Jan 23, 2025
Are you tired of being shocked by unexpectedly high energy bills? With this automation using Airtop and Make, you can take control of your daily energy costs and ensure you’re always informed. In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up an automation that retrieves your PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) energy usage data, calculates costs, and emails you the details—all without manual effort.
What You’ll Need
To get started, make sure you have the following:
A Make account
PG&E Account Credentials - with minor adaptations, this will also work with other providers.
An Email Address - To receive the energy cost updates.
Estimated setup time: 5 minutes
Understanding the Process
This automation works by:
Logging into your PG&E account using your credentials.
Navigating to your energy usage data.
Extracting relevant details about energy consumption and costs.
Emailing the daily summary directly to your inbox.
The automation is straightforward and ensures you have real-time insights into your energy usage, empowering you to adjust your habits and save money.
Setting Up Your Automation
We’ve created a step-by-step guide to help you set up this workflow. Here’s how:
Access the Automation Template:
Insert Your Credentials:
In the tools section, add your PG&E login details as variables.
In Airtop, add your Airtop API Key
Configure your email address to receive the updates.
Run the Automation:
Start the scenario, and watch as the automation retrieves your energy data and sends you a detailed email summary.
Customization Options
While the default setup works seamlessly, you can tweak it to suit your needs:
Data Storage: Store energy usage data in a database for long-term tracking and analysis.
Visualization: Plot graphs of your energy usage trends over time for better insights.
Notifications: Change the automation to only send alerts on high usage instead of a daily email.
Real-World Applications
This automation isn’t just about monitoring energy usage and taking control. Here are some practical applications:
Daily Energy Management: Receive updates every morning and adjust your energy consumption based on costs.
Smart Home Integration: Use the data to automate appliances during off-peak hours.
Budgeting: Track energy expenses over weeks or months to plan your budget more effectively.
Best Practices
To maximize the benefits of this automation:
Secure Your Credentials: Use environment variables or a secure vault to store your PG&E login details.
Test Regularly: Run the automation periodically to ensure everything works as expected.
Analyze Trends: Use the extracted data to identify patterns and reduce energy consumption during peak times.
Visit our integration page to learn more and start building your Airtop workflows with Make today. Have questions or need support? Our team is here to help.
Happy automating!
