Schneider Electric, is a leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, and is ready to bring its expertise to the homeowner. The company formally announced its residential market debut on the show floor at CES this week with Square D Connected Home. This will comprise devices and applications to help homeowners consolidate connected home, appliance and energy management into one intuitive digital experience. In addition, the company previewed a new collection of switches, dimmers, receptacles, plugs and sensors which will be available later in 2020 across US, Canada and Mexico.
Why homes, why now?
As more homes become connected and the world increasingly relies on electricity, it’s expected that international energy consumption will double by 2050. In addition, extreme weather conditions and rising demand place strain on grid infrastructure and can result in blackouts or power outages. Schneider Electric provides the digital tools, insights and control to help homeowners manage their electricity usage and minimize disruption.
“The consumers’ relationship with electric power has traditionally been one-sided: your utility delivers it, you use it and you pay the bill,” said Manish Pant, Executive Vice President of Home and Distribution at Schneider Electric. “However, even with the rising number of connected home devices, energy management – perhaps the most critical for safety, control and sustainability – has yet to be thoughtfully addressed for the consumer. We believe it’s time to give consumers the needed digital tools to feel confident, safe and committed to using energy in ways that both enhance their day-to-day lives and reflect their values and ideals long into the future.”
A Schneider survey of 137 U.S. homeowners found that the majority (74 percent) consider efficiency the primary benefit of smart home technology, followed by energy conservation (59 percent). Schneider Electric marries the consumer’s lifestyle needs for a smart home with its understanding of the new electric world. Schneider Electric designs products and services as an open platform to enable interoperability between connected home devices.
The Wiser system
The Wiser Energy system, a connected home solution from Square D, helps educate consumers on the energy usage of devices across their home, including devices that are not “smart” or connected. It detects and identifies all appliances within the home and uses Schneider Electric’s grid-to-plug advantage to manage the flow of electric energy delivered from the electric grid to the devices and appliances plugged in at home.
Consumers can then use the Square D version of the Sense app or leading voice assistants including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to digitally track energy usage, receive updates if the dryer cycle is still running, or get alerts if an appliance is malfunctioning or requires service. This information allows homeowners to reduce the risk of potential expensive energy bills, deliver protection and safety for their home, or, for those with alternate energy sources such as solar, control and manage how appliances leverage different energy sources.
Products, Pricing & Availability
Wiser (available now)
The Wiser Energy Smart Home Monitor installs in a home’s electrical panel and provides real-time home energy usage, notification when devices turn on or off, and goals to track savings ($299).
The Wiser Energy Smart Home Monitor Solar Edition – Optimizes solar installs with live generation tracking to make the most of your renewable energy resources ($349)
Wiser Energy Solar CTS – Ensures homeowners are maximizing the return on their investments with real-time solar monitoring capabilities and analysis ($50 USD)
Square D Connected Home (coming soon)
Square D Energy Hub, works with Wiser to enable easy connections for all types of power supply environments including solar, inverter, battery and service entrance needs. The Energy Hub is powered by Wiser Energy and helps provide consumers and contractors with an enhanced automation and intelligent backup power experience for the home. The Energy Hub is designed to support critical loads during power outages, while also giving the homeowner the ability to dynamically adjust how backup power is delivered to their devices as needed.
The Hub is also enhanced with a new stylish and modular design for homes of the future. Enhancements include:
- Inverter Ready
- EZ Qwik Connect
- Battery and Generator Ready
- Powered by Wiser Energy
- EV Ready
- NEC 2020 & Utility Compliant
Square D Wiring Devices, whether installed along with Wiser Energy or as stand-alone devices, the consumer will be able to add overall control to the home, at the switch and outlet level. Consumers will be able to create scenes and scenarios that are activated via sensors, voice or app control. When paired with Wiser Energy, the consumer will be able to take real time action to adjust the energy use in the home by shutting off devices and reducing the electrical load.
U.S. customers can purchase Wiser products online and in-store at Home Depot and Lowes nationwide.
— Solar Builder magazine
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