Evergen and CSIRO partner on home energy management system

Renewable energy tech start-up Evergen has launched what is said to be Australia’s first intelligent home energy management system, with the investment and technical backing of AMP Capital and CSIRO.

Combining solar panels and batteries with smart technology, the system continuously analyses and optimises home energy use, choosing the most efficient source — either solar, battery or the grid — for the household’s electricity supply at any given time. It also learns the power consumption patterns of the household and forecasts solar production based on analysis of local weather to build a picture of future energy flows.

The system is remotely managed by Evergen and regularly analysed and updated by CSIRO, which developed the core energy management intelligence and provided research expertise to help Evergen commercialise the product.

“Evergen is the first remotely managed renewable energy centre for domestic use, offering Australians far greater control and choice over the way energy is used and distributed in their home,” said Evergen CEO Dr Glenn Platt. “Distributed energy technologies such as rooftop solar are the biggest growth areas in the market globally, and upcoming new technologies will completely change a market that has operated the same way for decades. We are already working on a range of product innovations which will add new options to the Evergen smart system during the next five years.”

The intelligence of the system is expected to deliver an additional 20% saving on energy costs, compared to existing domestic solar and battery solutions, and to extend battery life through use of its smart management. This means users could save up to 60–80% on household energy costs when switching to an Evergen system.

The system is now available to Australians in an early-release program, with a second-stage release program in January 2017. For expressions of interest and to get a quote, visit www.evergen.com.au.

Image caption: An Evergen system, using CSIRO-developed technology, installed in a Sydney home. ©Evergen