Monitoring Energy Use and Saving Money
In the backdrop of the seemingly stable electric grid infrastructure, there has been a significant modernization effort involving computerization over the past decade. This includes large-scale initiatives for automatic control of the grid. However, certain electric utility customers, like Alex in the United Kingdom, experience dynamic electricity rates that change every half hour based on demand. To capitalize on this, Alex created a unique clock with a NeoPixel LED ring, displaying rate changes visually. The clock, powered by a TinyPICO ESP32 module, provides insight into pricing fluctuations, enabling better planning for household energy use.
The clock’s LED colors indicate the increase or decrease in electricity prices corresponding to different times, allowing Alex to strategically manage energy consumption. Additionally, he implemented a wall-mounted device that provides real-time energy readings for both gas and electricity, utilizing modified analog voltmeters to display kilowatt-hours. While not universally applicable, this level of granularity in energy pricing can lead to significant savings, with Alex estimating a monthly savings of around £50. Even for those without such dynamic pricing options, monitoring home energy use remains a prudent practice.
Energy can be a bit pricey so why not try an save some power using smart home automation. PiShop offers several items from Smart lights to smart geyser timers and the best part is that all of it can be controlled from your phone!
Read more: Monitoring Energy Use and Saving Money
