New Technical Note Outlines Remote Monitoring Solutions for Off-Grid Appliances

Asset owners, investors, donors, researchers and industry support organisations have various needs to better understand the performance of appliances designed to improve living conditions and increase energy access in developing countries. Efforts to bridge the existing information gaps include:

• Monitoring energy production
• Measuring energy utilisation by connected electrical products
• Monitoring the delivered service to quantify the impact of the products.

Efficiency for Access Coalition programs, such as VeraSol and the Global LEAP Awards, have developed laboratory test methods for off-grid refrigerators, solar water pumps and electric pressure cookers. The test methods help understand product performance and promote high-quality, high-performing appliances through product certification and results-based financing mechanisms. While lab testing has contributed to a better understanding of the technical performance of appliances, a critical data gap exists on performance in real-world environments and how user interactions and behaviour affect long-term performance.

To address this, Efficiency for Access launched a field-testing initiative to evaluate the options for collecting data and validate the technical specifications of off-grid refrigerators, solar water pumps and solar-powered milking machines in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, and India. This technical note provides insights into the testing and selection of remote performance monitors, including important considerations such as connectivity availability in test areas and sensor interoperability, potential challenges and possible mitigation strategies when developing a customised remote monitoring solution.

Read the technical note here.