Real-Time Energy Monitoring in Action
At Valota Farm, monitoring equipment has been installed to track power usage for both irrigation and cold storage systems. A commercial monitor inside a circuit breaker box is measuring current and voltage across three phases, recording average values every five minutes. These real-time insights allow the project team to understand power consumption patterns and identify strategies to optimise energy efficiency, especially in response to fluctuating electricity prices.
In addition, a custom-built monitoring system using an Arduino platform is tracking the energy consumption of cold storage equipment. This homemade monitor stores data on an SD card, enabling the team to precisely calculate the power needed to maintain optimal storage temperatures throughout the day.
The image on the left shows an aerial view of the farm. The arrow labeled "1" indicates the location of the cold room, and the arrow labeled "2" shows the pumphouse. The power consumption of both the pumphouse and the cooling equipment is being continuously monitored for months to better understand the farm's energy usage. The image on the right shows the student and the technician inside the farmhouse, working together to install the monitor.
