As the world continues to emphasize the importance of energy conservation and cost-efficiency, having real-time access to electricity prices can make a significant difference for both residential and commercial consumers. While ComEd provides a basic five-minute pricing page, it often lacks the detailed visualization and user-friendly features that can help consumers make informed decisions. That’s where our new web application comes in.
Why I Built This App
The primary motivation behind developing the Real-Time ComEd Hourly Pricing Display was to create a more interactive and informative platform for tracking electricity prices. ComEd’s own five-minute pricing page provides raw data but lacks the dynamic features that many users desire. my web app aims to fill this gap by offering real-time updates, interactive charts, and a user-friendly interface.
Comed’s 5 Minute Price Page: https://hourlypricing.comed.com/live-prices/five-minute-prices/
My 5 Minute Price Page: https://consultingjoe.com/comed/
Key Features of The App
Real-Time Data Updates
The application fetches data directly from ComEd’s API every minute, ensuring that you always have access to the latest pricing information. This frequent update cycle means you can react quickly to changes in electricity prices, optimizing your energy usage and potentially saving on costs.
API URL: https://hourlypricing.comed.com/api?type=5minutefeed
Dynamic and Interactive Charts
Unlike ComEd’s static data display, the app uses Chart.js to create dynamic bar charts that visualize price changes over time. The charts are interactive, allowing users to hover over data points to see detailed information. The x-axis labels are formatted to show time in a 12-hour format with AM/PM indicators, making it easier to read and understand.
Visual Alerts
To provide immediate visual cues about pricing conditions, the app changes the background color based on the current price:
- Light Red: When the price is above 10 cents/kWh, indicating higher costs.
- Light Green: When the price is 5 cents/kWh or below, signaling more affordable rates.
These visual alerts can help you quickly assess whether it’s a good time to increase or decrease your energy usage.
Easy-to-Read Labels
All labels on the charts are black and slightly larger than standard, improving readability. This small but significant change ensures that users can easily read and interpret the data, even on smaller screens or from a distance.
Mobile-Friendly Design
My app is designed to be responsive, ensuring that it works seamlessly on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you can always stay updated with the latest electricity prices.
How to Use the App
Getting started with my Real-Time ComEd Hourly Pricing Display is simple:
- Access the App: Visit the application URL to open the web app.
- View the Latest Price: The latest price and time are displayed prominently at the top of the page.
- Interact with the Chart: Scroll down to see the dynamic bar chart, which updates every minute with the latest pricing data.
- Monitor Visual Alerts: Pay attention to the background color for quick insights into current pricing conditions.
Check out the source code and run it yourself on Python or PHP web servers
https://bitbucket.org/jsammarco2/comed-hourly-pricing-display
Technical Details
Our app is built using a combination of PHP for the backend and HTML/CSS/JavaScript for the frontend. Here’s a quick overview of the technical implementation:
- Backend: A PHP script fetches data from the ComEd API every minute, ensuring that the latest pricing information is always available.
- Frontend: The HTML/CSS/JavaScript code leverages Chart.js to create dynamic and interactive charts. The page automatically updates every minute to reflect the latest data.
Conclusion
The Real-Time ComEd Hourly Pricing Display offers a more comprehensive and user-friendly way to track electricity prices compared to ComEd’s own five-minute pricing page. With real-time updates, interactive charts, visual alerts, and a mobile-friendly design, our app helps you stay informed and make better decisions about your energy usage.
I invite you to try out our app and experience the benefits of having real-time electricity pricing information at your fingertips. For more information and other projects, check out my YouTube channel.
Stay tuned for more updates and features as I continue to improve the app based on user feedback and evolving needs.