The Energy Management Solution controls Electrical devices such as lighting and appliances by preconfigured schedule or by local or remote web-based control. The current status of each controllable device at each store can also be viewed remotely. The solution is targeted at chain stores. Energy management profiles can be published to each store where an intelligent controller interfaces to a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) to switch air-conditioning units, refrigerators, and lighting dim levels. The profiles are generally configured to coincide with the operating hours of each store. Certain inputs may also be used for logging and control purposes.

• Switching profile can be created an published centrally to remote stores
• Individual status of each output can be monitored remotely
• Switching can be overridden to allow local manual operation
• Reporting and logging to central location from each store based upon scheduled switching and local override events.
• Demand selection input can selectively switch outputs if electrical consumption exceeds threshold.
• Security alarm can be linked to system to log arming, disarming, and trigger events centrally.

Solution Overview

Store Components

The store-side components feature a web server, custom developed website and Modbus controller. The application is run on the Mono Framework on a Ubuntu Linux installation.

1.      Web pages 

As an easily accessible interface for each store, custom web pages were developed for the solution to include:

• System Status: indicates uptime, local IP Address, software version and PLC status
• Operational Mode: Displays and allows setting of the current operation mode (Disabled, Manual, Auto, Test)
• Remote Control: View and control all inputs and outputs
• Configuration: View and set all parameters pertaining to application configuration
• PLC Configuration: Configure PLC and label inputs and outputs
• Switching Schedule: Display the current switching schedule for the store for each output.

Pages use AJAX/XmlHttpRequest for live status feedback. All responses are generated by the custom developed web server.

The Sybu Data .NET Web Server component was adapted for this solution. The web server server the set of web pages, selectively replacing placeholder tags within the pages with the appropriate data from the system. All AJAX requests are handled by a POST-Method event handler. The web server is also capable of receiving updates for the software.

The scheduler checks the energy profile and switches the outputs accordingly. Any manually switched output will not be overridden by the scheduler.

Inputs are monitored for state changes. These inputs can range from operational override, alarm state to enclosure tampering switches. These events are then sent to the server component where they are logged.

.NET Remoting is utilized for communications between the server and store components.

Server Components

.NET Remoting is utilized for communications between the server and store components.

A Firebird database is used to store information such as store switching schedules, log information etc.

Screenshots of controller

Status display and PLC connection information

System Operational Mode

PLC Input / Output configuration

Remote Control Status