Photo courtesy of Panasonic Eco Systems and Solar Price Discovery
As more homes electrify, managing energy consumption is becoming increasingly important. Home energy management systems (HEMS) are a great resource for homeowners looking to conserve power while keeping their home comfortable. HEMS monitor energy usage data, alongside external factors such as the weather forecast and utility prices, to make predictions and recommendations.
In the near future, a HEMS will be able to see the cost of electricity rise, then automatically switch your home battery system on to avoid drawing power from the grid. It may also recommend turning off appliances that are consuming a lot of energy.
Most HEMS will track data such as when you're using electricity and how much, the amount of power certain appliances consume, how much energy your battery stores, and how much electricity your solar panels produce. The system will be able to analyze the data to identify trends and patterns to predict future consumption, so your electricity goes farther.
But right now, a new load management system from Panasonic provides the next best thing to a full-blown HEMS.
Photo courtesy of Panasonic Eco Systems & Connected Technology
Panasonic's EVERVOLT® SmartBox is a type of home energy management system. SmartBox centralizes the management of your home energy systems, including your home battery system, solar panels (if you have them), and home loads such as your appliances and broadband. It monitors your energy usage and makes adjustments to conserve power and keep your home comfortable.
If you have a home battery system, the SmartBox optimizes when your battery stores electricity and when it discharges to power your home. By tracking household energy data, it makes informed choices so the power in your battery goes farther and lasts longer, keeping bills down and your lights on.
Let's look more closely at HEMS and how a SmartBox can help you get the most from your battery.
SmartBox ensures that every kilowatt-hour of electricity in your home goes as far as possible. Using its app, you can understand your energy usage in real time and build a picture of your household's energy patterns and trends over time. Use this data to adjust your habits and explore a better energy plan with your utility.
You can also use the app to set preferences and adjust your energy usage. If you plan to charge your home battery system from the grid, for instance, you can set it to charge when grid rates are low and then use your stored power when rates rise. Or if you're charging your battery from solar, you may want to schedule it to charge during the day and disperse its power in the evening.
The built-in smart circuits of the SmartBox reduce how much energy your home is using by tracking your electricity generation, consumption, and distribution. The SmartBox can prioritize certain appliances based on your preferences and make quick energy decisions on your behalf, such as when to store and when to discharge power from your battery, based on the cost of electricity.
This can be particularly beneficial if you're on a time-of-use rate plan, where you pay more for electricity from the grid during peak hours, when demand is high. Here, your SmartBox will seamlessly change the operating mode of your battery so that it stores energy when grid rates are low. You can tap into that energy later when rates rise. That way, you never pay more than you have to for electricity.
Your SmartBox will detect when there is a power outage and turn your battery on, ensuring your most important appliances keep running. It then makes adjustments to your energy usage to ensure your stored electricity lasts for as long as possible.
For example, you can see which appliances are draining a lot of electricity, how much power is left in your battery, and how long the battery will last. You can use this data to decide which appliances you may want to disconnect until the outage ends. If an outage lasts for a particularly long time, the SmartBox has a built-in generator for additional backup.
You can control as many as six loads from your SmartBox, meaning you can connect more appliances and systems than a regular HEMS. This gives you more flexibility to switch between appliances during an outage to conserve electricity and ensure you have access to what you need.
The Panasonic EVERVOLT SmartBox helps homeowners to get more out of their battery. It continuously optimizes energy throughout the home, minimizing waste to keep electricity bills low and your home comfortable. If you’re interested in implementing a home battery system, reach out to an authorized Panasonic installer to begin the process today.