The Challenge
Before COVID-19, CoolPlanet typically delivered wired metering systems with contractors working on the customer’s site. When access restrictions stopped those teams from entering facilities, that installation model was no longer viable. Projects still needed accurate, reliable energy data, but deployment had to work with fewer people on site and without specialist commissioning.
CoolPlanet needed a proven wireless alternative that customers’ own teams could install safely and confidently. It also had to support the projects already in the pipeline and integrate with Clarity, CoolPlanet’s energy-management platform.
The Response
CoolPlanet deployed EpiSensor Industrial IoT gateways and wireless three-phase electricity monitors. The equipment was straightforward enough for customer teams to install and set up themselves, allowing projects to continue without waiting for CoolPlanet contractors to regain site access.
The wireless Zigbee mesh also made each deployment easier to expand. Customers could add sensors to the existing network without extending wired infrastructure, while the mesh could automatically reconnect devices if communications were interrupted.
Energy data flowed directly into Clarity, giving customers continuity in the platform they already used to track and manage consumption. Remote gateway updates and access to EpiSensor’s engineering team gave CoolPlanet additional flexibility as project requirements evolved.
EpiSensor’s wireless solution was very easy to install and set up, so customers could do the work themselves.
Deployment Without the Usual Site Access
CoolPlanet could keep customer projects moving while site access remained restricted. Customer teams handled the physical installation, CoolPlanet retained a continuous data path into Clarity, and each wireless network could grow as new monitoring requirements emerged.
The result was a practical delivery model for an exceptional period: less dependence on specialist site visits, without giving up the accuracy, reliability or engineering support CoolPlanet expected from its metering infrastructure.
