Imagine an energy-saving technology which, if applied to every home in the U.S., could save the amount of energy it takes to power all of the homes in California, New York and Texas. That is roughly 32 million homes. Your mind probably jumped to cold fusion or some other science fiction solution; but the reality could be as simple as the smart implementation of technology that is already available today.
Ford recently announced the MyEnergi Lifestyle® collaboration, which will demonstrate how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and CO2 footprint by integrating home appliance technology with a plug-in vehicle to achieve an energy-efficient lifestyle.
As unlikely as it seems, simply updating outdated appliances, adding a renewable energy source like solar panels and switching from a vehicle that gets 25 miles per gallon to a Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid can yield significant savings. According to a computer model created by the Georgia Institute of Technology, this could result in a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and a savings of over 9,000 kg of CO2 for a single home
To turn that model into a reality, Ford is working closely on MyEnergi Lifestyle with leaders in the home appliance, renewable energy, and power management industries like Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool, as well as Infineon and Nest Labs.
An array of recent technological advancements makes this project possible. Electric vehicles, like the C-MAX Energi, are more efficient and can intelligently charge during the lower-cost electricity hours. Appliance efficiency has improved dramatically over the past decade and thermostats have become smarter. At the same time, reliable and affordable rooftop solar systems enable families to generate their own renewable energy and save money on their utility bills.
In addition to the energy benefits directly received from the latest product offerings, the widespread deployment of smart meters, which are now more than 40 million homes across the U.S., enables households to take advantage of off-peak rates.
The Ford off-peak electric usage technology – value charging – is available on all Ford plug-in vehicles via the MyFord® Mobile app. Value charging harnesses the power of cloud computing to automatically charge the vehicle when utility rates are lowest, thus helping to minimize the cost to charge the vehicle and potentially the ownership costs of an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
The collaborating MyEnergi Lifestyle companies will demonstrate how attainable, affordable and convenient a sustainable lifestyle can be by awarding a typical American family with the delivery and installation of energy-saving products from each company, along with other leading energy-efficient products.