InnoBlog: Learning how to monitor your electricity consumption

In our first class, we learned the basics of designing a small controller using the equipment that is pictured. By connecting the circuitry to a programme on our computer, we were able to control the light intensity of a small LED. Now we are preparing for the main project, where I have teamed up with three other students to monitor and control a domestic water boiler. But how does all of this help us with the expensive electricity bills, you may wonder?

Well, knowing your consumption makes it possible to automate efficiency measures. Firstly, in the case of the light bulb, the light intensity could adjust according to the natural light received in a room, allowing consumers to reduce their consumption without manually adjusting their light. Secondly, regarding the water boiler, the water can be heated when the electricity prices are low, and the temperature can be automatically adjusted according to usage patterns, thus minimising its’ electricity consumption. Pretty neat, right?

The above suggested applications are just some ways that more sophisticated control of electricity consumption can be beneficial. The exciting thing about the course that I am following is that we are encouraged to be creative and think of new functionalities. The current energy transition under way in Europe, with electrification and an increased share of distributed, renewable energy generation, is changing the energy system on all levels. Maybe the controller we end up developing will be a part of the energy system of the future?

By Maria Isabel Bang Jensen, EIT InnoEnergy Master School student