Helen seeks new data-based business ideas for building solar power
Ideas for building solar power under urban conditions are sought from application developers and start-up companies. This brainstorming project is given a boost by taking part in an international application competition and by offering new data for the use of the competitors.
Helsinki is a forerunner in smart electricity metering and open data resources, which are freely available in the www.hri.fi service. As part of the international Smart City App Hack app competition, Helen offers data for the use of the developers: hourly residence-specific electricity consumption data from homes in Helsinki will also be published in addition to the production data of the Suvilahti solar power plant and the actual hourly price information for Fingrid’s electricity, which are already public.
Utilisation of solar energy in the production of both electricity and heat is an important factor in the building of a carbon-neutral future. Helen actively seeks new solutions in partnership with residents and other stakeholders.
– Our solar power plant concept based on designated panels is great, and it accelerates the building of solar power in urban conditions, says Helen’s Unit Head Perttu Lahtinen. – We are now seeking new, corresponding methods to promote the construction of solar electricity. Cooperation with developers and start-up companies will open new business opportunities for us and for them alike.
Facts:
• Competition is open to everyone
• The deadline for submitting competition entries is 18 October 2015
• The same competition entry can also take part in Open Finland Challenge, the deadline of which is 9 November 2015, and in the 48-hour Ultrahack on 6 – 8 November 2015, which requires separate registration on.
• The residence-specific data provided by Helen can also be accessed through the Uutta voimaa blog
• The data includes electricity consumption data by the hour. The residence-specific data is anonymous and does not include data that can be used for identifying individual occupants of the residences in question
• The production data of Helen’s Suvilahti solar power plant can be monitored constantly in real time here: https://www.helen.fi/aurinkovoimalat/suvilahti/.