“We didn’t wait for Eskom – we innovated first”: South Africans lead the energy shift with locally manufactured smart tech solutions
South Africans are no longer waiting for Eskom to get its act together: they’ve already changed the way they consume energy. In a bold new statement, Mark Allewell, CEO of Sensor Networks, says that ongoing load shedding and rising electricity costs have pushed citizens to take energy matters into their own hands, with smart tech solutions.
“South Africans didn’t wait for Eskom to fix things. They adapted first,” says Allewell. “Coercion through policy failure – like load shedding – forced us all to rethink how we consume energy. And it was the private sector that gave people the capability and opportunity to truly change their energy consumption habits, specifically through the localised production and availability of smart geyser devices”
Smart geyser devices – now installed in over 12 000 homes – allow consumers of electricity to time the water heating of their geysers around blackouts. A smart geyser is an internet-connected water geyser that can be remotely controlled and programmed via a mobile app to optimize energy usage. Most importantly, the technology allows home owners the opportunity to control their energy costs more effectively, saving thousands of local households up to hundreds of Rands in electricity bills every month.
“This inadvertently decreases the strain on our national grid, offering a clear example of how technology can be leveraged to help consumers, and Eskom. Two birds, one stone” adds Allewell.
Smart geyser devices play a central role in managing the consumption of one of the most power-hungry appliances in every home. By heating water only when needed, smart geyser devices preserve daily routines during outages and significantly reduce power usage.
As part of its mission to make energy-saving technology more accessible in SA, Sensor Networks recently announced its partnership with Ariston, the world’s largest geyser manufacturer. Starting this year, Ariston geysers sold in South Africa will include Sensor Networks’ smart geyser technology and bundled access to the Sensor Connect app, giving thousands of consumers a means to monitor and manage their energy use more effectively. The partnership also aims to offer this technology to property developers looking to install smart, solar-ready systems in bulk.
“Even as Eskom begins to rebuild, the national grid would be wise to learn from how quickly and creatively the public has adapted,” says Allewell. “The solutions are already out there. The question now is: will the system evolve as fast as its people have?”
