Smart energy technologies company Sensor Networks and demand side management specialist company ThermoVault have formed a partnership to enable real-time, remote control of smart geysers that will allow utilities and licensed load aggregators to shift geyser loads in response to grid needs, without disrupting comfort or hot water availability in the home.

Geysers are typically the single largest consumer of electricity in a household, and currently operate independently of whether hot water is needed or not.

The partnership aims to deploy advanced load-shifting capabilities to intelligently manage the thousands of distributed loads that, if coordinated, could reduce electricity demand during peak periods.

This represents a largely untapped opportunity for the national grid, the companies say.

The collaboration combines Sensor Networks' smart geyser technology expertise with ThermoVault’s AI-based optimisation engine, which has already been proven in several European markets.

Geysers are ideal for load-shifting because they store thermal energy and allow for water to be heated earlier or later without affecting the user’s experience.

This flexibility enables the system to optimise heating times, ease pressure on the grid and improve energy efficiency; all automatically and with no action needed from the user, the companies aver.

In Europe, demand-side aggregation of thermostatically controlled loads, including geysers, heat pumps and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, is a well-established method for balancing the grid.

These loads serve as virtual power plants and are capable of shifting megawatts of demand in real-time, which is especially useful as renewable energy introduces more variability into the supply mix.

By bringing that same model to South Africa’s extensive base of residential geysers, Sensor Networks is helping to unlock demand response at scale, in close coordination with existing utilities and aggregators, the company says.

“Geysers are a perfect fit because they consume a lot of power, but their flexibility means they can be intelligently shifted. When you aggregate enough of them, you create meaningful stability for the grid,” says ThermoVault demand response head Thibaut Gérard.

Further, by delivering the technology backbone for smart geyser control, Sensor Networks enables utilities and aggregators to respond rapidly and efficiently to grid demands, the company adds.

Modernising South Africa's energy system is not just about building more capacity, but making smarter use of what we have. Through partnerships and technology, homes across the country are becoming part of the grid solution, Sensor Networks says.