IOT System For Saving Electricity

- By Ashutosh Choudhary

 Abstract:

Electricity is an essential part of modern life and important to the economy of a country.
People use electricity for lighting, heating, cooling, and refrigeration and for operating
appliances, computers, electronics, machinery, and public transportation systems. We
use electricity virtually every minute of every day, yet few of us understand the
complete and overall impact of and wasting electricity and importance of saving it.

Why bother saving electricity?

 Sources of electricity are likely to deplete. We take energy to be an infinite

resource which can never deplete. That is not true.
 Helps to conserve natural resources. As 79.28% source of electricity generators in
India is thermal which consumes coal. And coal is a non-renewable natural
resource.

 Saving electricity is cost efficient and saves money by reducing wastage.

We can save electricity and cut down on wastage by using energy efficient appliances
and application models. Which ranges from designing efficient, low energy consumption
appliances to automatic switches using sensors towards using data feedback systems
utilizing the feedback loop model to alter negative human behavior pattern. Our project
will be focused on the latter two.

 Observations:

Universities comes under commercial organisations where they must pay more amount
on the electricity bills. This will be a big expense for any commercial organisation if a lot
of electricity is consumed. We have followed the approach of Look-Ask-Try
Framework to observe the problem.

 Look:

While walking down the hostel corridor we see rooms which are empty, but the fans
and lights are in on state. Also, every day while coming to class we see a lot of students
locking their doors with lights and fans running. We calculated on the amount of time a
student stays in the room and uses the electricity and came up with the below
observations.

Image of a hostel room where the room is locked but the lights and fans are still running
  Ask:
I took an opinion survey on the electricity wastage in the hostels among SNU
students with sample size of 60. Below is the survey report, as we can see 81%
people think that the electricity is being wasted in the hostel.

Do you think electricity is being wasted in SNU Hostel Rooms, Common Rooms
and Other Hostel Areas?

14%

5%

81%

Maybe No Yes

We also took a survey on environment sensitivity amongst same sample of

students, for which we got the below stats. 52% are really concerned, 34% being
highly concerned.

How concerned are you about the environment on a global level? (On a scale of
1-5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest)
14%

34%

53%

Not Concerned At All Somewhat Concerned Neutral

Really Concerned Highly Concerned

 Try:
After observing the situation, I tried few alternatives with which we can reduce
the wastage of electricity in hostel rooms. I tried to come up with low cost ideas
and high savings for the University by reducing wastage.
  Insight:

While looking into the above observations, I came across this contradiction that 86%
students being so sensitive towards environment, 81% still believe that electricity is
being wasted. Where is this gap arising from? Following are a few probable causes for
this gap to arise:

 Carelessness
 Requirement of more sensitivity and sanitization towards environment
 Students being in hurry to attend classes or other activities.
 A select few, consciously wasting electricity on purpose.

 Desirability, Viability and Feasibility

 Desirability:
It is desirable as our planet is suffering from the pollution and we should save
electricity in any way possible. It will not only save money but transform
universities towards more environment friendly campus. We need technology
with which we can minimise the usage of electricity with low cost products. The
 same 60 students sample shows that 59% people are most likely to see more
environment friendly products such as ours to cut down electricity wastage and
32% are somewhat likely. This adds to the desirability of the product amongst
students.

Would you like to see environmentally friendly products such as energy saving light
bulbs or Motion Sensors in SNU campus HOSTEL ROOMS?

3% 5%

32%
59%

Very Less Likely Less Likely Neutral Somewhat Likely Most Likely

Since it saves substantial electricity and operational cost overheads to our university at a very
low rate, it will have a great demand and desirability in the Administration. It also aligns with
the Administrative goals of the university to reduce the operational cost and wastage as much
as possible within a realistic budget.

 Feasibility:

When I took the problem, I observed the issue personally and did some brainstorming
session to get the best outcome to save electricity. To solve the issue my new product
should be low cost and low maintenance. I came up with a product with which I can help
in substantially reducing the wastage of the electricity in the hostels.

 Viability:

The solution proposed is cost effective and requires low maintenance. With this product
the electricity can be saved and also the high costing electricity bills can be minimized.
  Webbing:

To reduce the To reduce the cost To reduce

usage of the of the electricity pollution in the
natural resources bill environment

Why do we need
to save
electricity?

