Together with its customers, Essent is researching new ways of saving energy

This month Essent started the ‘Energy Management’ pilot which focuses on ways of saving energy in homes. For this pilot, a consortium has been formed with Accenture, Cisco and Plugwise. During the forthcoming three months, thirty households will gain experience with a smart energy meter and display in their homes, which shows the current energy consumption. The meter can also be used to control the room thermostat, amongst others.

The participants in the pilot are, themselves, able to think up and put forward new applications, plus help to deliberate about improvements in Energy Management. ‘Our goal is to develop products, jointly with consumers, which enable them to influence their energy consumption and associated costs in a simple and user-friendly manner’, said Mijntje de Caluwe from Essent. ‘Essent already provides energy-saving products and services, by means of which consumers are able to structurally lower their energy bills, such as the smart thermostat, insulation and consumption manager. During the pilot, jointly with the participants, we would like to devise two new applications by means of which energy can be saved or comfort increased. The participants can use these applications until the end of the pilot.’

About Energy Management

Thirty participants have been selected for the ‘Energy Management’ pilot, who already have experience with or who have already been actively involved in Energy Management. A smart electricity and gas meter, plus a gateway (a type of Internet modem by Cisco) have been installed in the participants' houses, as well as an energy measuring system and touch screen (by Plugwise). They also receive peripheral equipment which enables them to monitor the generation of their own electricity (through, for example, solar panels). Accenture is also responsible for conducting the pilot. Using a web portal, the participants can gain further insight into their historic energy consumption and they are able to compare their energy consumption with that of the other participants.

To share more knowledge about the pilot and EnergyManagement in general, Essent has launched the website www.energiemanagement.nl.

Published: 21 March 2011