A single shard of simple technology could save the world and our powerless nation
I T WAS QUITE amusing. To be part of a National Grid failure twice, where multiple states and millions of people were blacked out and powerless in more ways than one. Powerless – as in no electricity and powerless – as in we could do nothing about it. I know, there really is nothing amusing about massive traffic jams (no signals working), no mobile phones (most people had not charged phones adequately), crumpled clothing (ironing without bijli is quite a tough task) and no money or ways to commute (ATMs didn’t work nor did the Metro for a while). But think about it, in a country that is on its way to be a superpower, in a nation that is fuelled by the next generation of world-beating entrepreneurs and go-getters, in a state that is supposed to be at the cutting edge of technology and development – we had a power blackout twice that took down literally one fourth of our country including and especially the national capital. Amusing? Very!
MORE POWER TO YOU These devices make you aware, informed and knowledgeable, and give you real-time feedback
AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE
Don’t worry, this isn’t a social commentary on the state of the power sector nor a scathing column on just how poorly the demand to supply ratio has been planned for now and the future. This is still a tech column. There is a point to all of this and I’m just about getting there. We are a power-deficient country and we are going to suffer quite a bit now and a whole lot more in the future. You don’t need a crystal ball to predict three things. We will have more of these grid failures, power deficiency will continue for the better part of this decade and most importantly, energy will cost more, much more – in the near future. So, we are destined to suffer! Well, not really. There is a solution and once again it’s technology that can make sure that all of this isn’t in our future. But if the government, the ministries and our merry band of politicians can’t help, then can technology really help? In the words of the Barackster – yes, it can.
ALERT
Be warned! What follows is a cautionary tale of very frightening proportions. It could change you as a person, make you responsible, truly affect your personality and attitude, turn you around inside out and make you a better person. If you aren’t willing to go through such radical changes – then move along – there is nothing for you on this page, any further. If you are still here, then congratulate yourself. You are about to discover a revolution. A single shard of simple effortless technology that could save the world and our powerless nation, one energy saving monitor at a time.
ABRACADABRA
If I was to tell you that a wireless idiot-proof device exists that can monitor every piece of equipment in your house in real time; tell you how much section or room it consumes; what it costs to run for an hour/day/week/month/year; what your current consumption is for the whole house; what is really burning a hole in your pocket; what small changes you can do to bring your electricity bill down by half; give you charts, grids and easy numbers for the last two years of your usage; can be tracked from anywhere in the world on a phone, computer or Tablet and can be set up by anyone, I repeat anyone, in less than 10 minutes – you’d say that I am smoking some very strong drugs, right? But this device exists and there are multiple versions of it. It costs about R3,000 and the pay-off will be savings for years. It makes you aware, informed and knowledgeable and gives you real-time feedback for you to put in a system and a course of action for you to stop wasting electricity. The average saving wherever this device is installed is about 20 per cent or more. Think, if every person in our country used this – our power crisis would be over.
HOW IT WORKS
This is a simple device. It consists of three things: A wireless receiver unit with a big screen that looks like a very sophisticated digital clock, a wireless transmitter and a sensor that clips to it. All you have to do is identify the outgoing electricity supply cable (it’s usually the red one coming out your electricity meter and into your house), snap open the sensor and put it around the cable. No splicing wires, no unhooking anything – the sensor just sits loosely around the cable. Take the wire from the sensor and insert it into the transmitter. Now press the sync button between the transmitter and the wireless receiver (place it anywhere in your house). That’s it. The receiver’s screen will immediately start showing you how much electricity is being drawn off your mains and into your house. As you shut off and start devices like geysers, ACs, refrigerators, TVs – the draw becomes more or less and shows up on your receiver screen. You can programme it to show you consumption in units, money or how much carbon is being generated due to your electricity usage. Track historical data, set alarms and input different tariffs. With additional accessories, you can monitor three-phase connections, check consumption from anywhere in the world and also have the system email you a warning whenever energy usage goes haywire.
PLAN OF ACTION
Amazing, right? Yes, but here’s the kicker. You do not get these
devices in India! If you want to be a self-aware concerned citizen of
the country, you’ve got to import one of these from Europe. Isn’t it
incredible that something so revolutionary, at a price that is
affordable, with functionality that could make a huge difference is not
available here. My new quest is to ask the government to give away one
of these free with every electricity connection across the nation. If
you think that makes sense, do join in by tweeting me with the handle
#free energy monitors india and let’s get this show on the road. Else,
wait for the next power grid collapse. It’ll take down the entire
country and it’s just around the corner.
If I was to tell you that a wireless idiot-proof device exists that can monitor every piece of equipment in your house in real time; tell you how much section or room it consumes; what it costs to run for an hour/day/week/month/year; what your current consumption is for the whole house; what is really burning a hole in your pocket; what small changes you can do to bring your electricity bill down by half; give you charts, grids and easy numbers for the last two years of your usage; can be tracked from anywhere in the world on a phone, computer or Tablet and can be set up by anyone, I repeat anyone, in less than 10 minutes – you’d say that I am smoking some very strong drugs, right? But this device exists and there are multiple versions of it. It costs about R3,000 and the pay-off will be savings for years. It makes you aware, informed and knowledgeable and gives you real-time feedback for you to put in a system and a course of action for you to stop wasting electricity. The average saving wherever this device is installed is about 20 per cent or more. Think, if every person in our country used this – our power crisis would be over.
HOW IT WORKS
This is a simple device. It consists of three things: A wireless receiver unit with a big screen that looks like a very sophisticated digital clock, a wireless transmitter and a sensor that clips to it. All you have to do is identify the outgoing electricity supply cable (it’s usually the red one coming out your electricity meter and into your house), snap open the sensor and put it around the cable. No splicing wires, no unhooking anything – the sensor just sits loosely around the cable. Take the wire from the sensor and insert it into the transmitter. Now press the sync button between the transmitter and the wireless receiver (place it anywhere in your house). That’s it. The receiver’s screen will immediately start showing you how much electricity is being drawn off your mains and into your house. As you shut off and start devices like geysers, ACs, refrigerators, TVs – the draw becomes more or less and shows up on your receiver screen. You can programme it to show you consumption in units, money or how much carbon is being generated due to your electricity usage. Track historical data, set alarms and input different tariffs. With additional accessories, you can monitor three-phase connections, check consumption from anywhere in the world and also have the system email you a warning whenever energy usage goes haywire.
PLAN OF ACTION
Amazing, right? Yes, but here’s the kicker. You do not get these
devices in India! If you want to be a self-aware concerned citizen of
the country, you’ve got to import one of these from Europe. Isn’t it
incredible that something so revolutionary, at a price that is
affordable, with functionality that could make a huge difference is not
available here. My new quest is to ask the government to give away one
of these free with every electricity connection across the nation. If
you think that makes sense, do join in by tweeting me with the handle
#free energy monitors india and let’s get this show on the road. Else,
wait for the next power grid collapse. It’ll take down the entire
country and it’s just around the corner.
No comments:
Post a Comment