Forecasting and Visualizing Complex Data for an Energy Management System
The client
NeedEnergy is a Zimbabwean startup working on Africa’s energy problems, with renewable and equitable systems as the focus. Machine learning, AI and analytics over big data let it get more out of the grid and other sources.
It monitors and manages energy systems intelligently for individual and commercial clients: smart meters measuring consumption and production, interactive dashboards visualising the data, and forecasts of both so systems can be balanced and optimised.
The challengeWhat the teams actually needed
The company wanted its data-based solutions presented visually, to kick off a pilot with a major microgrid operator in Africa south of the Sahara, and to prove the concept for remote regions of Australia.
Challenge 01Demonstrating a data product
Data-driven optimisation is hard to sell until someone can see it working, which is what the demo had to achieve.
Challenge 02Two very different markets
A microgrid operator in sub-Saharan Africa and remote regions of Australia have little in common beyond the problem.
Challenge 03Real data, not a mock-up
The demo had to run on real data and stay anchored to what can realistically be built, and to where the value for the business will sit later.
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What we did
Dashboards showing what an energy management system knows
UI designers and data scientists at Netguru delivered both halves of the demo.
Every key component
The dashboards lay out what the Energy Management System is made of, and show how the insight inside it gets used to monitor, plan and optimise energy use.
Actual against forecast
A user can see how real energy use compares against the forecast mix split by source, with revenue and savings calculated alongside.
From connected devices
Relevant notifications reach the user from the devices connected to the system.
Prototype, then iterate
The solutions were deliberately prototype-like but grounded in real data, staying close to what can actually be built and to where the value will be later — and since data science suits an iterative approach, this was the major step toward whatever comes next.
Client testimonial
Netguru has been our biggest and leading investor into our product development. The partnership allows us to build the best in class product, while in the process both teams are contributing to the impactful cause of increasing clean energy access in sub-Saharan Africa and remote regions in the world.
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What’s next