EnExpert is a dynamic startup focused on delivering innovative energy management solutions for businesses and public establishments. Their core activities revolve around the design, development, and implementation of advanced energy measurement sensors and software solutions.
Interview with Julian Sommavilla, Co-Founder of EnExpert.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Julian Sommavilla: Our sensors are wireless and capable of precisely measuring energy flows, transmitting this data directly to our cloud-based platform. The collected data is then processed and visualized in our user-friendly frontend software, providing our clients with real-time, valuable insights into their energy consumption patterns.
In addition, we have recently introduced a ground-breaking CO2 management tool, which was well received at its launch at the SmarterE trade fair in Munich about 1 month ago. This tool forms a crucial part of our commitment to support sustainability and energy efficiency in organizations.
Our multifunctional solutions offer a wide range of applications, and we pride ourselves on providing simple, transparent, and effective tools for energy optimization. With our unique offering, we aim to revolutionize the way energy is managed, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
J.S: EnExpert operates in four main areas of activity:
Energy Management Systems: Our primary focus is on providing state-of-the-art energy management solutions. We have developed systems that enable businesses to monitor, control, and optimize their energy usage, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Hardware IoT Development: We design and produce cutting-edge, wireless energy measuring sensors. These devices precisely monitor energy flows within an IoT infrastructure, providing the crucial data necessary for our energy management systems to function effectively.
Software Solutions: We have developed a cloud-based platform where the data from our sensors is processed and displayed. Our software enables clients to access real-time insights into their energy consumption, making the management of energy resources straightforward and transparent. This Software solution is also white labeled for different energy providers such as PV-Installers, battery producers, public utilities and industry clients.
CO2 Management: Recognizing the growing importance of environmental sustainability in business operations, we have also developed an innovative CO2 management tool. This allows businesses to monitor and manage their carbon footprint, contributing to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
J.S: Our latest offering is an innovative CO2 Management tool, a game-changer in the realm of energy management solutions. This tool, presented at the recent Munich trade fair, provides companies with the ability to accurately track their CO2 emissions, thereby giving them a crucial understanding of their environmental impact.
Our CO2 management tool integrates seamlessly with our energy management system, offering a holistic view of an organization’s energy usage and its environmental footprint. By delivering these crucial insights, we empower businesses to make data-driven decisions that promote environmental sustainability, cost savings, and corporate social responsibility.
In addition to the innovative CO2 Management tool, we’re excited to announce significant upgrades to our IoT sensor. Initially designed to work with LoRaWAN technology, we are currently developing the sensor to function as a repeater with Relay functionality, further extending the network’s reach and improving the resilience of its connectivity.
We’re also striving to make our sensor compatible with NB-IoT networks. Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) is a technology standard dedicated to IoT applications, designed to enable efficient communication over cellular telecommunications bands. This will offer our customers more flexibility in their data transmission options and no need for a central gateway.
Furthermore, our IoT sensor will soon feature a Modbus interface. Modbus is a communication protocol developed for industrial electronic devices, allowing these devices to communicate over various types of networks. By integrating this functionality, our sensor will become compatible with a wider range of industrial equipment and applications, offering our customers even more value.
Alongside our sensor developments, we’re excited to announce our expansion into machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for data analysis. Given the broad in-house data availability we have thanks to our easy-to-install sensors, we’ve been able to test and adopt various large language models with promising results. These advancements mark a significant step forward in our ability to provide customers with actionable insights, predictive analytics, and more efficient energy management solutions.
These developments underline our commitment to continually evolving our product line to meet the ever-changing demands of energy management, ensuring our solutions remain at the forefront of technology and efficiency.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
J.S: EnExpert provides a comprehensive portfolio of products that focuses on optimizing energy management. We offer a sophisticated energy management system that allows businesses and public institutions to monitor, control, and optimize their energy consumption. This system is versatile and suitable for various sectors including manufacturing, real estate, and public administration.
In the area of hardware, we produce innovative, wireless energy measuring sensors that monitor energy flows in real time, providing accurate and crucial data for our energy management systems.
