In times of uncertainty, data is king, and the quest for a sustainable-energy future is no exception. As virtually every industry grapples with the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it’s partly up to energy companies — and the capital equipment manufacturers that serve them — to maximize efficiency in the process of our collective transition to clean power.
As it stands, natural gas is a significant part of the global energy mix, and utilities are increasingly seeking ways to improve transparency, reduce consumption and minimize their environmental impact. But traditional utilities have struggled to provide customers with the depth of insight necessary to make informed decisions about their energy usage. Enter Romet Ltd., a Mississauga-based manufacturer of gas meters and their related components.
Romet’s suite of products radically enhances the granularity of data available to its end users, which are generally in the commercial sphere—Enbridge is one big client. In one instance, a LEED-certified YMCA building constructed in 2019 implemented a Romet meter. Traditionally, gas consumption would be measured and billed on a monthly basis, which yields little insight when it comes to efficiency. But with Romet’s implementation, they suddenly had access to hour-by-hour data. By monitoring consumption in this way, it became clear the heater’s typical schedule—turning on at 6AM and heating the pool for the entire day—resulted in energy waste. Romet proposed a simple modification, using a more modern thermostat, to significantly enhance the building’s efficiency. In other words, it’s not just data for data’s sake—it’s actionable information meant to drive behaviour modification for improved energy management.
Beyond providing accurate measurements, the company positions itself as a trusted partner, leveraging their expertise to guide utilities and end customers in their pursuit of efficiency. “You may make a very small change to something, but when it comes to natural gas, you’re talking about millions of endpoints, so small changes make big differences,” says CEO Brent Collver. “We are the only ones that currently provide this solution set in the market. Customers are really hunting for this now. The idea is for them to have a much more broad and capable view of what’s going on in their system. It’s robust, reliable energy management from data generation to decision point—we cover the entire spectrum.”
Romet’s solutions also afford the autonomous transmission of consumption data: gone are the days of manual meter readings and the associated suite of delays and inaccuracies. BrightLync, one of its flagship products, allows utility companies to monitor gas usage in real-time, empowering them to promptly identify anomalies or irregularities—and enabling swift interventions to reduce waste.
With only 210 employees, Romet is certainly a David among industry Goliaths. But what they may lack in resources and reach, they more than make up for in innovation. As in the story, agility and resourcefulness can trump size; Romet stands toe-to-toe with its behemoth competitors by delivering highly differentiated solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers.
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