If you can see it,
you can change it
Visualising Energy
James Smith
AMEE
Introduction
James SmithDevelopment Manager for AMEE
History:C++ development
The Carbon Diet
Green Thing
Energy Yesterday
Scarce
Strong link to energy useDomestic
Agricultural
You have to carry your energy around!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/112388712/
Energy Today
Ubiquitous
...but InvisibleDon't have to lug electricity around
Closest is filling tank with petrol
Direct DebitsEven less visibility
How much am I even using?
Forget about it!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atlih/2261065726/
But, there's a problem
Exponential growth
Ever-increasing energy needs
Energy Monoculture
Peak X
Climate Change
We need to get back in contact with our energy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xcbiker/740500486/
Making energy visible again
Need to find ways to make the invisible, visible
Make energy a visible, tangible thing
Without lugging wood around!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinmiller/773233665/
Openness
Too important for closed solutions!
Open Data
Open Standards
Open Source
DIY approach
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mag3737/1914076277/
Exposing Energy
Three stepsMeasure
Communicate
Visualise
= Understanding
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moria/393087509/
Measurement
First stage
ElectricityEasy of access
Easy to measure
Gas, OilHarder, but progress being made
Petrol, DieselBig integration
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppdigital/2327889692/
CurrentCost
Realtime Display
Simple to install
Data outputXML data over serial port
http://www.currentcost.com
Wi-Eye
From Eco-Eye
Data logger
USB connectionBinary data file
4-second history
http://www.eco-eye.com
Smart Meters
More accurate
Less openEnergy company normally owns data
First UtilityData export
Long term, ideal solution
http://www.firstutility.comhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/freefoto/2961431969/
National Grid
Data feedsDemand
Frequency
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Data/Realtime/Frequency/Freq60.htm
Homebrew
Custom sensorsArduino boards
Co-opted APIsTwitter
ExamplesAndy Stanford-Clarke
The Energy Crowd
Homecamp
http://www.homecamp.org.uk
Communication
Data is good
Accessible data is better
Make energy data linkable & shareable
Privacy & security concerns
Co-opted APIsTwitter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mimirnm/1664474078/
Pachube
Web API for sensor dataPublishing
Sharing
Subscribing
No restrictions on data typeTemperature
Energy
Cat doors (?)
http://www.pachube.com
AMEE
Open API for energy dataWarehousingStores energy data
Structured
Context
AnalyticsCarbon calculations built in
Standard calculation methodologies
NetworkSharing energy data
http://www.amee.com
AMEE API (Storage)
http://my.amee.com/developers
Request:
POST /profiles/4737069901D3/home/energy/quantity HTTP/1.1Accept:
application/xmlContent-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
startDate=2009-03-19T16%3A51%3A00%2B00%3A00&energyConsumption=10&energyConsumptionUnit=kWh&dataItemUid=66056991EE23&energyConsumptionPerUnit=month
Response:
HTTP/1.1 201 CREATEDLocation:
http://{server}/profiles/4737069901D3/home/energy/quantity/F7C0580D088AContent-Type:
text/plain
AMEE API (Retrieval)
http://my.amee.com/developers
Many output formatsXML
JSON
AtomEspecially good for time-series feeds
Visualisation
Provides feedback
ActiveSimple
User-friendly
PassiveSubconscious
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_beaver/3486761520/
The Carbon Diet
Data entryManual
Some automation
Provide accurate carbon feedback
Use social networking techniques to encourage awareness
http://www.carbondiet.org
Realtime Electricity Usage
CurrentcostRuby daemon
AMEE1-minute resolution
Atom feed
Web displayDesktop
Mobile
http://my.amee.com/demo/1
Virtual Reality
AMEE Carbon GogglesShow CO2 footprint of objects in Second
Life
http://carbongoggles.org
Augmented Reality
Pachube feeds in AR
Show data feeds overlaid on real worldCamera phones
http://blog.pachube.com/2009/06/pachube-augmented-reality-demo-with.html
Demand Response
Can I Turn It On?
Electricity demandGrid frequency
If frequency is high:Excess capacity on grid
And vice versa
Includes an API...
http://www.caniturniton.com
The Tealight
Uses caniturniton.com API
Green:OK to make tea :)
Red:Don't make tea :(
http://chrisadams.me.uk/2009/04/24/tea-arduino-and-dynamic-demand/
Boodlage
Audio feedbackBoodler soundscape generator
Subconscious feedback
DataDemo: Tone linked to grid frequency
Useful: A storm breaks when you use too much energy
http://github.com/Floppy/boodlagehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/khalid-almasoud/241924810/
AMEE Energy Identity
Central location your for energy dataUnder your control
Share with whoever you wantEnergy companies
Websites
Displays
Visualise and monitor live, all around you
http://www.amee.com
MetersWebDisplaysCards
The Future
Openness will set you free
Allows unimaginable applications
Too important to be left to big business
so get out there and create!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmacorig/177302248/
James Smith
[email protected]
http://www.amee.com
http://www.floppy.org.uk
http://twitter.com/floppy