Almost 80% of Profit for the To have a

the resources university healthy
used is coal environment

 Opportunity Area:

While working on the problem we got found the following opportunities:

 New Business opportunity

 Less cost of implementation
 Sustainable environment
 We can sell the idea to other universities and hotels for more profits.
 Profit for both buyer and seller
 Create awareness and sensitivity amongst the students

 Ideation:

By having clear information, on the opportunity areas, I have found a way to save
electricity with our product. This in return will help in decrease in the electricity bill
cost for the organisation. Also, I am trying to bring a change in the student’s mindset, so
that they become a responsible citizen.
  Feedback Loop:

The main idea for the project is to save electricity in the hostel rooms. But we need to
think how this will impact the lives of the students and authorities in the university. To
get a full picture of the situation we have followed the feedback loop method in the
ideation process.

 1st Stage Evidence: As per the observation the average electricity wastage needs
to be controlled in the hostel rooms.
 2nd Stage Relevance: The device used can be used to control the wastage of
electricity in the rooms, but how this will impact the student and university
authorities. We must check what changes can be incurred in the student’s life
 3rd Stage Consequence: Along with the saving the electricity in the university,
we needed a behavioural change in the students, so that they can be a
responsible citizen.
 4th Stage Action: Once the device is implemented as per the below flow chart the
device will work in the hostel rooms. When the students forget to switch off the
electrical appliance, the student and the hostel authority will receive the
message that the appliances are still working in the room. These activities will be
recorded in the database with the hostel authorities, to have a tab on each room.

 Illustration:

Passive Infrared
Detector installed
in room

No presence
detected
Detects Presence in
room

If detected
again after
Wait for 15 Circuit is closed state
5 minutes
minutes and Electricity flows
If no presence detected
Circuit Breaks

 Concept Development:
Before moving to the prototyping phase, we underline the thinking process that has
brought us to developing our concept of product/service. We do this using De Bono’s
six thinking hats:

 Order of the De Bono’s Hats.

 Blue Hat
 White Hat
 Red Hat
 Black Hat
 Yellow Hat
 Green Hat

 Blue Hat: A project like this requires managemental skills. So, we

have kept the blue hat in the beginning to work in a smooth way and check on
the requirements for the project.
  We need to make profit from our innovation by targeting our target
clients, which in this case are institutions and universities
 We need to keep the cost of the product low – close to Rs. 2000 per
unit to be able to provide a solution at lower cost than other available
solutions in the market.

 White Hat: What information data we have:

 We have conducted a survey to gauze student behavior and determine
our product’s desirability
 The available products in the market like eSwitches and IOT based
power devices does not come up with a feedback loop system.
 Also, these products are very costly. Ranging from Rs. 2800 – 6000
 Our product is the only product custom configured for Institutions and
Universities impacting students and campus life.
 This product will save Rs. 2,60,000 per month per hostel with 200
rooms.

 Red Hat: What are the feelings involved?

 Students are the biggest assets of any good and reputed Institution
and University. Producing fine quality students in terms that they
come out to be:
 Well Educated
 Highly Skilled
 Healthy
 Environmentally and socially responsible citizens
is a desire and wish of every responsible University and Institution.
The last one in the list is something that can be achieved through our
unique product.
 Also, this product is going to save a lot of money for any institution
that is going to implement it.
 So, this product should be greeted with readiness and acceptability in
institutional organizations.
 Also, the biggest opposer to this product will be students. Because it
will be demanding extra accountability from them. Which will not be
very pleasant for them, initially.

 Black Hat: The problems which we will/might face in the project.

 Opposition from students and student groups
 The overall cost of the project might go up if we have to think about
scaling the project. We need to keep that in check
  Institutional organizations maybe a little susceptible about the
product; initially; due to initial installation cost

 Yellow Hat: There is a lot of positive things we have to take from

the project, as it will help in decrease in the cost of the electricity bill. Also, we
hope in the change in behavior of the students.
 Low cost
 High saving
 High profits
 One-time installation
 Fixed yearly income with low cost of operations
 Positive behavioral change in students

 Green Hat: It will be an efficient product and it is one of its kind.

 Prototype:
 We have planned to keep a sensor in the room which measure the heat
signature of the human beings.
 Sensor will send constant signals of 1 (On) or 0 (Off) (depending on
the condition) to Arduino system; which is the brain or CPU of this
entire circuit; in the system. Which in turn is attached to the electrical
lines of the room.
 If the student leaves the room without manually switching off
electrical appliances, the sensor will not detect any heat signature and
send the same information to Arduino system.

