The proposed software addresses the critical issue of electricity load-shedding in Pakistan by promoting the adoption of solar energy systems. It serves as a dual purpose solution by both solving a problem and providing a valuable service. Designed as both a web and mobile application, the system offers users, particularly homeowners, the ability to transition to solar energy seamlessly. The application allows users to input their bill, retrieve their electricity consumption data from the past year, and predict future consumption trends. Based on this data, the app provides personalized recommendations for solar energy systems from a variety of sellers available on the platform.
Objectives
i. To provide homeowners with an easy-to-use platform for transitioning to solar energy.
ii. To allow users to enter their bill and retrieve past electricity consumption data.
iii. To predict future electricity consumption based on historical data, helping users plan for their energy needs.
iv. To recommend personalized solar energy systems based on the user's consumption data and preferences.
v. To offer a comparison of estimated costs and savings for various solar system options.
vi. To allow users to browse solar system solutions from local traders.
vii. To facilitate a seamless user experience with a web app and mobile app, developed using React and React Native.
viii. To encourage sustainable energy practices by providing accessible and actionable insights into solar energy adoption
Socio-Economic Benefit
Economic Benefits:
Cost Savings for Users: By helping users understand their electricity consumption and request accurate solar quotes, Solar Sense promotes long-term savings on energy bills.
Support for Local Solar Traders: The platform connects users with solar providers, driving business for local vendors and creating economic opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Reduced Energy Imports: Encouraging solar adoption reduces national dependence on imported energy sources, positively impacting the trade balance.
Social Benefits:
Awareness and Accessibility: Makes solar energy more understandable and accessible, especially for households with limited technical knowledge.
Sustainability Advocacy: Promotes eco-conscious behavior by encouraging the adoption of renewable energy.
Energy Equity: Helps democratize access to solar solutions by offering tools that any household can use — regardless of technical background or income level.
Methodologies
1. Requirement Analysis
Gathered requirements for user input (bill reference number), data extraction, system size selection, and quote request.
Identified stakeholders: end users (households), solar vendors, and technical team.
2. Technology Selection
Chose React.js for frontend due to its responsiveness and dynamic UI capabilities.
Used web scraping techniques to retrieve electricity consumption data from the PITC billing site.
Implemented a lightweight email-based backend to send user quote requests to vendors.
3. System Design
Designed user flow:
Input Bill Reference ? Fetch Consumption ? Choose System ? Request Quote
Focused on simplicity and clarity in UI to ensure accessibility for non-technical users.
Applied modular coding principles to keep components reusable and maintainable.
4. Implementation
Developed reusable components in React (form inputs, data display cards, etc.)
Created a scraping logic to fetch user consumption securely and efficiently.
Integrated a form-based quote request with validation and user feedback.
5. Testing
Performed unit testing on key components (e.g., form handling, data parsing).
Conducted manual testing with different valid and invalid reference numbers.
Simulated user interactions to validate system flow and usability.
6. Deployment
Deployed on a local environment for testing and presentation.
Outcome
Functional Achievements:
Automated Data Retrieval: Successfully integrated a scraping mechanism to fetch user energy consumption using a reference number from the PITC billing website.
Clean User Interface: Developed a responsive and intuitive front end using React.js, making the system accessible for a non-technical audience.
Instant Quote Request Feature: Enabled users to select their desired solar system size (kVA) and submit a quote request directly to a vendor through an integrated email-based system.
Impact-Oriented Results:
Improved Awareness: Helps users visualize their actual energy usage, encouraging more informed and sustainable decisions.
Time-Saving: Automates a process that would typically require manual consultation with solar companies.
Scalable Design: Lays a strong foundation for future upgrades, including solar provider dashboards, quote comparisons, or AI-based analysis.
Final Result:
Solar Sense proves that with the right digital tools, solar adoption can be made more accessible, transparent, and personalized — even for users with minimal technical knowledge.
