CSIRO-developed tech for energy-smart homes

Renewable energy start-up Evergen recently launched Australia’s first intelligent home energy management system, with the technical backing of CSIRO.

Combining solar panels and batteries with smart technology, the system continuously analyses and optimises home energy use.

The system chooses the most efficient source for the household’s electricity supply at any given time, switching from solar to stored power as required.

The system looks at the power consumption patterns of each household and local weather to make smart decisions that reduce energy costs.

The system is remotely managed by Evergen and regularly analysed and updated by CSIRO.

CSIRO Energy Director Dr Peter Mayfield is excited to see this CSIRO-developed technology available in Australian homes.

“CSIRO has been at the forefront of solar and battery technology research for many years, and we are committed to the development of intelligent systems and tools which change the way we use energy,” Dr Mayfield said.

“We know that consumers are viewing their household electricity differently and taking more control; intelligent systems allow them to do this with ease.”

Evergen Chairman Stephen Dunne said the system is the gateway to energy-smart homes of the future.

“We’re excited to be taking the science of CSIRO and building it in to an energy system that will benefit families all over Australia,” Mr Dunne said.

CSIRO developed Evergen’s core energy management intelligence and provided research expertise to help Evergen commercialise the product.

The Evergen system is now available to Australians in an early release program, with a second-stage release program in January 2017.

For ACT residents

Evergen was one of eight winners of the ACT Government’s second round of its battery storage auction, part of a nation-leading plan to deploy 36 MW of cutting edge distributed battery storage in more than 5,000 Territory homes and businesses by 2020. ACT residents can save between $3,000-5,000 off the cost of an Evergen System (depending on system size) as part of this next generation ACT Government initiative. As the total subsidy pool is limited, ACT residents will gain access on a first-in basis.

CSIRO has a well established reputation for developing new technologies and partnering with industry to bring innovation to the community. Ginninderra provides an opportunity for this sort of technology and innovation to be practically applied through such collaboration.