This free device that plugs into your Linky meter will help science

Illustration: Energy Revolution, Winky Key: Jerome Ferrari.

In order to better understand individuals’ electricity consumption habits, researchers from the Grenoble Electrical Engineering Laboratory (G2Elab) are asking 250 volunteers to connect an ERL switch to their Linky meter. Offered for free, it allows guinea pigs to view their consumption statistics in real time while voluntarily assisting science.

The Linky Scale is a goldmine for researchers. This connected electricity meter, which officially ends its deployment in 2022, enables the collection of valuable energy and consumption data from homes and small businesses in real time. Contrary to what one might think, this data is not reserved exclusively for your electricity provider to determine your bill.

When it was designed, a very useful little jack was included: the Remote Client Information (TIC) port. Hidden under the lead-free cover (at the top, in the three-phase version, at the bottom, in the single-phase version), it provides the possibility of connecting a small device called a “local radio transmitter” (ERL). This switch collects data from the Linky meter and transmits it in real time to anyone who wants it. Some suppliers such as Engie and TotalEnergies offer them to their subscribers, accompanied by a smartphone application aimed at monitoring electricity consumption statistics directly.

Other independent companies like Ecojoko and My Energy Manager also sell ERL switches that transmit data to a small display for placement in the home. Now, a team of researchers from the Grenoble Electrical Engineering Laboratory (G2Elab) is looking at this device, via the “xKy” project. To enable scientists to conduct various studies on household electricity consumption, they provided an ERL key to 250 volunteers for free. The scientific community can use the collected data, whether anonymized or pseudonymized, with full transparency. This is a “participatory science” experiment.

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Connecting citizens and research studies in the field of electricity

“The goal is to be able to connect citizens and research studies in the field of electricity.” explains Jérôme Ferrari, CNRS and G2Elab engineer and leader of the study. In exchange for “donating” their data to science, volunteers will benefit from the interface “So they can track their data in real time.” Confirms. “Research teams will work on this data and will be able to provide advice and guidance to help better control consumption. Volunteers will have comments on studies that will use their data. The world presents. The dashboard already allows you to do this See aggregated data for Fifty volunteers have already registered.

To participate you must Join the Energy Transition Observatory for freeThat supports the trial, select the xKy study and then answer the questionnaire. If your profile qualifies, you will be sent a kit containing the switch to connect to your Linky meter. Active revolution is part of it. We will keep you updated on developments in the study.

See the kXy study presentation brochure.

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ERL keys manufactured by G2Elab and sent to volunteers in the kXy study. / Photos: Jerome Ferrari.