A bill is only the starting point
One factory runs steadily all day; another has a short peak at shift change. Their monthly energy totals may match, but one needs longer energy shifting while the other needs peak power support. A bill establishes the cost baseline. Timestamped load data shows the task the battery must perform.
Put the production schedule beside the curve
Collect normal production days, weekends and shutdown periods without discarding the original sampling interval. Mark shift changes, simultaneous equipment starts and hours when solar output overlaps demand. A single spike is not necessarily a daily requirement, and a daily average can hide a sustained peak. Evaluate demand over the utility’s billing interval.
Ask for an operating plan, too
Provide 12 months of bills, representative load data, transformer capacity and existing PV details. State whether the priority is peak shaving, self-consumption or backup. Ask the supplier to show charging times, discharge periods, minimum energy reserve and behaviour during extended high demand. A cabinet count means little until those questions have answers.
Further reading: www.pnnl.gov
This article supports early project discussions. Final configuration depends on site conditions.