In Chapter - 2, we discussed what made us choose and work deeper on a specific technology, AI, and how it compares to other existing technologies in the market. In this chapter, we’ll dive deeper into the ecosystem of technologies we’ve chosen and currently developing.

Having figured out how to develop an AI solution that saves during the usage of an HVAC system, which we call SaverX, the next challenge was that we had to prove the savings that were happening by using the product.

While most buildings have energy meters in place, all these are analog and you don’t usually have a digital log of consumption stored anywhere. So the requirement was to build a system that can log energy consumption digitally and can be accessed on screens whenever required.

Thus emerged, what we call the Soul. Initially, it was developed as an IoT platform that would integrate with the specific system i.e. HVAC and send its energy consumption to the platform via cloud on a min-min basis. As mentioned in Chapter 2, we always wanted to develop technology that is non-intrusive and blends with the client’s ecosystem seamlessly. So the guidelines for us while developing such a makeshift device, Soul, were -

The installation shouldn’t be complex, not a lot of wiring which we see with the existing energy meters.

The data transfer must happen wirelessly which means components like RS485 and SCADA should be eliminated. 

To address these requirements, we developed our own architecture by using something called Split Current Transformers, or in short, split CTs, that can be simply clipped to the respective wire of the electrical supply and be able to transfer the required data. Also, the device is made sure that it can be easily plugged into the supply at a nearby switchboard too. By making this IoT-based energy monitoring device, we were able to track the energy consumption of the HVAC system with very easy installation and lower overhead expenses. 

Now, having developed an IoT dashboard, combined with easy-to-install hardware, it would help the user track the energy consumption data and show the savings achieved by SaverX.
One day, while we were implementing this at a commercial building, a person came in and asked if a similar thing could be done for their industry. Technically speaking, it should happen because the device can literally get attached to any power source and not just for HVACs. So, we obliged and implemented it in that respective industry.

After a few days, when we looked into different electrical parameters and patterns of that industry, we realized that there were a lot more inefficiencies happening on the supply as well as on the demand side. So, we started doing different experiments and understood that industries too face quite a few challenges in energy.

This is primarily because they use heavy equipment and have complex designs in wiring. Agreed, but what does it have to do with Soul? Can Soul solve this problem as well?

With great pride, we define ourselves as “Made In India. For the World”. Keep following this space for the next chapter where we’ll discuss how Soul found a new market and a larger purpose for itself.