Samsung Electronics is launching SmartThings Energy in the UK that will enable UK households to control their energy usage directly from their homes, with any UK provider, at no cost. SmartThings Energy, when paired with Samsung"s smart devices, can be used to inform users when their energy consumption exceeds monthly targets, send an alert if devices are running when no one is at home, and automatically switch devices to low energy mode.
Director of Connected Services and Technology, Samsung UK and Ireland, Teg Dosanjh stated:
In a time when people are feeling a lack of control over their energy usage, with very limited options to mitigate increasing costs, we’re pleased to be able to drive change in the energy space by launching SmartThings Energy. We’ve been working hard with our partners Chameleon Technology and Uswitch over the past few months to deliver a completely free-to-use, independent service that takes the guesswork out of household energy management, empowering our customers to have a holistic view of their energy consumption, providing budgeting capabilities. By helping households be more aware of their energy consumption and encourage positive behaviours to reduce energy usage, SmartThings Energy offers a category-defining energy saving service for everyone, irrespective of who their energy provider is.
With this service, powered by Chameleon Technology that allows "smart meter data to be securely and privately populated in the SmartThings app", users will be able to employ the smart meter in their phones to monitor their energy usage, check how much it costs and set and manage their budgets. SmartThings Energy will also have the potential to monitor actual energy tariff information, together with peak time rates, to aid in minimizing costs by adjusting energy usage.
CEO, Chameleon Technology, Mike Woodhall stated:
To date, as consumers, we have all been passengers on the journey towards Net Zero. However, through the continued evolution of SmartThings Energy, Chameleon Technology is now able to deliver personal smart meter data into the palm of your hand. We are pleased to further our commitment to empowering individuals to make smarter and more informed choices about how to better manage their home energy consumption in support of their personal journey towards their decarbonised future.
SmartThings Energy will be capable of telling if cheaper tariffs are available based on actual household energy usage as well. It will also provide users with more control with regard to domestic energy use, by collaborating with the UK"s major price comparison service, Uswitch, to offer end-to-end energy management.
Energy expert at Uswitch.com, Sarah Broomfield stated:
We’re excited to be partnering with Samsung on the launch of SmartThings Energy. Our hope is that this new service will help customers adopt positive behaviours when it comes to energy awareness and management.
Users can download SmartThings on iOS and Android to connect and manage an extensive variety of smart devices using a single app for a simple and convenient experience.