Innovations Item Code: IN-2024-2100401
Sector: Renewable/Green Energy
Description:
For those seeking to optimize their solar power systems, the SolarWise Power Monitor represents a significant leap forward. This innovative tool seamlessly integrates cutting-edge Internet of Things (IoT) technology to provide users with real-time insights into their energy consumption and generation.
Through intuitive data visualization and actionable analytics, the SolarWise Power Monitor empowers individuals and businesses to make informed decisions for maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing costs. Its user-friendly interface and scalable design cater to a wide range of users, promoting not only environmental sustainability but also the widespread adoption of renewable energy solutions.
Stage of Innovation: Proof of Concept (You have created something to show the innovation can work)
Problem:
In 2023, my brother had just moved in to a new apartment with his friends and they installed solar PV system. Problem is, they were overwhelmed by how much energy they consumed in his household, more so without a way of keeping track of their consumption. He reached out to me to carry out an energy audit of their apartment, but I thought it really isn't a lasting solution as every time they needed to know how much energy is being consumed in their house, they would require I carry out an energy audit, which isn't scalable. I thought to myself, why not have a device that keeps track of your power demand, energy consumption, collects all these data and make them accessible to the user via cloud in real-time? That's where the SolarWise Power Monitor came in.
It's not just about fancy tech; it's about empowering you to take charge of your energy use in a smarter, more sustainable way. Imagine witnessing, in real-time, how much energy your solar panels are pumping out and how efficiently you're using it throughout the day. With easy-to-understand data and helpful insights, you can make informed decisions to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and contribute to a cleaner planet. It's about giving you the tools you need to make a positive impact on the environment, one lightbulb at a time.
Unique Selling Point: In a solar PV system, if we observe a charge controller, we can see that the only data that can be collected from it is the voltage data directly from the solar panel. From the load end (inverter), not much data can be obtained without the use of specific equipment such as a multimeter. Some inverters come installed with a current sensor but the fact still remains, having a system where the data isn't unified isn't much efficient. Our device, the SolarWise Power Monitor, aims to collect the voltage data from the solar panel, and the current data from the inverter, and when these two data are combined, we can observe the power demand by the load, hence calculate the energy consumed. Of course, all of these computations are done by an onboard microcontroller, with an added cloud feature to enable users monitor their energy use online. There is also a load shedding mechanism, that turns off excess loads once the maximum power capacity of the solar pv system has been reached. We can also keep track of the temperature of our solar panel, as the voltage drops when the panels get hot. A cooling mechanism (a sprinkler) could be deployed in case of hot solar panels. These would ensure a longer lifespan of both solar panels and batteries.