MEDIA RELEASE - Kiwis can now save on power bills and turn their houses into smart homes thanks to a new app launched by solar power company solarcity.
It’s all down to a new intelligent energy management system that gives homeowners the power to manage their homes their way – bringing Vodafone’s “Internet of Things” (IoT) technology to life in the home.
The solarZero IoT app uses a cloud-based network to give homeowners personal insights into their electricity use, to determine how to most effectively manage energy.
“The intelligent smart home has arrived, giving Kiwis the ability to buy cheaper, cleaner power locally from their own roof and power their homes the way they choose from their smartphones,” said Andrew Booth, solarcity CEO.
“The average Kiwi showers for seven minutes a day yet our hot water cylinders are often left on all day, using 30% of our home’s energy.
“Our platform lets you control appliances by switching them when they are not needed and scheduling hot water systems, heat pumps and pool pumps, to run at optimal times to save money.”
The solarZero app uses Vodafone’s global “Internet of Things” network through a cellular connection. It enables homeowners to manage their home’s appliances using their smartphone from anywhere in the world, at any time.
“The Internet of Things has the potential to completely change how Kiwis work, live and play,” said Scott Pollard, Head of IoT at Vodafone.
“It connects machines, devices and objects to the internet, turning them into ‘intelligent’ assets which can communicate their usage and respond to activity around them in real-time.
“We are proud to be at the forefront, helping to transform Kiwi homes into smart homes to take advantage of the latest technology that will reduce their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.”
The solarZero app will be able to remotely manage and control over 50,000 appliances in the home - such as whiteware and the hot water system. It allows the homeowner to maximise their use of solar, allowing them to use appliances, batteries and smart electric water control to automatically modify energy usage based on how much solar power is available. It also integrates with electric vehicles to help manage and optimise charging times.
Notes for Editors
· IoT is at a tipping point with more than 30 billion connected devices expected by 2020
· IoT is expected to be so popular that in early 2018 Vodafone NZ is launching a new Narrowband IoT network dedicated specifically to IoT, and NB-IoT will soon be deployed by many operators across the globe.
· NB-IoT is a low power, wide area network (LPWAN) that uses dedicated bandwidth and licenced spectrum to deliver secure coverage across vast geographical areas.
· A recent report estimates a $2.2 billion dollar IoT market opportunity for New Zealand industries over the next ten years, and that New Zealand will be the Asia Pacific’s third most mature market for IoT units per capita by 2020
Reference: https://news.vodafone.co.nz/article/vodafone-readies-mobile-network-internet-things-future
The solarZero IoT app is available as part of solarcity’s solarZero energy service which enables homeowners to buy clean solar power from their own roofs, without any capital costs, and team it up with grid energy at a combined rate designed to beat any power price in New Zealand.
About solarcity
solarcity is the nation’s leading solar energy services company. It won recognition for innovation at the 2015 and 2016 SEANZ Awards for its solarZero and solarZero+ energy services respectively and was a finalist in the 2015 and 2016 Sustainable Business Network Awards. solarcity has put more solar systems on Kiwi homes and businesses than any other company. It was the first solar company in the world to achieve carboNZero certification and is still the only solar energy services business in NZ with that green credential. solarcity is one of the fastest growing green companies in New Zealand and is one of the Government’s Focus 500 companies that are targeted to contribute significant benefits to the New Zealand economy.
