In an interview with ResponsibleUs, Bharath Rnkawat, CEO and Co-founder of Enlog, shared insights into the company’s strategic focus on enhancing energy efficiency and leveraging cutting-edge technology. He also discussed the evolving future of co-living and the hospitality sector, outlining how Enlog plans to innovate in these spaces to meet the growing demand for sustainable and tech-driven solutions.
Experts:
Q: How can AI help in reducing and lowering electricity bills?
A: Artificial Intelligence (AI), backed by data, can easily predict outcomes. If we add the actionable part, AI can help us not only identify the problem but also take action to reduce and optimise efficiency. In the case of Enlog, what we are doing is integrating AI and IoT devices. These IoT devices measure and capture real-time data from appliances. The data is then fed into the machine learning and AI systems, which work to identify three things.
First, they identify real-time usage. Second, they detect faults in the appliances. The third thing is identifying which appliances have issues. Based on these faults and multiple other factors, such as user behavior, user journey, and appliance usage patterns, AI takes action to reduce electricity consumption and lower bills.
For instance, AI can regulate an AC’s consumption based on usage patterns, ensuring efficiency without user inconvenience. This reduces electricity waste by turning appliances on and off appropriately and limiting operational hours.
Q: How does the system work technically?
A: It involves installing a device into your MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) or switchboard. This device manages energy consumption automatically and ensures efficient use of appliances without requiring manual intervention.
Q: How did you get this idea?
A: I was working on improving electricity generation efficiency, focusing on the alternator part of a generator. While attempting to commercialize that product, I realised the complexity of electricity management, especially in households, offices, and commercial spaces. Larger organizations have dedicated teams, but smaller ones don’t. I also noticed electricity wastage during transmission and usage, which inspired me to tackle inefficiencies. We started with monitoring and feedback from users and evolved to an AI-powered system that automates energy efficiency.
Q: How does your solution handle electricity consumption disputes in co-living spaces or common areas?
A: In co-living spaces, owners often cannot pass full electricity costs to tenants due to occupancy concerns. Our solution identifies faults and overuse in appliances and provides an easy-to-use alternative to complex monitoring systems. For example, in a building with 30 rooms, our device ensures lights and appliances in unoccupied rooms remain off, monitors overuse of washing machines, and manages water motors to avoid wastage. It reduces consumption in common areas, divides costs among tenants, and provides transparency.
Q: Is this similar to how elevators with sensors operate?
A: Yes, but more advanced. For example, in standby mode, elevators still consume power, which can be optimized by regulating their torque and speed based on usage patterns. We aim to reduce standby consumption and optimise operation based on the number of users or the elevator’s workload. We’re testing this on some elevators to further enhance efficiency.
Q: What was your initial investment?
A: We raised our first round of funding in 2020 for Rs 1 crore from angel investors and recently raised Rs 1.75 crore in October 2024 from venture capitalists and existing investors.
Q: What is the cost of these devices?
A: Devices start at Rs 2,000 and can go up to Rs 1,00,000, depending on the load and appliances. Commercial solutions for larger setups, like buildings, may cost more.
Q: Are there plans for individual homes?
A: Yes, we started with households but found that educating users and marketing is costly. We’re focusing on educating students in schools and colleges while branding ourselves. Our basic Rs 2,000 device will soon be sold on Amazon and Flipkart to cater to individual households, helping them manage energy consumption initially, before scaling to more advanced solutions.
Q: What market challenges have you faced in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune?
A: In Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR, electricity bills are higher due to AC use, which makes our solution attractive. In Bengaluru, people traditionally use less electricity, but changing temperatures are increasing demand. We have focused more on commercial buildings and hotels there rather than co-living spaces.
Q: How do you see the integration of renewable energy sources like solar power?
A: Our solution integrates with solar setups to manage energy efficiently. For instance, after charging batteries, excess solar energy can be sent back to the grid for credits. We also monitor the efficiency of individual solar cells, identifying which cells generate less energy and need attention.
Q: How is Enlog contributing to reducing carbon footprints?
A: Each unit of electricity used emits 950 grams of carbon emissions. Last year, we managed 11,300 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, saving approximately 2,500 MWh of electricity, thereby reducing around 2,000 tons of carbon emissions.
By the end of this year, we aim to manage around 25,000 to 30,000 megawatt-hours of electricity. Our target is to reduce carbon emissions by 1 million tons by 2027. We are hopeful of achieving this as we deploy more devices in the market.