexus account manager, as well as automatically pulling in your utility billing and usage data to verify the savings. For example, in the screen shot below, $3,203 out $132,149 potential savings have been realized by basic pump efficiency maintenance improvements. This farmer could also save a lot more money and energy by changing his utility rate plans, shifting irrigation scheduling around expensive peak hours, and participating in utility demand response/load reduction programs with free or low cost automation hardware and equipment.

How Does It Work? Utility Rate Analysis Change & Tracking

Every month your usage and costs are analyzed against what your current rate is and what your ideal rate is based on your historical utility bills and energy meter usage over the last rolling 12 months. 

As you can see in the shot above, at the current rates, the customer is spending $519,000. However, if they switch to the new Wexus recommended rates, the cost is expected to decrease to $449,000, saving almost $70,000 over a twelve month span.

For a more detailed explanation of the suggested rate change, click on “See Details” which will provide you a break down of each meter’s rate, the recommended new rate and its associated cost, the current cost of operating over the past twelve months and the difference between the two.

The new rate will automatically default to the Wexus recommendation based on your habits. If you would like to explore alternative rates, you can click on the Drop Down menu and Wexus will automatically calculate what the new rate and cost would be. It is also possible to remove certain pieces of equipment from our rate analysis by clicking on the check box in the “Include” column – when you un-click, the new totals will automatically recalculate.

Once you’ve decided on the rate you’d like to change, click on the “Change My Rates” button. You’ll then receive an automated email notification of the suggested change and estimated annual savings. And your Wexus account manager will contact your utility company on your behalf to change the specific rates that you selected.

How Do I Find Specific Ways to Save?

As you scroll down the Savings Page, we’ve listed various recommendations and programs that can help you drive savings. Each item features a description as well as a link to the program’s website where you can receive more details or sign up: 

• Pump Testing through a pump testing consultant and cost offset by your utility.
• Energy Audits with Wexus third-party consultants that visit your operation, identify energy savings measures, and create a report for you with payback
• Pump Maintenance measures with specific recommendations for efficiency improvements based on irrigation industry guidelines.

How Can I Share My Info With Key Contacts to Take Action?

Finally, Wexus offers a valuable “Contacts” feature at the bottom of the Savings Plan page. Wexus stores names and contact info so you can use this feature to quickly reach your contacts with a click of a button. Contacts include:

• Utility account representatives
• Energy auditors
• Pump hardware & controls contractors
• Pump servicing and well drilling contractors
• Solar PV contractors

How Can I Sign Up for a Free Demo with My Data?

This ends our Savings Plan page walk thru. If you’d like more info about how Wexus’ software platform can drive efficiency across your farming operation, please click here to sign up for a free demo, or contact us at info@wexusapp.com.