Aliza Miller, 4th year computer science student, won first place in the ComEd Student Innovation Contest, which called for college students to design a mobile or website application to aid solar customers.
Miller’s app provided an easy and efficient system for users to gain any information about their solar panels and energy system that they may need, while giving them support and encouragement from a larger community. It included features that help users compare power currently generating versus power currently consuming, power generated versus used versus exported to grid, and amount saved using solar versus electricity. She provided a full integration with IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, smart home devices, social media, competitions, and rewards.
67 contestants competed in the first round of the contest, and of this group, five were chosen to move onto round two, which involved improving their ideas and creating a video showcasing the value and features to the user.
Of the contest, Miller said, “I have learned about the billions of tons of carbon dioxide which could be mitigated in a year if just a small percent of the population switched to solar. As of now, I am not exactly sure where this will take me but I definitely hope that at some point in my career this knowledge will become beneficial!”
To learn more about the ComEd Student Innovation Challenge, click here.