Development of an IoT-based smart energy management system for industrial

applications
Victor Ikechukwu Stephen 1, Abdulahi Akintayo Taiwo 2, Christain Chukwuemeka Nzeanorue 3, Peter Dayo
Fakoyede 4, Ridwan Olamilekan Jamiu 5, Samuel Ayanwunmi Olanrewaju 6, Qudus Omotayo Ajiboye 6 and
Ewemade Cornelius Enabulele 7
1 Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State
Nigeria.
2 National Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Abuja, Nigeria.
3 Department of Electrical Engineering, George Washington University, DIstrict of Columbia, Washington, USA.
4 Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
5 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
6 Department of Electrical Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria.
7 Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 23(01), 765–769

Publication history: Received on 31 May 2024; revised on 07 July 2024; accepted on 09 July 2024

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.23.1.2054

Abstract
The traditional approach to energy meter reading is a antiquated practice that is plagued by inefficiencies, inaccuracies,
and unnecessary expenses. The costs of manual meter reading are invariably passed on to consumers, adding to their
financial burden. Smart energy meters offer a viable solution, but the astronomical cost of replacing existing meters
with new ones poses a significant hurdle. However, this paper proposes a innovative solution that leverages the power
of IoT technology and Raspberry Pi devices to transform legacy meters into smart prepaid meters without the need for
costly replacements. This ground breaking approach enables remote meter monitoring, mobile app control, automated
notifications, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure. By harnessing the potential of IoT, this solution
revolutionizes energy metering, making it more efficient, convenient, and cost-effective for consumers.

Keywords: IoT; Energy Management; Sustainability, Cloud Computing; Real-time Monitoring; Artificial Intelligence

1. Introduction
The traditional method of electrical meter reading for billing purposes [1] relies on human workers physically visiting
homes and buildings, which requires a significant workforce and time [2]. This approach is prone to errors [2], can be
delayed by adverse weather conditions, and may result in lost or misplaced paper bills [3]. In densely populated
countries like India, this process is particularly challenging and resource-intensive [4], leading to increased operational
costs for energy providers and higher electricity bills for consumers [5].

This paper proposes a solution to address these issues by utilizing smart energy meters with embedded systems,
specifically Raspberry Pi and color sensors (TCS 3200), to automatically track electricity usage [6]. This innovative
approach enables consumers to monitor their energy consumption remotely through a customized webpage or mobile
app, allowing them to take control of their energy usage and preferences.


Corresponding author:Victor Ikechukwu Stephen
Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0.
 World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 23(01), 765–769

The developed system offers a convenient and automated way to access individual user's meter readings on a daily or
monthly basis, eliminating the need for manual intervention [6]. This is made possible by continuously monitoring and
recording energy meter readings in a non-volatile memory. Additionally, the system provides real-time meter readings,
accessible by the owner/user through a personalized account on an energy meter webpage [7]. Furthermore, the system
enables remote disconnection of power supply to a house or building when necessary, enhancing control and efficiency.

2. Architectural model
The device uses a light sensor (TCS 3200) to read data directly from the meter, which is then transmitted to an Arduino
board. The Arduino board sends the data to a Raspberry Pi, which uploads it to the Thing Speak cloud platform. The
data can then be accessed and viewed on the Thing Speak website or through a mobile application, providing a
convenient and remote way to monitor the meter readings.

Figure 1 Architectural System

The system's architecture is illustrated in Fig. 1. Household appliances consume energy, which is constantly measured
by an energy meter and displayed on the meter. The meter's LED blinks to count energy units, with 3200 blinks
equivalent to one unit. The Raspberry Pi 3 acts as the main controller, monitoring the energy meter's LED blinks to track
consumption. A customized webpage and Smart App allow users to monitor energy usage, calculate costs, and set a
prepaid threshold value via Wi-Fi. When this threshold is near depletion, the system sends a notification to the
consumer, promoting energy awareness. Users can recharge or increase their threshold as needed; failure to do so will
result in automatic disconnection of electricity supply. The webpage allows users to update their threshold value at any
time, and a monthly bill is generated and sent to both the customer and service provider via SMS on the first day of each
month.

3. Smart energy meter system

The Electronic Meter Automation Device (EMAD) consists of four main components: a Raspberry Pi, an Arduino board,
a TCS 3200 Color Sensor, and a 4-channel relay. These components are ingeniously integrated into a compact design,
allowing the entire system to fit seamlessly within a standard meter housing.

