Overview
Biodiversity monitoring stations are often deployed in remote habitats far from mains power — powered instead by solar panels or batteries. Every milliwatt saved translates directly into longer recording windows and more reliable data collection.
pi-pwr is a command-line tool that disables unnecessary Raspberry Pi peripherals (USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, LEDs) when they are not actively in use, significantly reducing power consumption for field deployments.
Why It Matters
A monitoring node that powers down overnight or during poor weather can miss critical ecological events. By minimising baseline power draw, pi-pwr helps ensure continuous observation through dawn choruses, nocturnal activity, and seasonal transitions — the moments that matter most for understanding wildlife.
Key Features
- Disable USB ports, WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and LEDs on demand
- Extend solar and battery-powered deployment duration
- Reduce thermal output for more accurate environmental sensor readings
- Simple command-line interface for scripted power profiles
Source Code
pi-pwr is open source and available on GitHub.