Retail Supplier, Which Is Newly Entering The U.S., Partnering With Samsung To Launch "World’s First Home Energy Control Service"

Bulb, a U.K.-based retail energy supplier which is newly entering the U.S. market (as first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com here) announced that it is working with Samsung to offer U.K. customers the "SmartThings Energy Control" -- a service that runs within the SmartThings app and helps people with smart meters monitor their energy use in (almost) real-time from the convenience of their smartphone or tablet.

"From today, Bulb members with smart meters will be able to monitor their energy use in (almost) real-time and control smart home devices based on that data through the SmartThings app," the company said

"We're thrilled about this because it's a bit of a first. We're turning the pipedreams and promises of the smart home into something concrete, useful and democratic. It's not just for early adopters any more, it's not just a 'beta', it's a real tool that gets energy information off the wall and into the phone. And it lets you connect that information with practical everyday stuff like when the washing machine comes on. Saving you money. Reducing your carbon impact. Integrating energy into the smart home revolution is a crucial step in making 'smartness' more than a marketing buzzword," Bulb said

"That's also why we're delighted to be the first energy supplier to work with a business like Samsung on such a large-scale integrated service," Bulb said

Under the program, customers may download the SmartThings app for iOS in the App Store and Android in the Google Play Store. If customers have a Bulb account, a SMETS2 smart meter and a Chameleon In-Home Display (IHD) connected to Wi-Fi, customers can link them all together using the inbuilt SmartThings Energy Control Service.

The IHDs that Bulb provides when a customer's smart meter is installed are manufactured by Chameleon. If another supplier installed the customer's smart meter, the customer might not be able to use the SmartThings Energy Control.

In the app, customers will be able to see detailed, up to the minute information about energy usage, and customers can share that with everyone in their household.

That same app will let customers control thousands of compatible smart home products so customers can integrate their smart meter with their smart home. Customers can connect things like thermostats, lighting and washing machines. And customers can even control their existing non smart devices by adding a smart plug to devices such as kettles, coffee machines and lamps.

"In the next couple of months we're adding more features that will do even more: The app will integrate with our Smart Tariff - and advise you how much you’ll be able to save if you can shift some of your energy use out of the most expensive parts of the day," Bulb said

Teg Dosanjh, Director of Connected Living, Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland said, "With SmartThings Energy Control, we’re taking energy data off the wall and putting it into people’s hands. This innovation takes us into a new era of smart when it comes to energy management. It’s about enabling access to that data in a way that feels natural to people so households are more empowered to make informed decisions about how to reduce and when to use their energy."