Household Power Optimisation and Monitoring System

Abstract

Like most of the developing countries, Zimbabwe continues to face critical electricity shortages. In this paper, the authors present a smart solution for reducing electricity usage in households while improving comfort levels for the dwellers. The authors developed a prototype to optimise electricity usage by domestic appliances. In attaining optimal power usage in households and remote manipulation of household appliances, the researchers utilized the design science research methodology. The proposed system reduced power usage and cost of electricity in households by at least 50 per cent. The results benefit the nation by reducing domestic electricity usage and thus reducing the overall electricity shortages which may affect the manufacturing and other sectors of the economy. Remote manipulation of, and communication with the devices by the user are achieved through the Bluetooth technology and the Global System for Mobile communication. When the user turns on a stove, the system automatically turns off the fridge to minimise power consumed. However, the performance of this system may be affected by the performance of the sensors used. The focus of this paper was to reduce the amount of electricity consumed by households, thus reducing the overall stress on the national power grid and increasing the available electricity for industrial use, leading to employment creation. The proposed system can help in the realization of the UN’s SDGs through ensuring there is adequate electricity for industrial use, as espoused by SDG 9.