RSS feed
Login
Not a member? JoinSmart Appliances Are Less Than Five Years Away
Smart appliances from GE via buildaroo.com
The market for smart appliances has yet to take off, but it’s just a matter of time, according to a new forecast by ABI Research, which says shipments will exceed 24 million units by 2017.
Companies like LG Electronics and Samsung have already introduced comprehensive lines of refrigerators, washing machines and stoves capable of communicating with home energy management systems (HEMS) and receiving dynamic pricing signals from electric grid operators about the availability of cheap power.
However, these devices have yet to appear in major retail outlets, carry ultra-premium price tags, and are primarily being used in small pilot projects.
It’s likely to take a couple more years for high prices to erode and for utility companies to offer dynamic pricing structures that will titillate consumer demand. The number of households with utility-provided HEMS is expected to increase from an estimated 2.5 million households in 2011 to 36 million households in 2017, an increase that will open the market for smart appliances.
The number of major appliance manufacturers that have used recent trade shows as launch pads for new products is a sign that the market may soon see substantial growth. Whirlpool, BSH, Miele, and Electrolux are among the other leading players that have unveiled one or more smart products.
Bart King is a PR consultant and principal at Cleantech Communications.
User login
This Month's SB Issue in Focus - Information Technology as a Platform for Sustainable Innovation
Guest Editors: Bart King and Marc Alt
In the first decade of the 21st Century, Information Technology laid a new foundation for business as usual, changing the way we communicate with stakeholders and the way we collect data. Now, the analysis of our "big data" is beginning to yield opportunities for improving the efficiency of operations and gaining insights to consumer behavior. Increased monitoring and optimization of flow networks for electricity, water and transportation have the potential to create massive resource savings, while software and virtual collaboration tools are bringing ever greater human resources to bear on the challenges of sustainability.
Call for Content!
During the month of May, we will be publishing a “SB Issues in Focus” Editorial package on the topic of “Information Technology as a Platform for Sustainable Innovation.” This is a great opportunity to share your company's insights, showcase innovations and present solutions. Find out more!
Comments
Post new comment