What is it about?

We developed a low-cost smart system to monitor and manage solar energy in rural Colombian communities without access to the national grid. Tested in a vulnerable area, it improved electricity reliability, reduced failures, and helped families make the most of the energy available supporting a more sustainable and better quality of life in remote regions.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This research offers a practical and accessible solution to improve renewable energy supply in rural communities living off-grid a challenge that directly impacts their quality of life. What makes it unique is the combination of low-cost smart monitoring technologies with a design tailored to vulnerable contexts, where resources and infrastructure are limited. Beyond simply installing solar systems, it ensures their efficient and continuous use through real time data, preventing failures, optimising consumption, and extending equipment lifespan. Ultimately, it not only brings clean energy to those who need it most, but also empowers communities to manage it autonomously and sustainably.

Perspectives

Writing this article was a truly fulfilling experience, as it combined our passion for renewable energy with a direct and tangible impact on communities often left behind. Seeing the monitoring system working in real time, and knowing it could help families manage their limited energy more efficiently, was incredibly rewarding. For me, the most meaningful realisation was that technology does not need to be expensive or complex to make a real difference it just needs to be designed with people and their specific context in mind. I hope this work inspires others to create solutions that are not only innovative, but also inclusive and truly responsive to the needs of vulnerable communities.

Dr. Ramon Fernando Colmenares Quintero
Fundación Berstic and Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Renewable energy smart sensing system monitoring for off-grid vulnerable community in Colombia, Cogent Engineering, January 2021, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/23311916.2021.1936372.
You can read the full text:

Read

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page