Data logger and companion application for time-of-use electricity

Abstract

Electricity generation is becoming more expensive, hence Time-of-Use (ToU) electricity tariff structures, such as Eskom Megaflex are implemented. The companion application is an integrated solution designed for use with such schemes. A hardware module logs consumed power from a smart power meter and saves it on an external storage. The logged data is transferred to an Android application where it is displayed visually in the form of graphs. These visual indicators can assist end-users to improve their electricity usage at strategic times, ensuring financial savings, as well as increased grid stability. The proposed design was constructed and implemented on an actual smart-power meter. Results from the tests carried out to ensure compliance with the requirements are presented together with the design overview.