Weaponised Nerds
Winners of Greenspark Innovation Hackathon Challenge 02, Virtual Power Plant optimisation. Three products, one forecast, sixteen days to a live model.
Greenspark Innovation Hackathon · Challenge 02
Our solution coordinates electricity use behind the meter across a whole business park or residential development: it shifts load away from expensive peaks without switching anything off that matters. The hackathon ran over several weeks in October 2026, and the winners were announced after the live pitches on 30 October.
What we built
The engine
Forecasts tomorrow's electricity demand and prices in WA's market from market history, live use and weather. It checks its own accuracy every day against what actually happened.
Ngangk is the Noongar word for sun. We sought cultural input before using the name.
The daily plan
Turns the forecast into a plain-English daily plan for the microgrid operator: which loads to move, when, and what it saves. The plan executes automtically but the operator can override as needed.
“Technology can solve this and talk to everything. It will be possible that we won’t have to even think of the price of energy, because it all just happened.” - Dev Tayal, Head of Policy, TESLA
On site
A Raspberry Pi with a modified HAOS image that self-configures before an embedded agent walks the user through the final steps in plain language. It carries out approved plans, like pre-chilling a brewery's tanks before the evening peak or charging electric vehicles when the price of energy is low, and every customer can opt out with one tap.
Built to pass the Grandpa test: if a grandparent couldn't set it up alone, it isn't finished.
The proof
Oh, yeah, definitely.
I've curated my circle down to elite weirdos, weaponized nerds, and at least three beings who are absolutely not from this planet.
Hackathon Crew
