Qmerit, a North American company that installs EV chargers and other clean energy technologies, is now harnessing a trained proprietary AI model to substantially streamline the process of bringing EV charging, battery storage, and other clean energy systems to single and multifamily residences.
Qmerit has amassed an exceptional database of electrical infrastructure information on North American homes with over 269,000 home charging installations by its contractor network. Panel Insights, Qmerit’s latest innovation, leverages advanced AI algorithms to instantly evaluate an electrical panel’s specifications including available circuit spaces, number of tandem breakers, and total electrical capacity — all from a single image.
Panel Insights was developed in collaboration with experts from the Schneider Electric “AI Hub” team, whose role was pivotal in the design and development of Qmerit’s industry-first AI solution.
“Our goal is to support our industry partners with the latest digital innovations that help enable the deployment of new energy technologies,” said Scott Harden, CTO for Innovation at Schneider. “By leveraging our own R&D capabilities combined with such advanced tools as Computer Vision and Microsoft Cognitive Services, we can support Qmerit’s ambition to truly enable their network with next-generation AI tools.”
The centerpiece of Qmerit’s AI solution suite is the Load Capacity Recommendation Engine (LoadCRE). LoadCRE instantly takes the results from Panel Insights to calculate the available capacity in the breaker panel for EV chargers, heat pumps, electric water heating, and other electrification technologies to ensure the home electrical system is not overloaded.
LoadCRE leverages Qmerit’s domain and software development expertise to create sophisticated algorithms that automatically generate the electrical load calculation required for an electrical permit. LoadCRE can also identify when a load management solution or a panel upgrade will be required before installing electrification equipment, giving Qmerit’s electrical contractors a much faster and more reliable method for performing load calculations and reducing the need for a separate site visit by contractors.
Panel Insights and LoadCRE will be available for every installation request, saving time and resources while ensuring the right processes are followed by every electrician, resulting in a better charging installation experience for both electricians and EV buyers. Projected benefits include:
- Labor savings — The industry is facing acute shortages in skilled electricians, hampering clean energy electrification. Qmerit’s Panel Insights and LoadCRE will help mitigate this problem by allowing electricians to get more work done faster: labor that previously took hours can now be completed instantly. The reduced overhead from this streamlined journey can also translate into potential savings and lower permit processing fees.
- Safety — Qmerit requires permits and load calculations to guarantee safety. Automated load calculations reduce potential errors and standardize the documentation provided to city inspectors without having to visit the home, helping streamline the often-complicated permitting process.
- Faster quotes with more accuracy — Automating electrical load calculations will also help customers decide which EV charger to buy, receive a faster installation quote, and allow auto companies to bundle the cost of the EV charger and installation into their loan or lease.
- Documentation — The homeowner and/or installer will receive a printable, formatted document to submit to the city, and the city secures a reliable document for their review and future use.
Qmerit has adopted an “API-first approach” driven by its goal to foster collaborative advancement and broaden its technological innovation horizons.
“We’ll share the transformative capabilities of our AI solutions, making it accessible to our industry partners for seamless integration, enhancing their customer experience,” said Tracy K. Price, Qmerit founder and CEO. “We’re harnessing one of today’s most complex technologies to help simplify the acquisition of home EV charging, encouraging more customers to make the switch to clean energy personal transportation. This technology represents a step-level change for our industry.”
Filed Under: Technology News