The Dawning of the Age of the Internet.(energy industry's use of Internet)(Column)

Information technology becomes a critical asset to the bottom line

Energy professionals may be excused if the proliferation of energy-related dot-coms, Web-based technologies, and online energy exchanges temporarily has caused some perplexity.

However, remaining in a permanent state of puzzlement is not an option for those who wish to stay in the game. In a statement that may be a little over-the-top, one pundit says the Web changes everything--including change.

In fact, Web-based technology is fast becoming a central fact of facility management. It does change the way energy decisions are made by energy managers and executives, and a good case can be made that its influence will be pervasive and inevitable.

If breathless talk about Internet-this and Web-that fails to be entirely convincing, it is useful to reduce the goal to old-fashioned, easily understood terms. Put succinctly, the primary goal of Web-based technologies is to enhance the ability to access and interpret information and then to act on that information. That is, to collect and analyze energy use information and then to adjust operating parameters and energy purchases accordingly.

That's it; that's where all roads lead. To be sure, facility managers can pick and choose from a host of options and configurations best suited to their situations, but the basic goal remains simple and understandable.

Synergy Discovered