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An energy analytics dashboard separates changes in consumption, electricity rates and output. Follow a two-site cost bridge, a rate-change variation and checks against bills and production records.
An energy analytics dashboard explains whether a site's energy bill changed because of output, consumption per unit or the price paid for consumption. Start with matched utility and production exports, then show a cost bridge that adds back to the bills.
The useful question is which location needs a rate review, a billing correction or an operating investigation. This is a monthly business review of supplied records. It does not require live meter monitoring or changes to equipment controls.
Use electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours, or kWh. The US Energy Information Administration distinguishes electricity consumption from power: consumption is measured over time, while power uses units such as kilowatts. Keep the units beside each measure so a demand reading does not enter the consumption column.
Collect site ID, meter ID, service dates, consumption, consumption charges and other bill charges. From production records, collect site ID, production date, product and accepted output. Match the service period and the area served by each meter to the production included in the denominator.
The Department of Energy explains energy intensity using energy required per unit of activity or output. A lower intensity is a useful investigation signal, but changes in weather, operating conditions or product mix can also move it. It does not prove that equipment became more efficient.
For a broader choice of measures and page layouts, see the separate energy dashboard examples. The comparison here concentrates on explaining a cost movement.
Consider an illustrative US component supplier with Columbus and Toledo sites. Both make the same standard component. Each site's May and June 2026 bills cover the full calendar month, and its accepted-output export uses those same service dates.
Consumption charges are quantity multiplied by the stated rate. Other charges are separately identified bill items; the example keeps them unchanged. Figures below are the starting records, not estimates.
| Site and period | Consumption (kWh) | Accepted output (units) | Consumption rate (USD/kWh) | Consumption charges (USD) | Other charges (USD) | Total bill (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, May | 100,000 | 5,000 | 0.120 | 12,000 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Columbus, June | 120,000 | 6,000 | 0.150 | 18,000 | 1,000 | 19,000 |
| Toledo, May | 80,000 | 4,000 | 0.120 | 9,600 | 1,000 | 10,600 |
| Toledo, June | 90,000 | 4,000 | 0.120 | 10,800 | 1,000 | 11,800 |
May consumption totals 180,000 kWh and accepted output totals 9,000 units. June totals are 210,000 kWh and 10,000 units. May bills total $23,600; June bills total $30,800, an increase of $7,200.
Calculate intensity as consumption divided by output. Columbus remains at 20.0 kWh per unit: 100,000 / 5,000 in May and 120,000 / 6,000 in June. Toledo rises from 80,000 / 4,000 = 20.0 to 90,000 / 4,000 = 22.5 kWh per unit. Combined intensity rises from 180,000 / 9,000 = 20.0 to 210,000 / 10,000 = 21.0.
The combined figure uses summed consumption divided by summed output. It is not the simple average of site intensities. Display intensity to one decimal place and rates to three decimals, retaining unrounded values in calculations.
A bill increase alone cannot identify its cause. Use the previous rate to value consumption changes, then the current consumption to value the rate change:
Usage effect = (Current consumption − Previous consumption) × Previous rate
Rate effect = Current consumption × (Current rate − Previous rate)
Split the usage effect further. Let output mean accepted units and intensity mean kWh per accepted unit:
Output effect = (Current output − Previous output) × Previous intensity × Previous rate
Intensity effect = Current output × (Current intensity − Previous intensity) × Previous rate
This ordering assigns the interaction between output and intensity to the intensity effect, and the interaction with price to the rate effect. Keep the ordering consistent between reporting periods.
| Site | Output effect (USD) | Intensity effect (USD) | Rate effect (USD) | Other-charge change (USD) | Bill increase (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | (6,000 − 5,000) × 20 × 0.12 = 2,400 | 6,000 × (20 − 20) × 0.12 = 0 | 120,000 × (0.15 − 0.12) = 3,600 | 0 | 6,000 |
| Toledo | (4,000 − 4,000) × 20 × 0.12 = 0 | 4,000 × (22.5 − 20) × 0.12 = 1,200 | 90,000 × (0.12 − 0.12) = 0 | 0 | 1,200 |
| Total | 2,400 | 1,200 | 3,600 | 0 | 7,200 |
The proof is $23,600 + $2,400 + $1,200 + $3,600 = $30,800. Columbus's consumption increase follows higher output; its intensity does not deteriorate. Toledo produces the same output with more consumption, so operations should investigate the change before assigning a cause.
Real bills need a separate bucket for other charges. The Department of Energy's utility-rate guidance distinguishes consumption charges, demand charges and fixed charges. Do not force a demand-charge change into the consumption-rate effect.
Suppose only the June Columbus consumption rate changes to $0.130 per kWh. Keep consumption, output and other charges exactly as above.
| Revised check | Calculation | Result (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus consumption charge | 120,000 × 0.130 | 15,600 |
| Columbus total bill | 15,600 + 1,000 | 16,600 |
| Combined June bills | 16,600 + 11,800 | 28,400 |
| Combined increase over May | 28,400 − 23,600 | 4,800 |
| Revised Columbus rate effect | 120,000 × (0.130 − 0.120) | 1,200 |
The revised bridge is $2,400 of output effect, $1,200 of intensity effect and $1,200 of rate effect: $4,800 in total. Changing the rate changes cost but leaves physical intensity unchanged. That separation prevents a purchasing improvement from being described as lower energy consumption.
Put total consumption, total bills and intensity above the site bridge. Show the service period, output definition and excluded meters beside them. Assign the rate question to procurement or finance and the Toledo consumption question to operations, with facilities confirming the meter boundary.
Before interpreting the bridge, match every meter-period record to a bill, identify credits and estimated readings, and tie total charges to the approved utility-cost report. Match accepted output to the production summary and flag missing site-period combinations rather than replacing them with zero.
For spreadsheet implementation, use the neighboring energy dashboard Excel guide. The Power BI energy dashboard article covers a different reporting approach; the source definitions and reconciliation still need agreement first.
Covirage is not affiliated with Microsoft.
Bring your utility-bill, meter-period and accepted-output files, or a Google Sheet with the same records. Covirage maps the columns; its tools compute and check usage, intensity and cost comparisons, and the external AI model explains the results with every figure traced to its rows. Create a free Covirage account, which takes about a minute, then set up your business and bring a sample of your own data.
See cost variance analysis for the supporting business approach.
Energy use is the physical amount consumed during a period. Intensity divides that amount by a defined activity, such as accepted units produced. A site can use more electricity while maintaining the same intensity if output rises proportionately.
Use service dates when comparing physical consumption with production. Invoice dates are useful for payment and accounting views, but a bill posted this month may cover earlier consumption. Preserve both dates and document any allocation across service periods.
Only when the numerator contains the relevant consumption charges. Dividing an entire bill by consumption also spreads demand charges, fixed charges and other items across the kilowatt-hours. Label that result as a blended billed cost, and retain the component charges.