Overview
Low Carbon Hub (LCH) is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to developing community-owned renewable energy projects, including solar and hydroelectric installations. One of their key compliance obligations involves reporting live operational data from a hydroelectric power plant to the UK Environment Agency. However, LCH lacked a system to extract and present real-time data from the plant’s PLC, making timely reporting and visibility impossible.
Target Integration was engaged to design and implement a secure, scalable, and cloud-based monitoring system that would enable real-time data collection, processing, and reporting using IoT technology.
CLIENT
Low Carbon Hub
SERVICES
IoT Integration, Cloud Deployment, Dashboard Development, Compliance Automation
PRODUCTS
Node-RED, Raspberry Pi, Microsoft Azure
INDUSTRY
Renewable Energy & Environmental Compliance
The Challenge
Low Carbon Hub faced several critical challenges in making their plant’s operational data accessible and compliant:
No Real-Time Data Visibility
There was no system in place to fetch, process, or visualise real-time data from the PLC for internal or external stakeholders.
Regulatory Compliance Pressure
Complex Calculations
Platform Accessibility
The Solution
Target Integration implemented an end-to-end IoT-based solution that extracted raw data from the hydro plant’s PLC and presented it on a secure, real-time dashboard hosted in the cloud.
Design and Implementation
The solution was delivered in clearly defined stages to ensure quality, traceability, and performance:
Discovery Phase: We conducted technical discovery sessions to understand the scope, requirements, and existing PLC configuration.
System Architecture: Designed a modular setup that included:
– RS485-to-USB Interface for communication with the PLC
– Raspberry Pi for data extraction and transformation
– Router to enable cloud connectivityData Flow & Dashboarding: Developed a real-time dashboard using Node-RED, initially prototyped and later scaled for production.
Cloud Hosting: Deployed the dashboard on Microsoft Azure, equipped with SSL certificates to ensure secure access via public URLs.
Custom Logic Development: Embedded business rules into the system for real-time calculations—factoring in conditions such as flow rate, water level, and energy output.
Spotlight Features
A standout achievement of the project was the creation of a fully functional, cloud-hosted, real-time dashboard without any pre-existing system to build upon. This custom solution included:
- Seamless IoT connectivity between PLC and Raspberry Pi
Secure Azure-based hosting with 24/7 availability
Configurable widgets and calculation modules using Node-RED
SSL-certified URL for safe access by the Environment Agency
This not only met compliance needs but also improved operational visibility for LCH’s internal teams.
The benefits
After implementation, LCH experienced significant improvements across multiple fronts:
- Regulatory Compliance: Real-time, reliable data availability for the Environment Agency improved audit readiness and accountability.
- Operational Transparency: Visual dashboards allowed LCH to monitor plant performance live and troubleshoot faster.
- Scalability & Flexibility: Built on open platforms, the system is adaptable to future plants or evolving reporting needs.
- Cost-Effective Architecture: Leveraged open-source and affordable IoT tools, reducing infrastructure investment.
Result
Target Integration successfully delivered a custom-built, IoT-enabled monitoring solution that enabled Low Carbon Hub to meet environmental reporting requirements and gain real-time operational insight into their hydroelectric facility. The result is a future-proof, compliant, and data-driven foundation for the organisation’s continued commitment to sustainability.
