Alina Oprea • 7 December, 2023 at 10:22 AM
Energy Advisor, the first start-up affiliated with the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, launches Renergia, the first mobile application in Romania that streamlines energy consumption and reduces energy bill costs. The innovation, uniqueness, and potential of the application are already recognized internationally, Energy Advisor, with Renergia, being the only start-up from Romania invited to the COP28 summit, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, the largest and most important event in the world in the field of climate change. Renergia, which is also the first sustainability application launched in Romania, analyses household energy consumption and generates an estimate of monthly and annual associated costs, as well as provides data on the potential savings in electricity and thermal energy.
The analysis conducted by Renergia is based on an innovative algorithm that combines concepts of statistics and probability with advanced algorithms, assisted by artificial intelligence.
The proprietary algorithm of Renergia is trained to detect outliers and make precise predictions of energy consumption using a set of basic information. This innovative tool estimates both electrical and thermal energy consumption while simultaneously generating personalized energy efficiency plans for users. As a result, the use of the Renergia application can potentially reduce monthly energy (electricity and thermal) bills by up to 30% when the recommended energy efficiency measures are implemented. The reduction in bills also depends on the configuration of household equipment and, especially, the level of thermal insulation of the residence.
Renergia can also be used to provide a comprehensive analysis of the carbon footprint in the residential sector. Currently, the carbon footprint of a household in Romania exceeds 2,200 kg of CO2 per year when considering final energy consumption (electricity and thermal).
"The approach proposed by Renergia is innovative and unique. There is currently no similar approach in Romania or across Europe. In developing the application, we started with the idea that what we cannot measure, we cannot improve. Hence, the very important component of determining the carbon footprint, in addition to improving energy consumption efficiency and reducing bill costs", says Alexandru Mureșan, CEO of Renergia, emphasizing that energy waste is significant in Romania, and the implementation of energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable sources should be encouraged because, on the one hand, they will increase our resilience, by reducing dependence on centralized sources, and on the other hand, they will increase the comfort level of Romanians in their households.
The uniqueness of the application also comes from the one-stop-shop principle, in the sense that Renergia educates, and shows Romanians how to reduce their bills and produce their energy using a sizing tool for photovoltaic systems.
"The tool for estimating the sizing of photovoltaic systems is dedicated exclusively to households, but the concept also involves B2B partnerships. We have a framework contract signed with an authorized installer of photovoltaic systems that offers consultancy to Renergia users and turnkey installation services. Additionally, we are discussing, on several levels, with financial institutions that can offer green credits to end users, for the installation of such technologies", says Dacian Jurj, COO of Renergia.
The application offers a new distribution channel for both photovoltaic system suppliers and financial institutions with green portfolios.
Renergia was developed by a team of 12 specialists with expertise in energy, advanced numerical methods, software, marketing, and strategy. To date, the investment in the development of the application has been over €300,000. The starting point of the project idea was June 2022, and the actual implementation of the project began in January 2023.
"Renergia represents the culmination of the scientific expertise of the entire team, accumulated through the publication of over 500 scientific papers, 45 books, and the implementation of over 100 research projects. The algorithm developed as part of the Renergia project comes at a critical time for Romanian society and the wider public abroad, considering a convergence of crises and their consequences, and contributes to the global goal of climate neutrality by 2050 in the residential sector", says Dan D. Micu, Research Director at Renergia.
The Renergia app is aimed at all residential energy consumers and is available for free on Google Play and AppStore.
The innovation, uniqueness, and potential of the mobile application have already been recognized internationally, Energy Advisor with Renergia is the only startup from Romania invited to the COP28 Summit, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the largest and most important event in the world on climate change, held this year in Dubai from November 30 to December 12. The United Nations event is expected to host over 70,000 participants from around the world, including heads of state and government, representatives of major companies, and political decision-makers.