SBIR Phase I: Design and Development of an Energy Information Integration and Analysis Platform

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is aimed at integration of information in the energy domain to provide data services to organizations. Businesses want to reduce energy costs and are realizing the value in capturing and tracking a variety of current and forecasted energy-related data to make decisions involving energy usage and investments. However, businesses do not possess an insight into the several pertinent factors involved in making an informed assessment of their energy-related performance, and secondly, there are no consolidated repositories of data that integrate sources of energy production, their efficiencies, costs of alternative modes of energy production based on geographic factors, impact of rules and regulations, etc. An important component of regulatory uncertainty is caps or charges on carbon emissions. Carbon efficiency and the individual carbon impact or carbon footprint is becoming an integral component of energy decisions. The opportunity to exercise greater control over energy consumption and to finely optimize energy costs exists, yet the generated data is voluminous, diverse, dispersed, and unwieldy. Urjanet is positioned to help businesses develop a viable long term energy strategy by closing the gaps. Thus, the Broader Impact of the proposed research addresses both Commercial and Societal impact. The proposed work, if successfully deployed, will increase the prospects for participants along the energy value chain (including utilities, installers of alternate energy, corporations, and households) to supply/use energy in a cost-efficient and sustainable manner.