German consumers look to smart tech to help with energy costs

Four in ten (43%) German consumers use at least one smart technology application in their home – whether a vacuum cleaner robot or a smart radiator thermostat – and that number is rising as more turn to such technologies in order to cope with rising energy costs.

Context

German industry and consumers have been reliant on cheap gas coming from Russia, but with the war in Ukraine that’s now a thing of the past. As supplies are squeezed and prices rise, German manufacturers are halting production, the Financial Times reports, while consumers are looking at new ways to save heat and electricity. In the latter context, research by digital industry association Bitkom suggests that smart home technologies have an important role to play.

Key findings

• A quarter (25%) of Germans now use smart radiator thermostats, up from 17% in 2021 and 15% in 2020. 
• A fifth (21% ) use intelligent roller shutters or awnings, which automatically shut down when the sun is strong and thus provide cooling (up from 13% in 2021).
• A fifth (21% ) use smart or wifi sockets to avoid stand-by by default (up from 16% in 2921). 
• The proportion tracking their consumption via smart meters has risen from 8% in 2021 to 13% in 2022.
• Most people (85%) control their smart home applications and devices via smartphone app, with 55% issuising voice commands.
• Concerns among non-users range from hacker attacks (47%), misuse of personal data (37%) and invasion of privacy (29%).

Key quote

“Smart tools relieve the strain on the wallet in the long term, accelerate the energy transition with increased energy efficiency and at the same time reduce dependence on Russian gas and oil” – Achim Berg, President, Bitkom.

Sourced from Bitkom, Financial Times