 If Arduino system does not get any heat signature for 10 minutes; it
will send a warning message to the student. In the following format:

 “Your one act of carelessness costs 2 trees per year to our Mother
Nature”
  “I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing
away things we could use.”—Mother Electricity
 “Be wise and switch off the switches in your room.
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot
change their minds cannot change anything.” -George Bernard
Shaw”
 “You forgot something. Be a responsible citizen and switch it off to
save electricity today – so that we can use electricity tomorrow”

Arduino PIR Sensor

Relay ESP 8266

 After the lapse 20 minutes and still no heat signature detected by Aurdino
system: A message will be sent to the hostel warden or in charge stating
that “the electrical appliances of the room no: XXX is in running for more
than 20 minutes without anyone being in the room. System is cutting the
power off in the room”.
 Aurdino will this time send a 0 signal to main supply. Hence cutting off the
power supply.
  When the student comes back to the room after ‘Y’ hours the heat
signature sensor will deduct the presence of the student and will give the
message to the main board to provide the power supply back to the room.
 The total number of hours will be calculated in the Google Firebase
database (which is free for maintaining small scale database like that of
1800 – 4000 entries.
 A monthly/weekly report will be updated and sent to the warden and
dean of student’s affair highlighting the names of Red and Amber
offenders. Also, a report will be sent to the admin and dean’s office on
how many hours of electricity is saved with the device in a month/year.

 Costing:
According to Fraunhofer Institute research: Average Savings by implementing a Smart
Systems: 30% - 40%.

 Below is the Costing and Profitability and Savings Breakdown of the

product:
Savings Cost in ₹
Component Cost in ₹ Avg Monthly Electricity Bill Of NON-AC ₹ 4-5
SIM 900 Module: ₹ 800 Hostel lacs/Month
Arduino ₹ 300 Avg.Monthly Electricity Bill of AC ₹7-8
PIR Sensor ₹ 50 Hostel lacs/Month
Relay ₹ 100 According to Fraunhofer Institute 40%  
SMPS ₹ 150 Saving by Smart Systems
Payment Fee of Monthly Saving In Non-AC Hostel ₹ 2,00,000
Programmer ₹ 600 Monthly Saving In AC Hostel ₹ 3,20,000
Total Cost Per Unit ₹ 2,000 Total ₹ 5,20,000

Saving per room/hostel ₹ 1,300

In one year Saving Per room ₹ 15,600.00
Saving Per Hostel Per year ₹ 31,20,000.00
Electicity Cost Saving in 9 Hostels per year (Approx) ₹ 2,80,80,000.00
Profit Per Year 1st Year ₹ 45,00,000.00
Profit Per Year 2nd Year Onwards ₹ 36,00,000.00
Profit as percentage of total saving in 1st year 16.03%
Profit as percentage of total saving from 2nd year Onwards 12.82%

 Implementation:

Stake Strongly Moder- Neutral Modera- Strongly Post action

holders Oppose ately tely support
 oppose support
Hostel X O Hostel Admins will
administrator support us as it is
helping them in cost
reduction.
Warden X O Warden will be
neutral as she would
be taking it only as a
cost saving device
which does not
concern her.
Finance X O Since there is initial
officer cost Finance officer
will oppose.
Dean of X O Dean will oppose for
Student the initial changes in
affairs the Hostels.
Student X O Student will initially
oppose as this device
will demand
accountability and
will force them to be
environment
conscious.

 CONCLUSION FOR THE DESIGN RESEARCH PROJECT:

This project brings in a variety of ideas with which the electricity can be saved.
We can apply the ideas in different hostels and hotels. It will help in reducing the
carbon emission and reduce in electric bills for the institutional areas. We also
try to bring a change in human nature where we are providing citizens who are
more responsibility towards our environment and future. We are creating a
product which when installed in a room detects the presence of the human being
and cuts the power supply as per the data if the human being is present or not. It
also sends a message to the individual reminding him/her about his/her act of
carelessness. It also creates a system of accountability with the use of feedback
loop system to further discourage such action as not switching off the lights, fan,
AC upon leaving the room. The product which we are offering is very affordable
and it has very less implementation and maintenance costs.

 References:
 https://mercomindia.com/solar-2-percent-total-power-generation/
 https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/energy-cost-calculator.html
 https://www.rensmart.com/Calculators/KWH-to-CO2
 http://www.carbonify.com/carbon-calculator.htm
 https://www.energy-bots.com/product/eswitch/
 https://www.wespeakiot.com/how-smart-homes-help-saving-energy/
 https://www.itead.cc/wiki/SIM900/SIM900A_GSM/GPRS_Minimum_System_Mo
dule
 https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/products/led/infrared-human-
sensor-measures-body-heat-2012-09/
 https://randomnerdtutorials.com/guide-for-relay-module-with-arduino/