Bringing People Together to Take Action
Northern Powergrid’s Electricity Innovation Trial App FAQs
Why should I use the Community DSO Trial app?
As a Community DSO trial participant, you can choose to use a smart phone app, which has been built for the trial by the Portuguese company Cleanwatts to monitor your electricity use and respond to electricity saving events.
What is self-flex ( the Condor squares icon at the bottom left of the app screen)?
The initial display is the Condor Self-Flex function, which is one of three functions, you can switch between by clicking on the images at the bottom of the display. Condor self-flex informs you about your electricity use, shifting energy use and the financial rewards that you earn. Based on forecasted weather conditions, your normal electricity consumption and the demand on the electricity network, events are scheduled at times when shifting electricity consumption will help to balance the demand on the electricity network. If you successfully shift your electricity consumption during an event, you can earn financial rewards. Shifting electricity consumption is always voluntary. Your lights, heating and electrical essentials appliances stay on. During an event, we would appreciate your help by shifting larger loads, such as washing machines, tumble dryers, or EV charging, to a different time. We will let you know beforehand so that you can plan.
The image in the middle is for community energy sharing, which will be activated later in the trial.
The image on the right is for notifications. You can find out more about notifications by clicking here or scrolling dow this page.
How do I know how much electricity appliances use?
The power rating for electrical appliances is measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). A kilowatt is 1000 watts. If a 1 kW appliance (like a fan heater) runs for 1 hour it will use 1 kWh (kilowatt hour) of electricity. Units of electricity are measured in kWh and counted through your electricity meters. Electricity consumption varies depending on your appliance. Electricity consumption varies depending on your appliance. The following is a guide. •Air Fryer (1.5kW): ~0.75 kWh/30 mins •Oven (2.5kW): ~2.5 kWh/hour •Microwave (0.8kW): ~0.08 kWh/15 mins •Kettle (3kW): ~0.12 kWh/2.5 mins for 1 litre •Electric hob Induction (1.2 – 3.7kW per zone): ~135W to boil 1 litre water, which takes 3-4 minutes Ceramic (1 – 2.5kW per zone): ~180W, to boil 1 litre water, which takes 7-8 minutes Solid plate (1-2 kW per plates): ~260 W to boil 1 litre water, which takes 7-8 minutes •Dishwasher (1.8kW): ~1.8 kWh/ 1 hour •Tumble Dryer (3kW): ~3 kWh/ 1 hour depends on load size •Washing machine (2kW): ~0.12 kWh/2.5 mins for 1 litre Cold Wash (30°C): about 0.5–1.0 kWh per cycle for a standard load. Warm Wash (40°C–60°C): about 0.7–1.5 kWh, heating water uses electricity. Hot Wash (90°C): up to 2 kWh per cycle. Eco Wash: Uses less energy but takes longer, 0.5–0.7 kWh.
How do I get started?
When the installation of the Kuib smart hub is successfully installed in your property, we will send you an email with your “REC” code and how to download the app on your mobile device from:
Condor Energy Communities – Apps on Google Play
Condor Energy Communities App - App Store
Once you have downloaded and installed the app, click on the icon to open the app and follow these steps:
Once you have opened the app select New User.
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Enter Email, Password and Confirm Password.
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Press Continue.
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You will receive an email with a verification code (check your spam).
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Enter the verification code and press continue.
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Enter your name and surname and the REC Community Code, which was in the first email that we sent you.
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Press submit.
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Your account is now set up.
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Click on the robot icon at the top left to see your profile and log out.
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If you have any problems creating an account, please contact the Community DSO trial team.
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Next time you log in, you only need to enter your email and password.
Now you can explore your self-flex data.
How do I know how much electricity I am using?
Below "Meter", the start time of the next event is displayer. In the circle the power the Power in use is displayed, if you click on the circle, this is shown as a graph.
How do I know how much electricity I have been using during previous days?
Below "Power in use" on the right is a graph icon. Click on this to view historical electricity use.
How is the electricity use displayed?
A graph for each day shows the real time electricity consumption for each day. You can view the data for each hour by sliding the image to the left or the right and for previous days by clicking on the arrow to the left of the date.
Click outside the graph to return to the previous view.
Why is the electricity use not always displayed?
