log in

Charlotte Wang

Last modified: 
12/21/2020 - 17:54

Fellows

Laureate 2020

Charlotte Wang

China
EQuota
07. Affordable and clean energy
11. Sustainable cities and communities
13. climate action
EQuota is an energy optimization company that combines artificial intelligence and big data to deliver energy efficiency solutions.
Website: 
www.equotaenergy.com
charlotteretoutch.jpg
When I had my first child, I felt a responsibility to create a low-carbon future that preserves our earth. I truly believe that by using AI and big data we can improve energy systems for the next generation.
The High Cost—in Dollars and Lives—of Pollution in China

With a population approaching 1.5 billion and a land area of more than nine million square kilometers, China is big by any standards. Its pollution challenges match its size. While recent initiatives have somewhat reduced airborne particulates, China still bears the highest cost for fossil-fuel-related pollution, as a percentage of GDP, of any country. Nearly a million deaths in 2017 were attributable to fine-particle pollution. According to the State of Global Air Report, the entire population of China lives in areas that that fail to meet World Health Organization air quality guidelines.

These statistics, while sobering, pale in comparison to the human costs. Charlotte Wang, founder of EQuota Energy Technology, experienced these costs directly. “I grew up in a village near coal-fired power plants,” she says. The seriousness of the problem became evident when she left to attend college in the United States. “I had really bad sinuses. Before I left for the U.S., it had become a major issue. Every two weeks I had to go to a clinic to drain the pressure. I had a whole bag of medicine when I landed in the States. Within one week after leaving China, I didn’t have any issues.”

 

 

Just like an individual can monitor daily exercise with a fitness tracker,we want to create a tool for large factories to track and optimize their energy consumption.
Tracking Energy Usage With Real-Time Monitoring

Working with the U.S. state of Washington, Charlotte observed how gathering and applying data could improve an energy grid. This experience influenced her research at MIT, and she began to develop a concept for restructuring the energy-intensive operations of China’s traditional power grid.

“Then, in 2012, I had my first child. I felt a responsibility to create a low-carbon future for the younger generation… to do something that would have a great social impact,” she says. “My belief was that China will have to reform electricity to free itself from reliance on coal.” She founded EQuota in 2014 to focus on managing energy data to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, resulting in cleaner air. “I thought it would be interesting to understand how large factories that produce steel, cement, and chemicals use energy and create ways to reduce their energy consumption.”

Charlotte compares EQuota’s tools to personal fitness trackers, which give individuals immediate, real-time feedback on their behavior so they can make healthier choices. For large energy consumers, EQuota gathers data from existing monitoring systems such as smart meters, then uses AI methods to analyze energy use patterns and identify opportunities to increase efficiency. Customers can interact with the data and extract insights using an online dashboard. Its technology is non-intrusive, so customers don’t have to add new hardware or switch systems.

The company serves every point along the energy supply chain. “Our target customer is definitely the energy-intensive clients. We serve the largest steel mill in China, the largest chemical plant, BASF, and the largest cement group in China. We also serve the largest grid network in the world,” Charlotte says. For utility grid customers, EQuota focuses on safety by predicting when equipment might fail, as well as on energy transmission and load management. The company’s technology can forecast energy needs so grid customers can respond almost instantaneously to changes in demand. For power plants, EQuota optimizes energy usage and helps with the shift to renewable energy sources.

business_charlotte_wang_bottom_retoutch.jpg
As of December 2019, EQuota had prevented the release of 3,503,570 tons of CO₂, implemented 816 megavolts of solar power capacity, and saved its clients over $30 million USD in energy costs.
Fewer Particulates, Fewer Deaths—in China and Globally

As of December 2019, EQuota had prevented the release of 3,503,570 tons of CO₂, implemented 816 megavolts of solar power capacity, and saved its clients over $30 million USD in energy costs. This is the equivalent of saving the energy use of half a million homes over a year. These accomplishments translate into a reduction of particulate matter and ultimately to fewer illnesses and deaths from pollution. While EQuota’s primary market currently is in China, the company is looking to increase its global impact to become a leader in supplying timely data to policymakers and decision-makers as well as a technology leader. “I established EQuota to create a better future, not just for the next generation but for the current one,” Charlotte says. “This is the drive behind what we are doing.”

 

 

 
{{region.name}}

{{item.name}}

{{item.edition}} — {{item.region}}
{{item.company}}

/ {{region.items.length}}

{{item.name}}

{{item.edition}} — {{item.region}}
{{item.company}}