Project Proposal

Problem Definition

      Traditional electricity meters is a mechanical device that is used to measure the amount of electricity that flows through a household or property. The electric provider company will visit the household periodically, record the electricity readings and generate bills for the consumers to pay. This is in fact less efficient for both companies and the household consumers. Other than that, the fact that it is a mechanical device, There are several problems old electricity meters might face such as:

      1. Inaccuracy readings (Usability Goal)

          There are parts such as the impeller, gear or even the shell that will eventually            degrade or wear out due to aging or continuous operations which will directly            lead to inaccuracy readings and cause the bill to be either overcharged or                    undercharged.

      2. Unfamiliar readings (Usability Goal)

          The readings on the old electricity meter can be confusing for most normal                  citizens to interpret since it is built with spinning disks and there is no proper            guideline to understand and calculate the price of electricity usage by the                    consumers themselves which leads to confusion and trust issues towards it                  sometimes.

      3. Low User Engagement and Environmental Impact (User Experience Goal)

          Customers often have little awareness of their energy-use patterns, which                    increases energy use without thinking about the consequences to the                            environment. Traditional metres don't provide real-time feedback or                            encourage energy-saving practices, so they don't offer much customer                          engagement.

Proposed Solution

      With these problems in mind, the implementation of an Intelligent Energy Monitoring Device (i-EMD) could serve as a solution to the problems. The i-EMD device is an upgraded version of the traditional electricity meter that will retain its old functionalities at the same time, implementing the Internet of Things or IoT feature. The Internet of Things is known as a smart device that offers a variety of new features such as mobile application integration, automation, etc. The purpose of it is to improve the functions of the device and enhance the user experience when interacting with it. Therefore, the solutions are:

      1. Provides accurate readings

          The Intelligent Energy Monitoring Device (i-EMD) excludes the mechanical                parts used by the traditional meter but instead replaces it entirely with a                      semiconductor current sensor. With it, the semiconductor current sensor                    provides better accuracy compared to the mechanical parts used by the                        traditional meters due to the semiconductor does not require moving parts                therefore it could generate less heat and provide accurate current readings at              the same time improving the usability of the device.

      2. User-friendly interface

          The device is also equipped with a mobile application that provides a variety               of functionalities to the user such as displaying the current and power                           readings, etc. The current and power readings are visualized in the form of a               graph to make it easier for the user to access and understand the readings,                 unlike the traditional meter that requires the user to look directly at the                       physical meter outside of their home. Therefore, the provided features                         further improve the usability of the device by making it more usable and                     user-friendly towards all types of users and further enhancing the user                         experience through the user-friendly interface.

      3. Engaging mobile application

          The mobile application integrated with the i-EMD device is built to actively                 interact with the user through their mobile phone. The app will regularly                     remind them to check their power consumption and to set a goal to achieve                 through the push notification. With it, the feature is actively enhancing the                 user experience by assisting and interacting with the user to achieve their                   goal. Therefore, the app also helps increase the awareness of the user to                       reduce their power consumption to further help in combating the impending             climate change crisis.

Target users

          A target user is a specific audience or demographic that a service, solution, or product is created for and is meant to help. Target users are the main people or things for whom a specific solution is created, taking into account their requirements, preferences, actions, and difficulties. There are several target users such as:

          1. Residential Consumers

              Convenience and Real-time Monitoring: Residential users who use                    the smartphone application connected to the i-ET can take advantage of                      real-time access to data about their energy consumption. With this access,                  they can keep an eye on their usage patterns, realise their consumption                        habits, and make wise choices to use less energy.

              Billing Transparency and Accuracy: Customers can guarantee                              accurate billing by using i-ET's automated metre readings and calculations,                which removes uncertainty and confusion caused by readings on traditional                metres that are unfamiliar. Detailed and unambiguous analyses of energy                    consumption can improve billing transparency.

              Improved Energy-Saving Practices: Residential users can actively                        participate in energy-saving practices and reduce their carbon footprint in                  an environment that is encouraged by the i-ET's capacity to provide                              insights into consumption habits.

          2. Utility Company (Tenaga Nasional Berhad - TNB)

              Operational Efficiency: TNB benefits from lower running expenses                        related to hand-read metres. The process is automated by the i-ET, which                    removes the need for regular in-person visits to record readings. This                            optimises workforce utilisation and lowers travel costs.

              Billing Accuracy and Dispute Reduction: More accurate billing                            results from automated, precise readings. This can simplify administrative                  procedures, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce issues between the                  utility company and its customers.

              Environmental Impact: By encouraging and facilitating energy-saving                  practices among consumers, TNB can contribute to reducing overall                              energy consumption and its environmental impact.

          3. Energy Conservation Agencies

              Data for Policy Formulation: Governmental organisations and energy                  conservation organisations can develop more focused and successful                            energy-saving policies and initiatives with the help of gathered and hidden                  energy consumption data from i-ET.

              Environmental Impact Assessment: Assessing the environmental                        impact of energy consumption at the local and national levels can be made                  easier with the use of comprehensive insights into patterns and trends in                    energy usage obtained through i-ET.

              Promotion of Sustainable Practices: By utilising i-ET data, these                          organisations can develop educational initiatives and awareness campaigns                to advance sustainable energy practises and make society more energy-                        aware.