Press release:

IBM and Vodafone Advance Smarter Home Initiative

Cloud enables control of "Internet of Things" in the home to manage heating, lighting, laundry via Vodafone's Mobile Wireless Network

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BERLIN - 31 Aug 2012: IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Vodafone today announced a collaboration to combine mobile communications and cloud computing for the remote management of ‘smart home’ appliances.

At the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin this week, Vodafone and IBM will demonstrate the mobile management of a washing machine and other smart home devices that are connected by Vodafone’s Global M2M Platform running on IBM’s new SmartCloud Service Delivery Platform.

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology makes home appliances more intelligent by connecting them wirelessly to the internet. This enables them to feed useful data back to the service provider or manufacturer to achieve a better customer experience through new functionality and enhanced services.

"The smart home market is now a reality and Vodafone is committed to delivering to it,” said Marc Tastayre, Vodafone M2M Global Business Development Manager. “Security is the first important step for connecting devices to the internet and the collaboration between IBM and Vodafone is putting in place an open, efficient and scalable solution for the consumer electronics industry that will enable it to successfully progress the creation of the ‘Internet of Things’.”

IBM and Vodafone anticipate that this M2M initiative could allow consumers to use their smartphones for a variety of remote activities including viewing their home's utility consumption; controlling security, heating and lighting systems; and activating home appliances such as washing machines. Additionally the initiative will enable manufacturers and service providers to collect data from appliances that can be used to inform product development and maintenance and provide better services to consumers.

"This collaboration is a great example of how cloud computing can be used for business innovation versus solely for IT efficiency purposes,” said IBM Telecommunications Industry General Manager Scott Stainken. “Cloud will increasingly be used in new ways that will provide enhanced consumer-centric experiences -- especially when combined with mobile communications.”

The IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery Platform provides a fully integrated, scalable cloud-based platform to give manufacturers a cost-effective and scalable way to manage appliances and to rapidly introduce related new consumer services. Vodafone’s Global M2M Platform offers appliance manufacturers the ability to easily and rapidly deploy managed and secure wireless connectivity to home gateways. By combining the platforms, the two companies will also provide the consumer electronics industry with an example of a truly global, open standards-based approach for Smarter Home connectivity and solutions.

To read more about IBM’s news at IFA, visit this Smarter Planet blog post

About IBM Cloud Computing
IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud based transactions every day. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about IBM cloud solutions, visitwww.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter @cloudchat and on our blog atwww.thoughtsoncloud.com.

About Vodafone
Vodafone is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 406 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as of 30 June 2012. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visitwww.vodafone.com.

About Vodafone Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications
Vodafone Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connects previously isolated machines or devices wirelessly to the internet, delivering new functionality and enhanced services without the need for human intervention. Supported by over 20 years’ experience and 200 dedicated staff, Vodafone’s global M2M platform makes it easy for global businesses to centrally manage M2M deployments across multiple territories, with greater control and at a lower cost than previously possible.

Please visit: http://m2m.vodafone.com/home/

Follow us on twitter @Vodafone_M2M 

News Release from GE - Consumer Energy Savings

06 March 2012

GE unveils more Brillion™ ideas for consumer energy savings

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• Brillion™ suite of home-energy solutions expands in 2012 to lay the foundation for a true energy-saving “connected home”
• GE adds a Whole-Home Sensor that provides consumers with continuous energy consumption data – without needing a smart meter
• New GE Smart Plugs provide consumers with even more data, convenience and insight into their home’s energy usage

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — March 6, 2012 — (NYSE:GE) — From the company that brought you the first full line of smart grid-enabled appliances, GE is now launching additions and enhancements to its innovative suite of Brillion™ home-energy solutions and laying the foundation for an energy-saving “connected home.”

“We’ve leveled the playing field by providing a product that communicates a home’s continuous real-time energy consumption to consumers without a smart meter,” said William Paul, product manager, home energy, GE Appliances. “Our new Whole-Home Sensor connects to the consumer’s electrical panel and allows them to understand their energy consumption without waiting for their electricity provider to install a smart meter.”

