To this end, the Minus-E pilot will develop an easy-to-use web platform (accessible on both computers and mobile devices) to monitor and manage energy consumption and its provenance (grid vs. energy community). The main functionalities include Artificial Intelligence-driven tools, such as a data-driven real-time energy consumption forecasting model and a personalised chatbot (supported by a customised Large Language Model (LLM)) to provide energy-saving tips tailored to users, using historical consumption data from residents and production data from photovoltaic installations.
Collaboration with the residents of the Agra do Amial neighbourhood and the Porto Energy Agency ensures that Minus-E is tailored to the specific challenges these communities face, aiming to combat energy poverty through accessible technology.
The project began with a comprehensive needs assessment, followed by software development and testing, culminating in a pilot programme where residents will test the platform and provide feedback to improve its use.
Minus-E empowers marginalised communities by offering a scalable solution that can be adapted to other neighbourhoods, promoting its long-term sustainability and fostering energy literacy. The expected impact of Minus-E is significant, particularly in promoting energy literacy, maximising the use of locally produced renewable energy and reducing costs for low-income families.
Partner organisations
Developed in collaboration with local organisations: a Agência de Energia do Porto, Porto Digital e a Domus Social.
About CommniCity
The project has a significant part of its budget allocated to cascade funding and, at three different times, different cities identified challenges that were transformed into competitions for different pilots. BUILT CoLAB won three from the Municipality of Porto (with different entities), D-Power, CoolScape and Minus-E, and one from the Municipality of Matosinhos, Green Lessons.
