Solar power company Solarcity, in partnership with Vodafone New Zealand, has introduced a smart home app dubbed ‘solarZero’. The new intelligent energy management system allows homeowners to manage their homes their way, using Vodafone’s IoT technology. According to the developer, the solarZero IoT app uses a cloud-based network to give homeowners personal insights into their electricity use, to determine how to most effectively manage energy.
The platform is designed to enable users to control appliances by switching them when they are not needed and scheduling hot water systems, heat pumps and pool pumps, to run at optimal times to save money. The solarZero app uses Vodafone’s global IoT network through a cellular connection. It enables homeowners to manage their home’s appliances using their smartphone from anywhere in the world, at any time.
The solarZero app will be able to remotely manage and control over 50,000 appliances in the home, such as whiteware and the hot water system. It allows the homeowner to maximise their use of solar, allowing them to use appliances, batteries and smart electric water control to automatically modify energy usage based on how much solar power is available. It also integrates with electric vehicles to help manage and optimise charging times.
