Hardware and software

Electricity price screen

Pixel eyes next to the washing machine show whether electricity is cheap right now.

For
At home, next to the washing machine
What
ESP32 touchscreen with live electricity prices
Year
2026
Type
Own prototype
Demo
Try the screen
Electricity price screen · 2.8 inch
Simulated with example prices. The real screen fetches the price every quarter of an hour.

The question

With a dynamic energy contract the electricity price changes every quarter of an hour. Anyone who wants to wash or dry at a cheap moment has to open an app every time.

The solution

A small touchscreen next to the washing machine, built on an ESP32 with a 2.8 inch display. Pixel eyes show the situation at a glance: happy when electricity is cheap, neutral at an average price and angry when it is expensive.

A tap on the screen shows the next eight hours, with one sentence on how long it stays cheap or when it becomes cheap again.

The details

The price is the all-in price as on the energy bill: the market price plus purchasing costs and energy tax, including VAT. During the day the screen is light, after sunset it switches to a dark night mode, and after a minute without a touch it turns off.

2,8"touchscreen in an acrylic case
Every 15 mina new all-in price
3moods: happy, neutral and angry
The screen on the washing machine during the day, with happy green pixel eyes and a price of 16 cents
Daytime: cheap, so go ahead and wash.
The screen in the evening in a dark utility room, with angry red pixel eyes and a price of 35 cents
Evening: expensive, better wait.

Try it yourself

Tap the screen to switch between the eyes and the coming hours. Move the time and watch the mood change with it.

Tap the screen to switch. After 10 seconds it returns to the eyes.

Time of day
14:00
Display
Sleep after

With example prices. The all-in price is the market price plus purchasing costs and energy tax, including VAT.

HardwareEnergyHome
View all cases