Course at the Centre for Alternative Technology

When working towards sustainable energy it is important that we work towards it in a way that adds up. Energy monitoring is a vital tool for helping us do this from measuring our home electricity consumption to working out the performance of sustainable heating systems.

During this short workshop we will explore and build monitoring solutions that are based on open source technology developed as part of the openenergymonitor.org online research project. Solutions that can be configured for a wide range of applications including:

The workshop will focus around a practical case study of monitoring electricity generation and use at the Centre for Alternative Technology designing a public energy display to engage visitors that can be accessed both at the site and on the web.

Carlos Alonso Gabizón – Is the course leader. Worked on microgrid energy display project at CAT and open source software for extracting energy data from PV inverter equipment. Carlos has an electronic engineering and computer science background.

Trystan Lea – As a core developer on the openenergymonitor project Trystan will be introducing the hardware and software workshops. Trystan codeveloped with Glyn Hudson many of the main elements of the openenergymonitor system with a focus on software and firmware including emoncms an open source web application for energy visualisation. Trystan also runs the openenergymonitor kit shop with Glyn Hudson.Trystan has a Physics background with a BSc in Physics at Cardiff University.

Suneil Tagore – Will be giving an introduction to open source 3D fabrication/printing using the reprap. Suneil has also worked on DC monitoring for theHugh Piggot wind turbine. Suneil has a background in Engineering andcomputer science with an MEng in Engineering at UCL London and a MSc inComputer Science at Cardiff University.

The course cost is £520. Concession: £340 (unemployed, retired or full time student). This covers accommodation, food and course tuition.
You can reserve a place on the course online at: courses.cat.org.uk/ or by phone calling the CAT Courses Department on 01654 704 952.

Firstly, the knowledge and practical skills to build and set up a monitor solution based in the openenergymonitor kit and how to expand its functionality beyond what is done in the course.
Secondly, you will be able to install emonCMS, set it up and create really nice visualizations.
And lastly but more exciting than the previous, you will take home your own energy monitor completely ready to use!!!