Executive Summary

With the rise of solar energy as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional power sources, there is an increasing demand for innovative solutions to optimize energy consumption in households. This business case outlines the development of the Solar Manager, a cloud-based monitoring solution designed for homes with photovoltaic (PV) systems. By leveraging AWS cloud technology and IoT capabilities, the Solar Manager aims to empower homeowners to efficiently manage their energy consumption while promoting sustainability.

Problem Statement

As solar energy adoption grows, homeowners often struggle to monitor and optimize their energy consumption. Key challenges include:

  • Lack of real-time visibility into solar production and energy usage.
  • Difficulty in identifying which appliances consume the most power.
  • Limited tools for optimizing energy consumption based on solar production.

Proposed Solution

Develop the Solar Manager, a comprehensive cloud solution that enables homeowners to:

  • Monitor solar energy production and household energy consumption in real-time.
  • Access detailed insights into individual appliance energy usage.
  • Receive recommendations for optimizing power consumption to enhance energy efficiency.

Objectives

  • Empower Homeowners: Provide users with actionable data to manage their energy consumption effectively.
  • Promote Sustainability: Encourage the use of renewable energy sources through informed energy management.
  • Facilitate Growth: Ensure the system can support an increasing number of users and data flow, targeting up to 5,000 new users per year.

Key Features

  1. Real-Time Monitoring: Utilize a Raspberry Pi-based device to collect data on energy consumption and transmit it to the AWS cloud for analysis.
  2. User-Friendly Dashboards: Develop web and mobile dashboards to visualize energy consumption data and trends.
  3. IoT Integration: Implement an IoT platform within the AWS ecosystem to manage devices and support seamless data communication.
  4. Data Visualization: Provide graphs and insights into solar production and appliance usage to help users identify energy-saving opportunities.

Technologies Utilized

  • AWS Cloud Architecture: Implement a scalable cloud infrastructure to support real-time data processing and analytics.
  • Python and LAMP Stack: Develop the backend software for the Raspberry Pi device and the web dashboard.
  • Mobile Development: Use XCode and Android Studio to create user-friendly mobile applications that connect to the AWS cloud.
  • EmonCMS Library: Leverage this library for effective energy consumption visualization.

Economic Impact

The Solar Manager is expected to deliver significant economic benefits:

  • Cost Savings for Homeowners: By optimizing energy consumption, users can reduce their electricity bills.
  • Recurring Revenue Stream: The subscription-based model provides a steady income for the service provider.
  • Scalable Solution: The system is designed to handle a growing user base and increasing data demands, ensuring long-term viability.

Conclusion

The Solar Manager presents a transformative opportunity for homeowners to take control of their energy consumption while promoting the adoption of renewable energy sources. By providing real-time monitoring and actionable insights, this AI-enabled cloud solution supports sustainability and efficiency in household energy management. This business case advocates for the development of the Solar Manager, with the potential for significant impact on both users and the environment.