Why would I want a connected home energy system?

A connected home energy system helps your home make smarter decisions about how electricity is generated, stored and used. Rather than your solar panels, battery, air conditioning and other household appliances operating independently, a connected system can help them work together to reduce energy costs.

That’s the thinking behind MyPlaceIQ’s growing IQ ecosystem, designed to help Australians enjoy greater comfort while getting their energy bills closer to zero.

What’s the benefit of connecting your home’s energy systems?

Most Australian homes have several major systems that consume or generate electricity.

Solar panels produce energy during the day, batteries can store electricity for later, and appliances like air conditioners, hot water systems and pool pumps can account for a significant portion of household electricity consumption.

But these systems don’t always work together.

For example, your solar panels might be exporting excess electricity to the grid during the day, while your air conditioner sits idle. Later, when you arrive home and turn on the air conditioning, you’re purchasing electricity that could cost considerably more than the feed-in tariff you received earlier.

A connected energy system is about making better use of the energy your home already has available.

By coordinating when and how electricity is used, you can potentially reduce unnecessary grid consumption, lower running costs and take greater control of your home’s energy use.

How does MyPlaceIQ make smarter energy decisions?

MyPlaceIQ’s IQe technology is an example of this approach already in action.

IQe forecasts your home’s solar electricity production and estimates your household’s energy requirements to determine when there’s enough surplus solar energy to run your air conditioning.

Rather than waiting until you get home, IQe can automatically pre-cool or pre-heat your house when excess solar energy is available.

This helps reduce how much electricity you may need to purchase later, while ensuring your home is comfortable when you arrive.

It’s a simple example of how smarter energy management can provide more value than controlling appliances individually.

What is the MyPlaceIQ energy ecosystem?

MyPlaceIQ is being developed as part of a broader connected home energy ecosystem.

The IQ ecosystem brings together smart air conditioning, solar battery technology and connected home controls, with future products planned for smart hot water, pool pumps and electric vehicle charging.

The long-term vision is for these systems to work together, intelligently managing how your home generates, stores and consumes electricity.

Rather than simply giving you more devices to control from your phone, the goal is to help your home make better energy decisions automatically.

Some components of the ecosystem are already available, while others are planned for future release.

More than convenience. Smarter energy use.

A connected home isn’t just about turning on your lights or air conditioning from your phone.

It’s about making your home work more efficiently, using the electricity you’re already generating, reducing unnecessary energy consumption and making better use of lower-cost electricity.

As more household appliances become electric, the ability to manage how and when they use energy will become increasingly valuable.

That’s the vision behind MyPlaceIQ: helping Australians take greater control of their home’s energy and shred their energy bills closer to zero.