Control4 is a participating company in Southern California Edison’s Smart Energy Experience, one of the first exhibits in the country to provide a live demonstration of how smart appliances and devices work with a smart meter. The home area network at the Smart Energy Experience is based on the Control4 platform, the Control4 Energy Management System 100 (EMS 100).
Control4’s energy management screen
The Smart Energy Experience is designed as a home exhibit to help customers learn about and experience smart grid technologies being researched at Southern California Edison. Displays in the exhibit provide a glimpse into the future of energy distribution and consumption. Demonstrations include the future of power delivery via smart grid technologies, including home area networking of smart meters, smart appliances and devices, solar installations, plug-in electric vehicles, and other future green technologies.
Southern California Edison (SCE) highlights the Control4 EMS 100 at the exhibit, including the ability to monitor real-time fluctuations in electricity usage using the Control4 Energy Controller 100 (EC-100) and leveraging the Control4 platform to present that information on flat panels throughout the house. The Control4 system is also used to adjust the lighting and thermostat in response to electricity usage and costs, based on customer preference.
A compelling feature of the smart grid for both utilities and homeowners is the triggering of demand response or pricing events to help utilities and consumers work together to manage energy load, particularly during peak times. The demand response event demonstrated at the Smart Energy Experience involves communication to a programmable communicating thermostat, smart lighting, televisions and household appliances. As this communication takes place the devices respond by reducing their power consumption to pre-set levels selected and programmed by the customer.
Within seconds, the Control4 EC-100 displays the resulting load reduction, reinforcing the value of the action to the homeowner. Through the Control4 platform, all of the information is also displayed on flat panels throughout the exhibit, demonstrating how SCE envisions effectively integrating energy management in people’s everyday lives.
“The Southern California Edison Smart Energy Experience is a showcase in Control4 interoperability,” stated Richard Walker, president, Control4 Energy Systems, “We are pleased to partner with a forward-thinking utility like Southern California Edison. The Smart Energy Experience is a powerful demonstration of SCE’s interest in delivering a compelling consumer experience to help customers embrace the benefits of the smart grid.”
The Smart Energy Experience is located at SCE’s Customer Technology Application Center (CTAC) at 6090 North Irwindale Ave., Irwindale, California. More information can be found at www.sce.com.
