1. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 1www.grow-smarter.eu Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 1www.grow-smarter.eu
THE GROWSMARTER PROJECT
2015-2019
Virtual Energy Advisor
Campaign: “Carrega’t d’Energia”
Alaia Sola, IREC

2. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 2www.grow-smarter.eu
Low Energy Districts in Barcelona
Canyelles
Ter 31
Melon District
CEM Claror
Cartagena
Escola Sert
Hotel Condestable
Clot Island: Sibelius
3, Meridiana 141
Passeig Sta
Coloma
Lope de Vega 111
Ca l’Alier
Source: Gas Natural
Fenosa and BCN
Municipality

3. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 3www.grow-smarter.eu
Virtual Energy Advisor of Barcelona City Council
„Carrega‘t d‘Energia“
>> Why “Carrega’t d’Energia” and Virtual Energy Advisor?
Share of final energy
consumption by type
Share of final energy
consumption by sector
 42% of final energy is electricity  ca. 2% of this is electricity from local renewable
sources
10.35
MWh/capita·year
 Residential sector accounts for 29% of final energy consumption in the city

4. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 4www.grow-smarter.eu
www.barcelona.cat/autosuficiencia
„Carrega‘t d‘Energia“
March 2015: Campaign “Carrega’t d’Energia”
Goals:
(1) GENERATION: To show the energy
resources available on building
rooftops.
(2) EFFICIENCY: To provide information
about how much electricity is
consumed at home and how to
reduce this consumption.

5. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 5www.grow-smarter.eu
1. Renewable Energy Generation – Maps of resources
Services offered
• Solar Thermal
• Solar PV
• Mini Wind Turbine

6. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 6www.grow-smarter.eu
2. Energy Savings – Virtual Energy Advisor
Services offered
The Virtual Energy Advisor is a
free online platform that:
• Shows electricity consumption
and consumption profiles.
• Gives tips and advices about
how to reduce the electricity
consumption.
• Provides the opportunity of
becoming part of a virtual
community to exchange
opinions, advices and best
practices.
• Compares current consumption
with consumption of previous
years.
• Compares user consumption with
other users with similar
characteristics to promote energy
efficient behaviour.

7. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 7www.grow-smarter.eu
Options for data collection
Virtual Energy Advisor
Electricity consumption data is read by the platform at
different levels depending on user’s choice:
1. Basic level: monthly or bimonthly electricity
consumption data (electricity bills).
2. Advanced level: real time electricity consumption
data (via Smart meter monitoring).
As a result of the campaign, about 400 citizens will
have received a free Smart meter installed at home.

8. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 8www.grow-smarter.eu
Smart meters
Virtual Energy Advisor
Requests for users:
 Domestic electricity tariff
 Wifi acess
Estimated cost of the device:
 150-160€ incl. installation cost
Technical data:
• Single phase meter.
• Placed at the entrance
of the distribution
board.
• Reads current and
voltage.
• Wi-fi: Creates a
network and send the
information via the
home router.
• Stores data when the
router is disconnected.

9. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 9www.grow-smarter.eu
User registration questionnaire
Virtual Energy Advisor

10. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 10www.grow-smarter.eu
Web interface
Virtual Energy Advisor
Hourly consumption curve
Comparison
with
previous
year
Forecast
Total
consumption
of current
month
More or
less
efficient
than
neighbours
Electricity price
Users’ Q&A

11. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 11www.grow-smarter.eu
Consumption curves
Virtual Energy Advisor

12. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 12www.grow-smarter.eu
Use of Energy – Historical data - Power
Virtual Energy Advisor
Disaggregated
consumption
Historical data of
Electricity
consumption
Maximum and
minimum power
demand

13. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 13www.grow-smarter.eu
Energy Saving Tips
Virtual Energy Advisor
Wash your clothes at low
temperature:
Investment 0 €
Difficulty Low
Total money savings About 538€
Use the coldest temperature possible
in your washing machine as most of
the energy consumption is due to
water heating (up to 90%).
Savings are calculated for a 10-years
lifetime of the washing machine.

14. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 14www.grow-smarter.eu
Mobile App
Virtual Energy Advisor

15. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 15www.grow-smarter.eu
Newsletter & Monthly Report
Virtual Energy Advisor

16. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 16www.grow-smarter.eu
Project coordination
Virtual Energy Advisor
Environment
al education
Department
AEB
Barcelona
Energy
Agency
 Definition of features of the tool
 Server maintenance
 Management of users
 Installation of measuring equipment
 Resolution of technical incidents
 Technical analysis of the information
obtained
 Answering questions of users
concerning topics of energy savings and
efficiency
 Maintaining a dynamic and attractive
platform
 Capture new users through local
workshops
 Web content management
 Communication plan: dissemination of the
tool
 Coordination with media
 Generating material (brochures, roll-ups)
Communication
Department

17. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 17www.grow-smarter.eu
Accompaniment & Communication actions
Virtual Energy Advisor
Local workshops
 Free activities in all
neighborhoods of
Barcelona
 Local workshops on
energy savings,
energy efficiency
and self-sufficiency
 Radio
 Television
 Press

18. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 18www.grow-smarter.eu
Communication Elements
Virtual Energy Advisor
BROCHURES ROLL UP BANNER

19. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 19www.grow-smarter.eu
Results
Virtual Energy Advisor
Number of users of Virtual Energy Advisor and Smart meters:
 639 users have shown interest in registering.
 Up to now, 362 users send data from their meters to the
platform or are in process of doing so.
Technical considerations:
The management of this number of users generates:
 50 to 70 emails a week about registration and management issues.
 2 days a week are necessary for a technician to make the management and
processing of data.
 467 users have been correctly registered.
 428 users showed interest in getting a smart meter.
 Estimation: In total, 415 users will be able to install the free smart meter.

20. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 20www.grow-smarter.eu
Get the latest updates by signing up online!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant
agreement no 646456. The sole responsibility for the content of this presentation lies with the GrowSmarter project and in no way
reflects the views of the European Union.
http://www.grow-smarter.eu/home/
asola@irec.cat
Presentation prepared by:
Irma Soldevilla
Project Director in Barcelona Energy
Agency &
IREC

21. Stakeholders Engagement Webinar I 27/09/2016 I page 21www.grow-smarter.eu