Overview:

The Smart Energy Meter is an IoT-based system designed to monitor and manage household or industrial electricity consumption in real-time.
It aims to replace conventional analog meters with digital smart meters that provide users and electricity providers with accurate, transparent, and instant energy usage data.

The system automatically records energy usage, displays it on a web or mobile dashboard, and can even send alerts or bills to users based on their consumption.
This helps promote energy conservation, prevent power theft, and improve billing accuracy through automation.

Objectives:

• To design a real-time monitoring system for electricity consumption using IoT.

• To enable remote access to power usage data through a web/mobile interface.

• To provide automatic billing and usage alerts to users.

• To reduce manual meter reading errors and enhance energy management efficiency.

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Monitoring: Continuously measures energy usage in watts or kilowatts.

2. IoT Connectivity: Sends live consumption data to the cloud.

3. Dashboard Visualization: Displays usage graphs, daily/monthly trends, and billing info.

4. Smart Alerts: Notifies users about high consumption or threshold limit breaches.

5. Auto Billing System: Calculates the total bill based on dynamic electricity rates.

6. Remote Control (optional): Allows remote ON/OFF control of electrical appliances.

7. Data Logging: Keeps a record of usage for analysis and optimization.

8. Power Theft Detection: Detects and reports unauthorized usage or tampering.

Tech Stack:

Hardware Components:

• Microcontroller: ESP32 / ESP8266 (NodeMCU) / Arduino UNO

• Energy Meter Sensor: PZEM-004T / Current Transformer (CT Sensor)

• Wi-Fi Module: Built-in (ESP) or external (ESP-01)

• Relay Module (optional): For remote power cutoff

• LCD/OLED Display: Shows live consumption locally

• Power Supply Unit

Software & Tools:

• Frontend: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript (for dashboard)

• Backend: Node.js / PHP / Python (Flask/Django)

• Database: Firebase / MySQL / MongoDB

• IoT Cloud: ThingSpeak / Blynk / MQTT / AWS IoT / Firebase

• Mobile App (optional): Flutter or React Native for user access

System Workflow:

1. Data Collection:
   The current and voltage sensors continuously measure electricity usage from the load.

2. Data Processing:
   The microcontroller calculates real-time energy consumption in kWh and cost based on unit rates.

3. Cloud Transmission:
   The data is sent to a cloud platform via Wi-Fi, where it is stored and visualized.

4. Dashboard Monitoring:
   Users can log in to the dashboard or mobile app to view current consumption, usage history, and estimated bill.

5. Alerts and Actions:
   If the usage crosses a set threshold, the system sends alerts via SMS, email, or app notification.
   Optionally, it can cut power remotely using the relay module to prevent overuse or overload.

Use Case Example:

A homeowner installs the Smart Energy Meter connected to their main electricity line.
Every second, it tracks power usage and updates the readings on the mobile dashboard.
When monthly usage exceeds a preset budget (say 500 kWh), the user receives a notification about high consumption.
The system also auto-generates a digital bill and sends it to the user via email — no manual reading needed!

Applications:

• Smart Homes: For real-time power usage tracking and bill management.

• Offices and Industries: For monitoring heavy machine energy usage and avoiding wastage.

• Institutions: To analyze energy consumption patterns and promote efficient use.

• Smart Grids: As part of modern grid systems for demand-based energy distribution.

• Electricity Boards: For automated billing and theft detection.

Future Enhancements:

• Integration with AI/ML to predict consumption trends and optimize usage.

• Mobile payment gateway for direct bill payments through the app.

• Solar panel integration for hybrid energy tracking (grid + solar).

• Dynamic pricing model that adjusts rates based on real-time demand.

• Voice assistant integration for energy usage updates (Alexa, Google Assistant).