Whole-Home Sensor: The new Whole-Home Sensor, an integral part of home-energy solutions, is being used in several utility test pilots, including test homes in Warner Robins, Ga., as part of Flint Energies’ recently announced pilot project. It will be available broadly in the second quarter of this year.

The sensor sends consumption data from large 240-volt applications, such as a panel box or pool pump, to the home’s Nucleus™ energy manager, which then communicates that data to a consumer’s existing smartphones or personal computers – helping them make smarter energy choices.

Knowledge of whole-home energy consumption provides consumers with insights into their electricity costs before the bill arrives; offers them feedback on electricity-intensive activities, such as water heating; and allows them to quantify the benefits of their personal energy-efficiency efforts.

Smart-Plug Controls: On a more granular level, GE is also adding Brillion-enabled Smart Plugs, which act as sensors for electronics and non-smart devices that plug into standard 120-volt outlets. These sensor plugs communicate with the Nucleus energy manager, enabling consumers to track electrical usage by the outlet for most 120-volt appliances and devices.

These sensors turn any standard 120-volt consumer good into a ‘smart home’ capable device. The sensors can be moved from device to device, enabling the consumer to perform an audit of their electrical appliances and electronics or to monitor them continuously for ongoing feedback – providing critical insights to help consumers reduce energy consumption.

“Energy data and energy monitoring are GE’s first steps toward a fully connected home,” Paul said. “We fully expect to expand our products beyond energy, bringing more convenience and control elements to the consumer. The beauty of having built-in communications features in our products means that we can also add functionality that makes people's lives easier.”

More Connected Communications Features: GE’s Brillion-enabled thermostats help consumers easily adjust heating and cooling schedules from their Nucleus software interface and alter household temperatures and operating modes remotely from their iPhone.

GE’s new GeoSpring™ hybrid water heater has connected capabilities and features that will allow consumers to more easily and more efficiently provide hot water to their families. Other Brillion-enabled appliances will undergo similar communication enhancements over the coming months.

“We started by exchanging energy information with local utilities via the smart grid, and now we’re expanding our solutions to communicate more and more with consumers directly,” Paul said. “ We also envision a day when these devices and appliances will communicate not just to the utility or to the consumer, but with each other for optimal consumer convenience and efficiency. At GE, we are developing the technologies that enable consumers to begin building their smart homes today.”

GE’s Brillion set of home-energy solutions also includes an in-home display and a full suite of appliances comprised of refrigerators, cooking products, dishwashers, laundry pairs and water heaters. For more information on Brillion home energy management (HEM) solutions, please visit:www.geappliances.com/home-energy-manager/.

About GE AppliancesGE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances. 

Neighborhood Challenge Grantees Save > 2 Million kWh of Electricity

Post from MOving Energy Forward blog:

Neighborhood Challenge grantees save more than 2 million kWh of electricity

The City of Milan and the White River Cooperative were awarded Energize Missouri Homes Neighborhood Challenge grants to encourage energy conservation and energy efficiency through home energy reports and in-home energy monitoring devices.


White River Valley Electric Cooperative received a grant award of $463,295 to deliver Take Control and Save Home Energy Reports to approximately 20,000 residential consumers. The reports provide a comparison of each customer’s own energy usage to a group of similar size homes in their area to encourage voluntary energy reduction. An energy savings of more than 1 million kilowatt hours kWh has been achieved for quarters 1-3 of 2011.  


The City of Milan received a grant award of $35,368.42 to implement an energy awareness project that provides in-home energy monitoring devices for approximately 291 homeowners in their service area. The monitors provide each participating household with real time data of their energy usage and utility costs.  The city estimates a savings of more than 1 million kilowatt hours for quarters 1-3 of 2011.


To date, the combined savings are more than 2 million kilowatt hours kWh. 

Posted on Dec 20, 2011