Documentation

Everything you need to know about implementing FarmGrid

Getting Started

Welcome to FarmGrid! This guide will help you set up and integrate our carbon-aware orchestration platform into your farm operations.

Prerequisites

  • IoT-enabled energy monitoring system
  • Irrigation control system with API access
  • Internet connectivity for cloud services
  • Basic understanding of API integration

Installation

Hardware Setup

FarmGrid requires the following hardware components:

  1. Energy monitoring sensors (1 per major load)
  2. Weather station with API capability
  3. Gateway device for local processing
  4. Optional: Battery storage monitoring

Software Installation

# Install FarmGrid CLI
curl -sS https://farmgrid.tech/install.sh | bash

# Initialize your farm profile
farmgrid init --farm-id YOUR_FARM_ID

# Configure sensors
farmgrid sensors add --type energy --location main-pump

Configuration

Basic Configuration

Configure your FarmGrid system using the configuration file:

{
  "farm": {
    "name": "Green Valley Farm",
    "location": "40.7128,-74.0060",
    "timezone": "America/New_York"
  },
  "energy": {
    "grid_connection": true,
    "solar_capacity_kw": 100,
    "battery_capacity_kwh": 200
  },
  "optimization": {
    "carbon_priority": "high",
    "cost_priority": "medium"
  }
}

Advanced Settings

Fine-tune optimization algorithms, set custom schedules, and configure alerts through the web dashboard or API.

API Reference

Authentication

All API requests require authentication using your API key:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
     https://api.farmgrid.tech/v1/status

Get Energy Status

GET /v1/energy/status

Response:
{
  "current_load_kw": 45.2,
  "solar_generation_kw": 78.5,
  "battery_soc": 85,
  "grid_carbon_intensity": 420
}

Schedule Irrigation

POST /v1/irrigation/schedule

{
  "zone": "field-a",
  "duration_minutes": 60,
  "prefer_low_carbon": true
}

Best Practices

Optimize Carbon Reduction

  • Enable predictive scheduling for flexible loads
  • Set carbon intensity thresholds for critical operations
  • Regularly calibrate sensors for accurate data
  • Review optimization reports weekly

Maximize Cost Savings

  • Utilize time-of-use rate optimization
  • Enable demand response participation
  • Configure battery charge/discharge strategies
  • Set up alerts for high-cost periods

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Sensors Not Reporting

Solution: Check network connectivity, verify sensor power, and ensure firmware is up to date.

Optimization Not Working

Solution: Verify API credentials, check that all required data sources are connected, and review configuration settings.

High API Latency

Solution: Enable local caching on gateway device, reduce polling frequency, or upgrade to edge processing tier.