Figure 2 Hardware Components (a) Raspberry Pi, (b) Color Sensor (TCS 3200), (c) Channel Relay, (d) Arduino

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3.1. Energy Meter

An energy meter, also known as a watt-hour meter, measures the electrical energy consumption of consumers. Utility
companies install these meters in homes, offices, industries, and organizations to track electricity usage and charge
accordingly. Modern energy meters, such as prepaid electricity meters or smart energy meters, not only measure energy
consumption but also calculate instantaneous electricity bills and track parameters like produced and consumed units.

3.2. The procedure of Energy Units Calculation

Traditional analog meters require manual readings, which is an outdated practice still prevalent in many homes and
buildings. These meters have an LED that blinks at a rate corresponding to energy consumption, increasing in speed
with higher usage. The developed system modernizes this process by utilizing a color sensor (TCS 3200) to
automatically count the LED blinks, sending the data to a Raspberry Pi for calculation of parameters like energy units
consumed.[8] The results are displayed via Thing Speak API as graphs and visualized on a customized website and smart
app, enabling remote monitoring and control of the main supply. This innovative system enhances existing electric
meters, making them reliable and smart. The components of the Electronic Meter Automation Device (EMAD) are
described in the following sections.

3.3. Microcontroller: Raspberry Pi 3

Raspberry pi board is the heart of the developed EMAD system. It reacts to the 5V supply given by opto-coupler and
keeps on counting the LED blinking. It then calculates the net

recharge available and cost of using the electricity. This data is continuously stored and displayed on the webpage so
that a user can monitor his/her energy consumption or take actions according to its preferences. It is also responsible
to reacts when the threshold is breached and sends the SMS to consumers.

3.4. Mobile Application

A smart mobile App has been developed for the system. The App can be used in Android as well as in iOS platform. A
consumer can visualize the data of the EMAD device once

mounted to an electric meter. A user can recharge or cut off the meter using this smart App. An EMAD device is capable
of handling two-way communication with the grid, i.e. if a consumers’ house/building is also producing the power using
some renewable energy sources (Solar, Wind etc.), then the final bill will be calculated based on the power produced
and consumed. It is also possible to introduce the different pricing scheme which varies with time and the day. As time
and energy information is communicated at regular intervals, the energy consumption and cost can be regulated.

Figure 3 Data visualization using thinkspeak

3.5. ThingSpeak
ThingSpeak is an open-source IoT platform that enables devices to store and retrieve data using HTTP protocol over
the internet or LAN. It facilitates the development of various applications, including: Sensor logging , Location tracking,
Social networking of devices with status updates In this project, ThingSpeak API is utilized for Logging in data and
Visualizing data in graphical form (as shown in Fig. 3)

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3.6. WIFI Module

In IoT applications, Wi-Fi acts as the heart of it. In this work, Wi-Fi is used to communicate with the smart App for
changing the threshold value and to ON & OFF the energy meter. The energy units’ consumption is also communicated
through this and displayed on the webpage. The Consumers are able to access the raspberry board and meter with help
of Wi- Fi. The pricing details of per units are communicated to consumers using Wi-Fi in their smart App.

3.7. Webpage (HTML)

For this work, a webpage, using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), has been designed to visualize and operate energy
meter functioning and consumption. Fig. 4. shows a screenshot of the developed webpage. A Web server has been set
up to store the data and to receive HTML documents for the Web browser.

Figure 4 Web Interface for Tracking Meter Functionality and Energy Usage

4. Energy units calculation

The basic unit of electricity is the Kilowatt hour (KWh), equivalent to 1000 watts for 1 hour. In this context:

1 unit of power consumption is equivalent to 3200 LED blinks, as per the meter specification. Let:

 B denote the number of LED blinks

 U denote the number of units of electricity consumed
 C denote the cost (INR) of per unit electricity (1 kWh)
 P denote the prepaid amount
Then:

 The number of units consumed (U) can be calculated as: U = B / 3200

 The cost of total electricity consumed (T) will be calculated as: T = U × C
 The updated prepaid balance (Ú) can then be given by: Ú = P – T
 The remaining prepaid amount (T) can be calculated as: T = P - U × C
For practical purposes, the developed system calculates the remaining prepaid amount and energy units on an hourly
basis. If the remaining prepaid amount (T) approaches a predetermined threshold, an SMS notification is sent to the
consumer.

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5. Conclusion
This paper has introduced a smart energy management system leveraging IoT technology. The developed Electronic
Meter Automation Device (EMAD) can upgrade traditional meters to smart meters, enabling remote access and control
through a dedicated webpage and mobile app. The system features automatic meter shutoff when the prepaid limit is
reached and SMS notifications for low balance alerts. Our future plans include large-scale data collection and deploying
smart meters in local households to gather feedback and refine the system.

Compliance with ethical standards

Disclosure of conflict of interest

No conflict of interest to be disclosed.

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