US & EU announce joint statement to deploy 1.5 million smart thermostats
13-07-2022 | By Robin Mitchell
As fuel prices continue to rise, the need to conserve energy couldn’t be more important. Recently, the US and EU released a joint statement on their intentions to deploy over 1.5 million smart thermostats to try and do just this by the end of 2022. How would a smart thermostat save energy, what did the statement say, and is this the best solution to saving energy?
How would a smart thermostat save energy?
Thermostats are essential to an environmental control system as they set the desired temperature. While thermostats can integrate a temperature sensor, this isn’t a necessary requirement as a thermostat to a furnace would be located far away from the furnace itself (this is where the temperature sensor would be located). But in most domestic applications, thermostats integrate both the sensor and the setting, which is why they need to be installed in specific locations (i.e., away from heat sources and access to convection airflow).
A smart thermostat, however, will control an environment temperature depending on real-time data being streamed from other devices (usually over a network). However, it is essential to understand that a thermostat that can connect to the internet is not inherently smart; only those that can receive data and process that data to make an intelligent decision are considered smart.
If used correctly, a smart thermostat can save energy by only turning on AC and heating when needed instead of using strict timetables. For example, a traditional thermostat may have timer capabilities meaning that it can turn off heating controls at specific times of the day regardless of if there are people inside the home. A smart thermostat, however, could use geofencing to determine if anyone is in the property before engaging the heating. If no one is around, it makes no sense to turn on the heating; thus, the smart thermostat will prevent energy from being wasted.
Another potential feature that a smart thermostat could incorporate is real-time energy prices. While such a feature is still yet to be developed, live-energy prices could be streamed to a smart thermostat that would then determine the best time to engage heating to minimise energy payments. Currently, National Grid is already planning to incorporate this feature into smart meters, which would even help to improve the use of renewable energy through planned energy use.
US and EU announce joint statement for integrating smart thermostats
Recognising the challenges faced by European nations in light of the Russo-Ukraine war, the US and EU have announced a joint plan to deploy over 1.5 million smart thermostats across homes in the EU. The plan to deploy smart thermostats will come from the efforts of member states in the EU and US companies to provide the technologies needed.
Currently, the joint task force is still deliberating on how this plan should be enacted, and member states in the EU will be asked for their input on policy recommendations. Furthermore, it is hoped that these 1.5 million thermostats can be deployed before the end of 2022, which could help reduce the dependency of EU states on Russian fuel.
Are smart thermostats the best option for saving energy?
Smart thermostats will only be able to save energy if they are genuinely made smart (i.e., they can react to real-time data streamed from other devices). Thermostats that simply connect to the internet may not have this functionality and, as such, would serve no advantage over traditional thermostats. Worse, the high cost of thermostats could see customers pay more money if they follow regular patterns (i.e., being at home during specific hours at the same time every day).
As previously mentioned, using smart energy meters combined with real-time energy pricing would be a far more effective way of reducing energy usage. But achieving such a system requires years of research and development, meaning that it will not be able to solve current energy issues faced by Europe (The National Grid in the UK is trying to introduce such a system but may not be available for mass use for several years).
As such, smart thermostats could help homeowners save money while reducing the EU’sEU’s overall dependency on Russian fuels such as oil and gas. But whether or not this will be enough to make a dent remains unknown, and it might be more economical to look for other techniques, including additional insulation in homes, alternative fuel sources, and introducing tax breaks for fossil fuel companies to provide competitive prices.
