Example Demand Response SmartApp

This SmartApp integrates with a hypothetical energy services provider to enable SmartThings devices to participate in a demand response program. The SmartApp sends a push notification to users informing them when a demand response event is scheduled and provides direct control of thermostats during the event. It also creates a device that can be used in the SmartThings rule builder to take additional actions during events and to opt out of participation in an event at the user's discretion.

Prerequisites

To run your own version of this prototype you need:

• The SmartThings mobile app for Android or iOS
• A SmartThings developer account
• The latest release of the SmartThings CLI
• NodeJS 12.X or later
• A server reachable from the Internet. This can be a local server and tunneling software such as ngrok
• Either Docker or an Amazon AWS account

Running the SmartApp

1. Clone this repository and change to the project directory

git clone https://github.com/SmartThingsCommunity/drlc-prototype
cd drlc-prototype

2. Create the .env file

Copy the .env.example file to .env

cp .env.example .env

You'll edit this file later. Just copying it is OK for now.

3. Start the Docker container hosting the local DynamoDB instance

docker-compose up -d

If you have an AWS account and prefer to use the real DynamoDB cloud server, you can configure that and remove the DYNAMODB_ENDPOINT line from the .env file.

4. Start the server

npm start

5. Start the tunneling software (unless the server is already accessible from the internet)

ngrok start http 3000

You can use the free version of ngrok but be aware that it creates a new hostname every time you restart it, which will require updating your SmartApp registration, so you may want to keep it running for the duration of the test.

6. Register your SmartApp in the SmartThings Developer Workspace

• Sign in to the Developer Workspace
• Create a new project
  • Click the Automation for the SmartThings App option and click CONTINUE.
  • Enter a project name and click CREATE PROJECT.
  • Click REGISTER APP.
  • Select WebHook Endpoint.
  • Enter your server's public HTTPS URL as the TargetURL (from ngrok, if you are using it) and click NEXT.
  • Fill in the App Display Name and Description fields
  • Select the i:deviceprofiles:*, r:devices:*, x:devices:*, and r:locations:* scopes and click NEXT.
  • Leave the fields on the next page blank and click SAVE (you don't need to do anything with the client ID and client secret yet)
  • Look in your server log for a "confirmationUrl" and either paste that URL into a browser window or request it with curl. This action confirms your ownership of the server.
  • Go to the Overview page and click DEPLOY TO TEST.
  • Enable Developer Mode in the SmartThings mobile app so that you can install your app when the time comes.

7. Add the notifications scope to your app

The scope necessary for sending push notifications is not yet available in the Developer Workspace. To add it:

• Go to the Develop -> Automation Connector page of your app in the Developer Workspace and note the App ID
• While in the project directory, run this SmartThings CLI command, replacing APP_ID with the ID you just copies from the Developer Workspace.

  smartthings apps:oauth:generate APP_ID -i oauth.json
  

• Make note of the new client ID and client secret output from the command.

8. Customize the .env file with your app and server information

Edit the `.env. file and replace the APP_ID value with the one from the Developer Workspace and the CLIENT_ID and CLIENT_SECRET values from the CLI command output. Replace SERVER_URL with the URL of your public server (the same one you entered at Target URL in the workspace).

9. Get an NREL API key and add it to the .env file

Signup for an API key at NREL and replace the NREL_API_KEY value in the .env file with it.

10. Restart your server

Restart you server by killing and re-running npm start. Note that you do not have to restart ngrok.

Installing the SmartApp

Your SmartApp is now running and ready to go. To install it in your SmartThings account open the SmartThings mobile app and:

• Tap the + icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
• Tap SmartApp
• Scroll down and you should see the display name you entered in the workspace (make sure you have put your mobile app in developer mode)
• Tap Next twice to move through the introduction screens.
• Enter your zip code on the third screen and tap Next.
• Select your electric utility and select any thermostats you want to be controlled during demand response event. You can also adjust the pre-cool and event temperature values. Tap Done when you are finished.
• Tap Allow to finish app installation.

Simulating demand response events

You can simulate demand response events by making HTTP requests to your server using the http:/localhost:3000/event endpoint if on the same machine as the server or the SERVER_URL endpoint if not. To do so, you need the installedAppId of your installed SmartApp instance. You can get that using the CLI with:

smartthings installedapps

To create a demand response event make an HTTP request with a payload like this one:

{
  "start": "2021-04-27T13:30:00Z",
  "pre_duration": 2,
  "duration": 5,
  "resource_id": ["29769bdf-5c63-4df6-9ac2-d6408e9efb47"]
}

This payload creates a 5-minute event with a 2-minute pre-cool period. Set the start property to a time in the future and replace the resource_id value with your installedAppId and make a POST request to the event endpoint. For example, if you put the above payload in a file named event.json then run:

curl -H "Content-Type: application/json" http://localhost:3000/event -d @event.json

You should receive a push notification informing you of the upcoming event. Tap on that notification to be taken to the demand response device. At the scheduled times you should see the event status update on the device. If you selected a thermostat you should also see its cooling setpoint adjusted for the pre-cool and event periods. You can create automations in the SmartThings app to take other actions when the demand response event status changes.