On some days there may be a delay in the electricity use data being displayed. If the data is not displayed for several days, please send an email to energy-community@ntbiglocal.org
How is a self-flex event displayed in the app?
A red bar is displayed at the top of the screen during the winter period in which a turn-down self-flex events take place. and turns green in a summer turn-up self-flex event takes place.
Is the self-flex event displayed on the Kiub hub at the same time as on the app?
Yes, during idle periods there is no light on the Kiub hub. Just before the self-flex event the circle in the centre turns yellow, the during a self-flex event the circle turns red.
Is there advance notice of a self-flex event in the app?
In the app the circle round power in use turns yellow before a self-flex event. The time until the event start is displayed and the Zone limit in kWh, which you should aim to keep below during a red (turn down) event and keep above during a green (turn up) event.
How do you know when a self-flex event is taking place?
In the app the circle round power in use turns red during a turn down event, in which you should turn down electricity use and turns green during a turn up event in which you should turn up electricity. Turning up and turning down means shifting electricity use to a time outside the trial event.
What are shields?
During this trial, at the start of each month, participant learn the value of the reward that they can earn that month. The monthly value is divided equally across the month giving a daily amount that you can earn by successfully taking part in an event. If an event is not successfully completed the reward amount is reduced. If all events are successfully completed, the reward is paid out at the end of the quarter. Under Rewards you can see how much of the total reward you can earn by shifting your electrify consumption during events. Click “Show details” to see on which days you shifted (green) electricity consumption during an event and on which days you did not shift (red) electricity consumption during an event. Days with no colour did not have events or are in the future. Shifting electricity consumption is always voluntary. Your lights, heating and electrical essentials appliances stay on. During an event, we would appreciate your help by shifting larger loads, such as washing machines, tumble dryers, or EV charging, to a different time.
How do I earn rewards?
During this trial, at the start of each month, participant learn the value of the reward that they can earn that month. The monthly value is divided equally across the month giving a daily amount that you can earn by successfully taking part in an event. If an event is not successfully completed the reward amount is reduced. If all events are successfully completed, the reward is paid out at the end of the quarter. Under Rewards you can see how much of the total months rewards you have earned so far by shifting your electricity consumption during events. Click “Show details” to see on which days you shifted (green) electricity consumption during an event and on which days you did not shift (red) electricity consumption during an event. Days with no colour did not have events or are in the future. Shifting electricity consumption is always voluntary. Your lights, heating and electrical essentials appliances stay on. During an event, we would appreciate your help by shifting larger loads, such as washing machines, tumble dryers, or EV charging, to a different time.
How do I know what rewards I have earned?
The Wallet below rewards, displays rewards that you have received. Click on Show details to see rewards for a specific period.
Where can I find Notifications?
Notifications are sent by the community energy manager and can be viewed by clicking on the mail (bell) image at the bottom right of the display. If you allow app notifications, you will see the app image on your smart phone screen display the number of notifications that have been sent but not deleted. The notifications will be used to inform you about trial events. You can delete notification, when you have read them.
Where do I find the app settings?
Click in the robot icon at the top left to find the logout button, your profile, help settings etc.
Can I view and edit my name and email?
Click on the robot icon at the top right, then on user to view and edit user information.
Click on Settings to view and change your password. Find FAQs etc
Where can I find Community energy sharing information?
Click in the Community icon at the bottom right to display the community energy sharing information. To return to the community flexibility function click om the “squares” icon ta the bottom left. This will be activated later in the year. Community Energy Sharing (CES) is modelled on the Renewable Energy Communities (REC) concept use in Portugal. Residents are encouraged to consume electricity generated within the community through a lower tariff for energy consumed during times of excess generation within the community. While this is not feasible under current British regulations, the Community DSO trial will simulate the value, that comes from using the excess electricity generated locally, for example from the Whitley Bay Big Local Hub, which means that some electricity costs can be avoided.
If you have any additional questions, please send an email to energy-community@whitleybaybiglocal.org. we aim to reply with 72 hours.
Or visit out Energy Cafe on the 2nd Saturday each month from 10am to 1pm in the Whitley Bay Big Local Hub
or attend one of our Community DSO workshops, which will be advertised on our Facebook page,