Efficient (/ĭ-fĭsh′ənt/) adj. - Acting or producing effectively with a minimum of waste, expense, or unnecessary effort.
Energy management involves controlling and optimizing how your home uses energy to improve efficiency and comfort. It can be as simple as replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with more efficient LED bulbs or as advanced as integrating a home battery storage system with solar panels and a home energy monitor. The goal is to take proactive steps to enhance your quality of life through better energy consumption while ensuring that your energy use is as efficient as possible.
At Emporia Energy, we are committed to providing a seamless and effective platform that empowers you to take control of your energy usage in the best way for your unique needs.
Why should I be interested in smart home energy management?
The two most prevalent reasons for homeowners and energy consumers to be interested in energy management practices include saving money and saving the environment.
How to Save Money?
Most people are charged by their utility company based on the amount of energy (measured in kilowatt-hours) consumed during a given period of time. By optimizing the amount and timing of when you consume power, you can see significant decreases in your utility costs. If you decide to add generation to your electrical system (such as solar or wind power), properly sizing the amount of generation required ensures you're not paying for more than you need. Your return on investment for that purchase will be achieved much faster without unnecessary expenses.
Reduced Utility Bills: Optimized energy consumption lowers utility bills, especially if you have time-of-use or peak demand rates.
Incentive Programs: Utility and government incentive programs can further reduce costs and encourage energy efficiency.
On average, Emporia customers who set up their EV Charger with time-of-use management save approximately $26 per month on their utility bill compared to a non-optimized charging schedule. Our EV Charger often qualifies for additional utility provider incentives as well.
How Does This Help the Environment?
Efficient energy use reduces the demand on natural resources and minimizes environmental impact. About 60% of utility-scale electricity generation comes from non-renewable sources like fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, etc.). Reducing your consumption of these sources helps reduce your carbon footprint and the environmental impact on our world.
Additional Reasons:
Increased Comfort and Convenience: Energy management systems can enhance the comfort of your living environment. For example, automated thermostats can maintain optimal indoor temperatures while also prioritizing cost reductions.
Improved Reliability and Energy Security: By managing energy use more effectively, homeowners can reduce the risk of overloading electrical systems, preventing outages and improving the overall reliability of the home’s energy supply.
Health and Safety: Proper energy management can contribute to a healthier living environment. For example, maintaining appropriate humidity levels and air quality through smart HVAC systems can prevent health issues related to poor indoor air quality. Identifying misbehaving appliance loads or circuits can also prevent hazardous and dangerous situations in your electrical system.
Regulatory Compliance: In some regions, there may be regulations or incentives related to energy efficiency. Engaging in energy management can help homeowners comply with these regulations and benefit from any available incentives, rebates, or tax credits.
Types of Energy Management
Energy management can be categorized into active and passive management, and it can also be differentiated by whether it is manual or automated.
Active vs. Passive Management
Active | Requires homeowners to be actively engaged in making adjustments to their energy usage. This might involve manually turning off appliances, adjusting thermostat settings, or confirming suggested automated behaviors. Active management puts the responsibility on the user to ensure energy is used efficiently. |
Passive | Adjusts energy usage without direct user interaction. This type of management is more convenient as it relies on automated systems to make decisions based on predefined criteria or real-time data. Passive management helps ensure energy efficiency without requiring constant attention from the homeowner. |
Manual vs. Automated Control
Manual | Involves the user directly controlling appliance load to improve efficiency. Examples include turning off appliances when not in use or manually adjusting thermostat settings. While this approach can reduce energy costs, it is time-consuming and requires ongoing effort from the homeowner. |
Automated | Allows systems to automatically control appliance load based on predefined criteria or real-time data. Examples include time-based scheduling and advanced system-level monitoring combined with appliance control. Automated control provides a more efficient and less labor-intensive way to manage energy consumption, helping to reduce costs and improve overall energy efficiency. |
Stages of Automation
Energy management can also be viewed through the lens of automation stages, each providing varying levels of efficiency and user involvement:
Monitoring: The first step is to gain visibility into your energy consumption. You can't manage what you can't see, so monitoring tools provide the data needed to understand usage patterns. Our Vue energy monitor was built specifically for this purpose to provide you with in-depth measurements of your energy usage.
Notifications: Systems send alerts when energy usage is high or when certain thresholds are crossed. This requires user action to make adjustments but at least informs the user when to take action. Notifications are available via the Emporia platform by combining a monitor (like the Vue 3) with the app settings available from the mobile and/or web applications.
Automated (Static) Control: Implementing time-based scheduling or user-defined triggers for energy management. This involves setting specific times for devices to turn on or off, reducing the need for manual adjustments. However, these systems are limited because they operate based on preset values and do not adjust in response to real-time conditions or external inputs.
Automated (Dynamic) Control: Systems dynamically adjust energy usage based on real-time conditions without explicit user input. Two great examples for this category include Excess Solar Management and PowerSmart features available for our EV Charger. Excess Solar Management adjusts charge rate to match the net production of your electrical system with solar generation involved. PowerSmart has similar control over the EV Charger charge rate but is instead focused on keeping your total system usage under a safe operational threshold (to prevent overloading your electrical service).
Intelligent Control: Putting the "smart" in smart home energy management... Advanced algorithms predict and respond to energy usage patterns for optimal efficiency. These systems can learn from user behavior and environmental data to make real-time, optimized decisions without any user intervention.
What kind of Control Factors can influence Automated and Intelligent control?
Real-time energy usage patterns/behavior
Occupancy
Pricing (cost/rate for usage)
Environmental factors
Automated and intelligent energy management systems rely on various control factors to optimize energy usage efficiently. One key factor is real-time energy usage patterns, such as net energy generation from solar panels or the operation of high-demand devices like EV chargers. These systems can adjust energy consumption based on the immediate needs and availability of power. Occupancy is another crucial factor; intelligent systems can reduce or turn off heating, cooling, and lighting when no one is home, conserving energy without compromising comfort. Pricing also plays a significant role, as systems can lower energy use during peak pricing periods to save costs. Environmental factors, including sunlight and temperature, influence these systems by adjusting energy use based on weather conditions, ensuring efficient operation of heating, cooling, and lighting systems. Additionally, smart systems may consider user preferences and lifestyle patterns, further tailoring energy use to individual needs and enhancing overall efficiency and convenience.
Take Control of Your Energy Future
By embracing smart home energy management, you can significantly reduce your energy costs, contribute to environmental sustainability, and enhance the comfort and convenience of your home. Whether you start with simple actions like switching to LED bulbs or invest in advanced systems like home battery storage and solar panels, every step towards efficient energy use makes a difference. At Emporia Energy, we are dedicated to providing you with the tools and technology to take control of your energy usage effortlessly. Join the growing community of homeowners who are making smart, sustainable choices for their homes and the planet.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your energy management needs further, our Customer Support team is here to help. We pride ourselves on delivering excellent support and are committed to ensuring your satisfaction. Reach out to us anytime to learn more about how we can assist you in optimizing your energy usage.