Energy Analytics for Multi-Site Ohio Portfolios
The short answer
Portfolio energy analytics means turning dozens of utility bills into a handful of numbers that tell you which sites cost too much and why. Five metrics do most of the work: all-in cost per kWh, kWh per square foot (or per unit), load factor, capacity tag per site, and month-over-month exceptions. Track them in one table and the outliers become obvious.
For getting interval data out of Ohio utilities, see Ohio energy data sources.
The five portfolio metrics
| Metric | Formula | What an outlier usually means |
|---|---|---|
| All-in ¢/kWh | Total bill $ ÷ kWh | Wrong rate schedule, high demand, or a missed contract (site on default or variable price) |
| Energy intensity | kWh ÷ ft² (or ÷ units produced) | Equipment problems, schedules, or a different use of the space |
| Load factor | kWh ÷ (peak kW × hours) | Peaky operations; demand-charge opportunity |
| Capacity tag per 1,000 ft² | Tag kW ÷ ft² × 1,000 | Summer-peak exposure; each kW ≈ $120/yr at 2026/27 prices |
| Month-over-month change | This month vs same month last year, weather-adjusted | Something broke, schedules drifted, or billing error |
Build the table once, update monthly
- Inventory: every account, meter, service address, utility, rate schedule, legal entity, supplier and contract end date.
- Data feed: monthly bill data (kWh, kW, $ by component); interval data for larger sites.
- Normalize: square footage, operating hours, production, and heating/cooling degree days.
- Flag: anything more than 15–20% off its peer group or its own history.
- Act: each flag gets an owner — operations, facilities or procurement.
What analytics usually uncovers in Ohio portfolios
- Sites still on the utility default price or a rolled-over variable rate after a contract ended.
- Small accounts auto-enrolled in community aggregation that should be on the portfolio contract (or vice versa).
- Meters on municipal systems or co-ops mistakenly included in supplier bids.
- A single building setting most of the portfolio's capacity-tag growth.
- Wrong rate schedules after equipment or usage changed.
FAQ
What is a good all-in electricity cost per kWh for an Ohio business?
It depends on size and load shape. For context, EIA reported Ohio's average commercial price at about 13.8¢/kWh for January–June 2026, up from about 11.1¢ a year earlier.
How many sites justify energy analytics software?
A spreadsheet works for a few dozen accounts; beyond that, utility bill-management or analytics software saves time.
Which metric finds savings fastest?
All-in ¢/kWh by site — it immediately exposes sites on the wrong contract or with demand problems.