To complement our hardware, we have developed a cloud-based software platform where the data gathered by our sensors is processed and visually presented. This software solution offers businesses a user-friendly and intuitive interface for managing their energy resources, making it easier for them to implement effective energy saving strategies.
Our latest offering is an innovative CO2 Management Tool that helps businesses monitor and manage their carbon footprint, reflecting our commitment to sustainability.
Together, these products provide a complete suite of tools for businesses to manage their energy usage efficiently and sustainably. At EnExpert, we believe in making energy management as simple and accessible as possible, so that every business, regardless of its size or industry, can optimize its energy usage and contribute to a more sustainable future.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
J.S: EnExpert operates within a diverse and rapidly evolving energy management market. This market is seeing escalating demand, fueled by increasing corporate and public institutional consciousness around sustainability, energy efficiency, and the need to reduce carbon footprints. The evolution of technology, particularly within IoT and cloud computing, is transforming the sector, increasing demand for solutions that provide real-time monitoring, data analysis, and energy optimization.
This growth is countered by the highly specific needs of our customers. Many larger industry clients have varied energy measurement products that are either not ‘smart’ or cannot communicate with one another. Small and medium-sized companies have previously been excluded from having comprehensive energy management systems due to the prohibitive costs associated with recognized brands. Further, most energy management systems currently available require significant investment in installation, which contrasts with our smart, easy-to-install sensors.
Our customizable and flexible solutions are designed to cater to these diverse needs, providing an innovative response to the existing gaps in the market. As such, while the energy management market is challenging and competitive, it is ripe with opportunities. The confluence of growing environmental awareness, technological advancement, and the need for affordable and integrated solutions positions EnExpert well for continued success.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
J.S: The energy management market is seeing a considerable shift toward digitalization and the adoption of artificial intelligence, driven by the need for real-time data processing and the automation of energy-saving measures. Additionally, the trend towards sustainability and clean energy use is increasingly significant, amplified by a societal and regulatory push for a reduced carbon footprint.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a dominant force within the industry. Devices that can measure, control, and optimize energy use in real time are in high demand, and this is expected to continue. In particular, wireless sensors such as ours are part of this trend, providing a flexible, adaptable, and easy-to-install solution for energy management.
The role of data analytics in energy management is also growing. Businesses and public institutions are now looking for systems that not only monitor energy use but also analyze the data to provide actionable insights for further efficiency improvements. Predictive analytics for preventive maintenance and peak load management are emerging trends in the field.
Lastly, there’s a trend towards product integration. Customers are looking for interoperable systems that can seamlessly connect with existing platforms. Our ongoing efforts to integrate with systems like SAP underscore our alignment with this trend, providing clients with an all-encompassing, convenient solution that fits into their existing ecosystem.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
J.S: EnExpert’s most innovative product offering is our comprehensive energy management system, comprised of our proprietary wireless power measurement sensors and cloud-based software. This combination makes energy consumption transparent and easy to optimize.
Our wireless sensors, currently being enhanced with LoRa network and NB-IoT compatibility, provide real-time power flow data. Our software uses this data to deliver actionable insights to customers, making it easy to understand consumption patterns and identify efficiencies.
Our newly launched CO2 management tool and the integration of ML and AI capabilities for data analysis further set us apart, giving our customers the tools to manage not only their energy consumption but also their carbon footprint in a predictive and efficient way.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
J.S: As we move through 2023, we anticipate significant growth in our client base and product offerings. Our expansion efforts are focused on further penetrating the energy management market, serving both public institutions and private businesses. We aim to increase our customer base, leveraging the positive feedback and results from our current clients and focusing on the scalability of our solution.
In terms of product development, we expect to complete the integration of LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, and ModBus capabilities in our sensors, and further refine our machine learning and AI models for data analysis. We anticipate that these advancements will strengthen our competitive edge and allow us to provide more sophisticated and tailored energy management solutions.
In line with global sustainability trends, we believe our CO2 management tool will resonate with companies striving to meet their environmental goals. We anticipate this tool will contribute significantly to our growth in the coming year.
Overall, we are optimistic about our prospects in 2023 and believe we are well-positioned to seize the opportunities this fast-paced market presents.
