Let’s start this blog with a fact. One of Devtank’s manufacturing clients has saved an amazing 36% saving in energy costs simply by identifying areas of wasteful usage within their business. That’s just from plugging in their OpenSmartMonitor and watching their dashboard be populated with their data. So amidst the UK’s exorbitant and continually rising energy costs how can we help you as a manufacturer?
This increasingly volatile energy market means that manufacturers are facing a crisis point. As highlighted in a recent Guardian article, many industrial firms are paying some of the highest electricity prices in the developed world and the urgency for a fix has never been greater.
At Devtank, we believe that while political solutions are essential, technological tools that give manufacturers real-time visibility into how they consume power are a powerful lever for resilience. That’s where our OpenSmartMonitor solution comes in.
A national energy costs crisis for industry
According to The Guardian, Make UK, the major manufacturers’ body, has called for rapid expansion and acceleration of government support schemes, warning that waiting until 2027 for relief is too late. The stakes are high as energy transmission charges rise, many firms could be facing huge cost increases, squeezing profitability and threatening long-term competitiveness. In this environment, manufacturers can’t passively wait for policy change. They need to act now and that means understanding, controlling, and optimising their energy usage. In fact at a recent East Midlands Manufacturing Network event Make UK’s Chris Corkran identified the high energy cost crisis for manufacturers AND highlighted how deploying tech to monitor and understand energy consumption was now critical for businesses.
How OpenSmartMonitor works for energy monitoring
Devtank’s OpenSmartMonitor gives manufacturers the tools to do exactly that.
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Real-Time Energy Visibility
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Using sensors such as Modbus-connected smart meters or current (CT) clamps, the system captures precise energy usage down to individual machines.
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This lets you track what’s driving your energy consumption: which assets are using the most power, when inefficiencies occur, and where losses are creeping in.
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Anomaly Detection & Cost Insights
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Because data is collected continuously, the system helps flag abnormal behaviour — for example, a machine drawing more current than normal (hinting at a fault), or a process that’s running less efficiently than expected.
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By turning this into actionable insights, you can diagnose issues early, reduce waste, and avoid unnecessary energy spend.
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Strategic Load Management
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OpenSmartMonitor supports smarter scheduling. With the right data, you can shift production or utility-intensive tasks to off-peak periods, avoiding the most expensive times to draw power.
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This kind of peak-shifting is more than just saving money — it’s about resilience, especially when wholesale or transmission costs are rising under national infrastructure constraints.
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Scalable and Flexible Deployment
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The system isn’t a fixed, heavyweight solution. You can start with one line, or one utility, and scale up.
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It integrates with common industrial meters (Modbus, CT clamps) and runs on an open-source stack, giving manufacturers flexibility and control over their data.
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Because it’s open source, there’s no vendor lock-in, and teams own their data and analytics.
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ROI and Sustainability
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In real-world deployments, such as with Lindhurst Engineering, our sensors have highlighted where energy was being wasted enabling financial and environmental savings.
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For example, regular monitoring reveals inefficiencies that justify investments (like insulation, machinery upgrades, or on-site generation) and supports long-term decarbonisation and sustainability goals.
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Real world impact: cost savings and operational efficiency
One of our case studies, Superior Wellness, illustrates the power of using technology. After installing OpenSmartMonitor, they discovered energy waste in their facility (for example, from suboptimal lighting). Using the data, they made targeted changes (such as switching to LEDs) and saw their electricity bill drop significantly.
Similarly, in engineering environments like SCITEK Consultants’ factory, real-time analytics have helped identify machine inefficiencies and drive more cost-effective maintenance planning.
We know the impact that OpenSmartMonitor has for manufacturers.
Why this matters in today’s policy landscape
The Guardian article rightly points out that while the government has made some promises (such as through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme), many manufacturers remain exposed. Even with policy reform, the road ahead is long and the window for action is now.
OpenSmartMonitor offers manufacturers:
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Immediate agency: instead of waiting for relief measures, they can act now to reduce energy usage and costs.
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Strategic leverage: by proving where inefficiencies lie, firms can build a stronger business case for capital investments (e.g. renewables, insulation, smart control systems).
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Sustainability-aligned growth: with energy data, companies can progress their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) commitments credibly and measurably.
If you’re a manufacturer grappling with soaring energy costs, now is the time to take control. Don’t wait solely for policy change pair that with technological action.
Contact Devtank to explore a pilot deployment of OpenSmartMonitor. Our team can help you:
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Baseline your current energy profile.
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Scale monitoring to your critical assets.
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Turn insights into actionable plans that reduce waste, cut costs, and improve resilience.
Let’s help your operations become smarter, leaner, and more sustainable even in the midst of this energy crisis.
