OVO Energy is partnering with smart thermostat manufacturer tado° for a consumer trial which will explore how linked smart meters and advanced thermostats can save households on their energy bills.
OVO has emailed a small group of its customers this week, offering them a tado° smart thermostat to be linked to their next-generation gas and electricity meter.
Once the smart thermostat is installed by an OVO engineer, participants can sync their tado° account with their OVO Energy account, accessed through the My Ovo app. This means they can see how their temperature controls correspond to energy usage and receive personalised suggestions for how they can reduce their consumption and bills.
For example, the app will be able to tell consumers the exact amount of money they’d save by turning down their heating at specific times of the day.
With boiler usage expected to be up 56% this winter as people work from home, these recommendations could mean significant savings on their energy—and carbon emissions.
The trial, which will be offered to all five million OVO Energy customers by next autumn, is reportedly the first of its kind. It’s part of OVO’s plan to help members halve their carbon emissions by the end of the decade.
Jessica Tan, managing director of Smart Home, OVO Energy said: “For too long customers have been in the dark on how much they spend heating their homes. By partnering with tado° Smart Thermostat, we’re going to change that, giving our members ultimate control over their heating and bespoke advice on how to lower the cost of their energy usage and cut carbon.
“We’re excited about this launch, which is the first of many exciting propositions we’re working on to give consumers the data they need to reduce their overall carbon footprint.”
Toon Bouten, chief executive of tado°, said: “Making homes more energy efficient is a key part of lowering carbon emissions and we’re thrilled to partner with OVO Energy. The partnership brings together two companies at the forefront of the digital energy transition and as a cross-manufacturer platform, tado° connects with any kind of heating system to serve all kinds of homes.
“Together with OVO Energy, we are demonstrating how customer-friendly technology can have a positive impact on the environment as well as home finances and comfort.”
tado° smart thermostats come with a range of features to give your household better control over its heating and hot, including scheduling, including remotely, and geofencing, reminding residents to turn down the heating when the last person leaves home and turn it up when the first person arrives. These thermostats can also respond to local weather forecasts, prompting users to turn their heating up or down.
