Solceller IoT

Purpose and goal

In order to measure and visualize solar production in a cost-effective way, the project has, using a proprietary gateway and electricity meters, collected data from solar panels and apartments which then was presented in a web app. The app´s interface was designed based on users´ own thoughts on solar energy and energy consumption with the aim of moving the users’ energy consumption to hours of high solar production. Collected data was stored in a cloud solution for possible export via API as a basis for net charging.

Expected results and effects

The result of the project showed that the apartment owners were interested in seeing when the solar energy was produced and their energy consumption per day. The users confirmed that they, thanks to the app, shifted some of their energy consumption to hours of high solar production. Through cost-effective hardware, stakeholders can gain control of solar cell production as well as the energy consumption of each apartment. A dilemma regarding net charging of solar energy is how it should be distributed between the residents of the property, where we see differences between associations.

Planned approach and implementation

To base the design on users´ needs, instead of available technology (eg presenting a large amount of the available data) has been good. The pilot users felt that several of their questions about energy consumption and production were answered. The pilot house is newly produced and has the Swan Ecolabel, i.e. the residents have had the financial opportunity to buy new, and chosen to live environmentally friendly. This may have affected their economic and environmental incentives to use solar energy. A more generic house might have provided insights that can be applied to more houses.