This is the view of Jon Kornik, CEO of Cape Town-based Plentify , a technology start-up that works with solar installers and other companies to deploy smart geyser timers into homes in South Africa.
Smart geysers, Kornik told TechCentral in an interview, help address the "mismatch" between when electricity demand is highest and when clean energy supply is available.
The focus is on shifting electricity demand, to flatten the demand curve and reduce the strain on the grid during the morning and evening peaks.
Significant energy is consumed at peak times to warm up water in households, and if this heating can take place at off-peak times, or when there is good solar energy production, the impact on the country could be immense, Kornik said.
A focus of Plentify is to work with solar installers so ensure the heating of home geysers is done from the sun as much as possible, storing heat in the geyser for when it's needed (typically early in the morning and again in the evening). This not only reduces the load on the grid but also cuts households' electricity costs by using less grid-supplied energy.
