Energy management and Australian startup Wattwatchers, has been named as one of the two winners of this year’s Australian Technology Competition, in a ceremony in Melbourne.
Sydney-based Wattwatchers has developed the ultra-compact auditor series of internet appliances for energy that deliver accurate, real-time energy management over the internet, independent of billing meters and equipment monitoring systems.
Wattwatchers won the New Energy Award for 2016, while Melbourne-based company Independent Products won the Smart Cities Award for its ultra-energy efficient air conditioner retrofit technology.
Wattwatchers Digital Energy is part of the Energy Saving Networks Group; an energy technology company involved in research, development and marketing of future-ready, real-time metering, communications and control technologies for the ‘New Energy’ era.
The Wattwatchers system covers main and circuit level energy flows and power metrics for electricity generation, storage and consumption including major load and appliances, and its easy-install deployment extends across residential, commercial and industrial sectors.
This rapidly evolving and unpredictable operating environment includes distributed and clean energy, like solar PV and batteries, the emerging energy services market, ‘behind the (utility) meter’ and Internet of Things or IoT applications.
This award comes at a critical time, both for the company and for the nascent Australian market for the internet of things, which many believe will be key to the transition to an energy market where consumers are engaged and want to make the most of opportunities to save money through energy efficiency, rooftop solar and battery storage.
Judges described the Wattwatchers’ auditor device as “a well-developed solution for which there is a clear market need.” They further commended the company for providing data and control to its users in “a sophisticated and accessible way,” and for its credible global strategy.
Commenting over the successful event and brilliant innovations, organizer John O’Brien says,
Both winners were chosen by judges for their world-leading Australian inventions combined with strong commercial acumen and significant global potential. It will be exciting to watch the company’s growth.
Meanwhile, Independent Products’ technology uses the waste-water created by air conditioners to improve energy efficiency by up to 40 per cent, and can be retrofitted to most existing split system air-conditioning and refrigeration units.
The two winners will now go on to compete in the national finals in Sydney on November 2, against technologies from other sectors, at which the Australian Technology Company of the year will be announced.
