IoT Connectivity For Energy Monitoring and Environmental Sustainability

Wattwatchers is an Australian technology company offering a suite of compact Internet of Things (IoT) devices that monitor real-time electricity usage for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

Their solution is designed to enhance users’ energy efficiency, promote net-zero strategies, and cut operational costs – all integral aspects of the company’s overarching business strategy.

Through a collaboration with Thinxtra, the exclusive provider of Soracom’s connectivity services in Australia, Wattwatchers has introduced a dynamic and scalable energy monitoring system that reinforces sustainability initiatives and drives cost reductions in the face of the country’s ongoing Net Zero initiatives.

The Challenge: Deploying IoT Solutions With Traditional 4G SIM Cards

When it came time to connect its fleet of smart devices to the internet, Wattwatchers initially relied upon conventional SIM cards to access cellular connectivity over 4G. Yet between issues with international coverage, the challenges associated with wrangling local characters, and an ornate testing process, this method would quickly prove costly and complex.

This challenge is what ultimately led Wattwatchers to Soracom and Thinxtra, a Massive IoT solution that provides the company’s customers with flexible coverage, streamlined operational management, and transparent insights through comprehensive data analytics.

The Solution: A Simple Way To Measure Energy Consumption

With access to a wide range of cellular networks throughout Australia – including Optus and Telstra, among others, all via a single SIM card – as well as automatic failover to ensure consistent uptime, Soracom’s IoT connectivity has enabled Wattwatchers’ devices to measure energy usage securely and reliably.

Their devices can be easily installed and activated, providing users with the data they need to make better organizational and foundational decisions as it pertains to energy consumption and reducing implementation time and ongoing management.

For Gavin Dietz, CEO of Wattwatchers, the strategic long-term benefits of Soracom’s IoT solution cannot be undersold. The connectivity management platform provides Wattwatchers with fingertip control over their deployed devices, enabling rapid global scalability to meet the growing demand for simple yet comprehensive energy consumption monitoring aligned with sustainability strategies.

“Soracom’s IoT solution offered the most strategic long-term benefit to our business. Its connectivity management platform gives Wattwatchers fingertip control of our device fleet, and allows us to rapidly scale our operations globally.”

Gavin Dietz

CEO at Wattwatchers

Given that electricity generation is currently the single largest source of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, managing it at the grid edge is crucial for the country’s Net Zero initiatives.

Digitalization and real-time data become pivotal in tracking, analyzing, reporting, and automating control of energy resources, emphasizing the critical role of solutions like Wattwatchers in achieving decarbonization, energy efficiency, electrification, and decentralized renewables optimization.

The Benefits of Cellular IoT Coverage From Soracom

Soracom’s cellular solutions support Wattwatchers and its customers by ensuring secure and reliable connectivity and data transmission, outperforming alternatives like cable communications or Wi-Fi, particularly in commercial and industrial settings.

The collaboration enables real-time data-driven decision-making that is essential for the complex optimization of an organization’s energy usage, cost allocation, and resource management.

For companies facing mandated sub-metering requirements and external scrutiny, the combination of Wattwatchers’ devices and Soracom’s connectivity can help validate an organization’s sustainability initiatives, supporting progress towards net zero emissions targets.

The advantages of Soracom’s cellular solutions unlock unprecedented insights, making it the ideal choice for navigating the complexities of modern energy management.

Filed under: Energy