Sense software, embedded in next-generation smart meters, uses high-resolution data and edge computing to deliver a real-time view of what’s happening in the home and on the grid.

For consumers, the Sense app on their smartphones provides real-time insights that drive engagement and build trust. It helps homeowners adopt energy-saving habits, respond to demand flexibility programs, make the switch to electrified appliances, and ultimately save money.

For utilities, Sense gives companies a comprehensive view of the grid, improving customer experiences and supporting electrification with better insights for planning and managing capacity on the distribution grid. Sense also brings visibility to high-frequency transient events (e.g. object-on-wire faults) and helps pinpoint their location.

Sense charges a recurring annual fee for its data subscription model (based on which APIs are in use). Pricing is fixed regardless of utility size, though it does offer volumetric discounts tied to the number of purchased services. Sense does benefit from one unique pricing advantage, as it bundles recurring annual fee contracts with meter expenditures in order to minimize traditional regulatory (i.e., accounting rules) barriers. Sense also leverages its real-time mobile experience to drive performance based revenue in utility energy efficiency and demand flexibility portfolios as well as market based virtual power plant (VPP) partnerships.

Device detection - Sampling current and voltage at up to 1MHz, Sense uses machine learning algorithms & AI to identify devices in the home using the unique waveforms of those appliances.

Embedded in the meter - Sense is currently the only 3rd party app embedded in next-generation meters. This approach ensures both scale and reduces the need for any additional hardware costs, making the solution accessible to all customers.

Real-time experience - With Sense embedded in the meter and connected to customers through their home wifi (HAN), customers who download the app have the first truly real-time experience for consumers.

API access - The app provides integration with other smart home devices and apps like Hue, Amazon Alexa, TP-Link, Wemo, and IFTTT.

Demand Flexibility - Through both behavioral based nudges and automation, Sense can help utilities increase customer participation, maximize low carbon resources and ensure the reliability of the grid. Sense-enabled meters give customers a real-time view of what is happening in the home and can alert them when there is either excess energy that should be capitalized on or similarly, a need to defer or turn-off appliances in the home during periods of constraint.

Improved forecasting for electrification - Sense brings granularity to both where load growth is happening (at the transformer level) and what is driving that growth (e.g. EVs, heat-pumps, etc.). Utilities can better plan and manage capacity limits and proactively plan for asset replacements as needed to support additional growth.

Fault detection/Power quality - Sense cannot only see into the home from the meter we can also see out to the grid. By aggregating highly localized data, we can help utilities pinpoint things like vegetation growth hitting power lines before problems arise.

Energy Efficiency - Provides historical energy consumption at both the whole home and device level. Users can set a goal and be notified in real time if they exceed it. Users are provided normative insights on how their energy use stacks up to similar homes and insights on how they could reduce it. Utilities can promote rebates and other EE programs that could benefit the customer.