(Alt) Energy sector

[xchaotic]

I'm told it's all the rage, it's the new bubble that still has years before it bursts.
So what's a dev got to in it?
I'm thinking writing yet another "Smart Grid" software could be pretty boring.
I don't deal a lot with FPGAs etc so writing a dashboard to monitor solar panel efficiency could be a steep curve for me.
Any other ideas?

[doodab]

Some sort of robot that follows you around switching off the lights? Kind of like my missus but without getting arsey when you switch it back on straight away.

[Spacecadet]

Some sort of robot that follows you around switching off the lights? Kind of like my missus but without getting arsey when you switch it back on straight away.

YouTube - The Most Useless Machine EVER!

[xchaotic]

Good machine - excellent for Christmas gift.

Still a robot, a machine etc are all a bit outside of my skills scope - I'd probably want to cobble some web interface perhaps to manage the lights - after all if you're using "energy saving" bulbs and keep turning them on and off you'll end up using more power and with less brightness.
So perhaps I should go in the same direction as car makers that take away more and more control from the stupid humans and switch the lights on and off for them?

I can think of a few sensible algos - switch all the light when people are asleep (more than 20 minutes in bed), switch them off when they're gone, but don't switch the light in the kitchen when they're watching a game - they will probably come for another beer soon etc

Sounds good enough for a plan B, you think?

[DodgyAgent]

stick "smart grid" into jobserve and see how many well paid contracts come up