RESPOND project completion underlines the importance of domestic electric consumption automation

After three years of extensive research, the RESPOND project is coming to a close and its results bring promising insights and opportunities for housing organizations and electricity and heating providers alike. The project, in which Onics participated, had the primary goal of successfully implementing energy demand management solutions, also known as demand response.

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Adaptable and easy to implement system

The successful implementation of demand response strategies in the three pilot sites confirms their wide applicability and adaptability to different neighborhoods and housing situations, offering many opportunities for solution providers in the fields of smart energy and building management. Furthermore, the project participants deemed the IoT devices inobtrusive and easy to get used to. They were satisfied with the possibilities for monitoring and controlling their consumption through the user-friendly app, which was built on top of Onics’ Squid.link gateway platform, specifically for the needs of the project.

Learn more about how you can build your own software based on the Squid.link gateway here.

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Home automation as the future of demand response strategies

The next step to successfully implementing demand response strategies is to “move to intelligent homes that automatically adapt their consumption according to electricity market signals” says Agustina Yara Doamo, who is an Innovation and Regulation technician at Feníe Energía.

For this purpose, solution providers can combine monitoring devices, such as Air Quality Sensors and Smart Humidity Sensors, with Smart Plugs and Smart Cables to reduce unnecessary electricity consumption of, for example, electrical fans or radiators.

Learn more about the various sensors here.

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Optimization of renewable energy production and consumption

One of the largest setbacks of renewable energy sources is their lack of control. Solution providers can help moving consumption to peak production hours. For example, notifying users when their solar panels are producing the most, encourages their use of the more demanding appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers when the supply is high. Furthermore, equipping solar panels with Prosumer Meters allows for measuring the percentage of energy consumed through them. On top of that, combining the preset functions of said appliances with Smart Plugs or Smart Cables allows for full automation of the energy consumption process.

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Sustainable business and competitive advantage

Creating such automated processes takes pressure off the electrical grid, which enables solution providers to maximize the usage of renewable energy sources. By doing this, they strengthen their green image and can potentially lower the electricity prices, making them more attractive to customers.

Additionally, integrating IoT into demand response strategies benefits solution providers by allowing them to identify when devices, appliances, or parts of the supply system are on the verge of breaking down, thus preemptively take measures and avoid costly repairs.

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Educating consumers

The project also emphasizes the need for educating the general user about their electricity consumption, and how the electricity market works. Implementing Smart Plugs, Smart Cables, and meter devices, such as External Meter Interface or EMI Norwegian HAN, allows consumers to monitor their daily electricity usage and adjust their patterns. They can receive notifications with price signals and monetary incentives through the app, which further motivates them to move their consumption to off-peak hours.

The current worldwide situation has forced many people to work from home, hence giving consumers a better opportunity and more time to learn about their energy consumption. Their integration and active involvement in the energy-saving process makes them more willing to adopt new technologies. This opens a fortunate opportunity to help the planet during such unfortunate times.