Using the “Internet of Things” in the Cleantech Industry
With worldwide energy consumption expected to grow by nearly 50 percent between 2018 and 2050, the demand for smarter energy solutions will continue to rise. That is why companies are making the switch to Internet of Things (IoT) integrated solutions. IoT describes the technology embedded with sensors and software that connect and share information on wireless networks without human intervention. Kevin Ashton coined the phrase in 1999, and IoT has grown to encompass the entire network of physical objects that automatically collect and transfer data over wireless networks. Smart cities, connected industry, and connected buildings are the top three IoT projects in progress. Individuals, businesses, and governments can use IoT to share information and make everyday activities more convenient and cost-effective. The potential for IoT technology to drastically reduce costs and emissions creates a win-win scenario for the people and companies trying to increase profit and meet lower emissions standards.
At the individual level, people are incorporating more smart home technology to cut back on energy costs and live a more sustainable lifestyle. Smart homes allow people to control the temperature, lighting, and electronics remotely or with automatic presets, which reduces costs and worries about leaving the lights on or the air conditioning set too high.
IoT devices in large sites, like industrial zones, city streets, airports, and office parks have produced energy, spatial management, and building maintenance savings of up to 30 percent. The following examples will show how IoT devices can work in conjunction with cleantech companies and clients to build efficiency and cut emissions for a more sustainable future while significantly lowering costs.
Cypress Envirosystems provides IoT retrofit solutions for industrial plants, hospitals, office buildings, schools, and universities. The IoT devices place less responsibility on people and more on machines while creating jobs to analyze the data produced and adjust buildings’ energy usage accordingly. The company has been helping other groups reach their environmental sustainability goals with devices that install in minutes and quickly pay back the initial investment. Recently, Cypress helped switch a 1.3 million square foot office space in one of the tallest buildings in Chicago to an upgraded energy management system and common area lighting using IoT-related technology. The installation of the IoT-based system will produce $329,000 in annual savings, lowering the costs by 60 to 80 percent more than traditional solutions with no disruption to the building’s occupants. The wireless pneumatic thermostats Cypress Envirosystems installs utilize real-time data and sophisticated algorithms to make operational energy-saving decisions, resulting in reduced electricity usage and lower costs. Overall, Cypress Envirosystems has implemented hundreds of wireless devices that communicate without human intervention to increase savings with short payback times using IoT.
Beyond saving money, IoT integrated energy solutions are helping to monitor and reduce carbon emissions. Aclima has an IoT-enabled mobile sensing network that uses a fleet of cars to take air samples through a specially designed intake process while they are driving. Aclima Pro, an air quality measurement software, geotags the samples using a combination of sensors and communications components before finally streaming the data to the cloud. There, the billions of air quality data points are available for use by governments, communities, and businesses to understand if they are meeting their environmental goals or need to adjust to reduce emissions and lower the impacts on human health.
In West Oakland, California, Aclima deployed its IoT technology to measure air pollution and greenhouse gas levels block-by-block. West Oakland residents have faced pollution-related health concerns disproportionately for decades because of the community’s proximity to two freeways and one of the largest ports in the United States. After 34 million data points were measured over six months in 2019, the company collaborated with local community groups to launch a free, interactive, online report. Anyone can now look up hyperlocal air pollution in West Oakland by address. They can then share their findings on social media and access resources to take action to address unusually high levels of pollution. This project is a prime example of how IoT integrated energy solutions can help monitor emissions while also working to reduce them by educating the local government and community members on how they can act to lower pollution levels.
Potential Security Issues
Skeptics worry that IoT is not a safe and secure solution for addressing energy efficiency concerns. The standard security issues arise from unsecured wireless connections, obsolete firmware, and insufficient privacy protection. The main problem that companies face is the hacking of one device leading to the infiltration of all other devices on the network. Data breaches by botnets and hackers, on average, cost companies $3.86 million and take 280 days to identify and contain. With billions of IoT devices currently active, 84 percent of companies reported an IoT-related security breach. These breaches ranged from hackers accessing personal data on IoT-connected devices to leveraging the vulnerabilities they found in the security of the products to demand ransom.
Recent attacks on pipelines and electricity grids demonstrate the vulnerability of IoT devices. The cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline in May of this year due to one password being compromised shows the risk this digital era presents. As the global need for energy continues to grow, the transition to using more wireless-enabled devices prompts the need for extra care to guard against more security attacks. Thankfully, there are common solutions that can be implemented to help keep companies and employees safe, such as securing wireless connections, updating operating systems, and developing a robust cyber-security strategy.
The companies in the cleantech industry are addressing these issues and are constantly working to stay ahead of the cyberattacks using common solutions and beyond. For example, BOSS is an IoT based company working to increase savings with a primary focus on small to medium sized commercial buildings and an emphasis on security, through the development of a cybersecure chipset that can be embedded in IoT devices.. The company provides an advanced IoT system called Atmospheres on a single platform dashboard, which allows customers to automatically manage energy demand based on need, energy pricing, and building load balancing, saving up to 50 percent of the energy used in targeted devices. Atmospheres works in conjunction with the BOSS Control Module to provide cutting edge security for customers’ networks and devices. BOSS also delivers additional security with multiple segmentation solutions and multi-layered encryptions for cloud connections and a separate, dedicated IoT network to ensure only secure devices are connected. BOSS provides integrated IoT and security to not only cut costs for companies but also provide them with the most secure technology on the market.
Final Thoughts
As IoT technology propels the cleantech industry forward, the potential for reducing costs while lowering emissions and raising environmental standards can still go further. The existing technology can be utilized to improve efficiency now, while cleantech companies work to create new solutions that provide incentives to make the switch to IoT integrated energy solutions. If the future of energy lies in IoT-based products and the demand for those products in the cleantech sector continues to grow, security also needs to continue advancing. IoT systems and technology in the cleantech industry have benefits, and with increased security, the products will save people and companies money while meeting future environmental and climate goals.
