A Sensor Networks study reveals that large households of up to four people or more can save up to R500 on their monthly electricity bill by using smart geyser technology.
The company, which has installed more than 12 000 smart geysers across South Africa, confirms that a typical household of four or more people with a standard electrical geyser that purchases electricity at around R4 per kWh and consumes 12 KWh per day, would have a total monthly electricity bill of R1 440.
With the installation of a smart geyser, that same household, purchasing electricity at the same rate, would experience a reduced monthly bill of R936, with a R35% saving at R504.
“Smart geysers are the next-generation model that lets the owner control their hot water anytime, anywhere from their smartphone. Designed to save energy and cut costs, it learns the user’s routine, heats water only when they need it and gives the owner full control at their fingertips,” says Mark Allewell, CEO of Sensor Networks.
The data collected by Sensor Networks from its fleet of installed smart geysers reveals that these devices save about 50 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity every day, equating to 1 500 MWh per month or 18.25 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year.
Allewell adds: “At the end of August, South Africa marked more than 100 consecutive days without loadshedding – a milestone Eskom attributes to several operational improvements, including the restoration of 7 800 megawatts of capacity since 2023.
“Of course, these successes could not have come at a more perfect time. News reports have recently exposed a secret out-of-court settlement reached between NERSA and Eskom which allows the latter to recoup an additional R54-billion in revenue after the regulator made several mistakes in its sixth multi-year price determination on Eskom tariffs,” he adds.
The burden of this is expected to be passed onto the consumer through increased tariff hikes in the coming financial years. This only adds salt to the already existing wound caused by the NERSA-approved 12,74% tariff increase that came into effect from the beginning of July this year.
“South Africans have already started to seek solutions to shield themselves from the worst of the unstable supply and increasing tariff costs. However, not everyone has the means to install solar panels and inverters to go completely off-grid, which limits their opportunity to save on their electricity bills,” Allewell says.
“Geysers remain one of the largest contributors to residential electricity use in South Africa, accounting for 30% to 40% of total household consumption. Smart geysers are the ideal solution for those looking for a cheaper, cost-saving alternative to solar panels and inverters. Innovative solutions remain our silver bullet for sustainability and electricity cost savings in the short, medium and long term.”