Smart technology delivers energy information to the fridge

In an Australian mass market first, Origin’s Victorian customers will receive access to an innovative new in-home energy monitor that displays near real-time information about their energy use within seconds.

The Origin Energy Monitor is approximately the size of a smart phone, sits magnetically on a customer’s fridge and receives data wirelessly from their smart meter.

Origin Energy markets chief executive officer Frank Calabria said the technology will assist consumers to control their usage and costs.

“Customers are also extremely busy and want this information delivered instantly and conveniently. The Origin Energy Monitor addresses this need by displaying this energy information on one of the most used appliances in the household,” he said.

The monitor allows customers to easily view both their usage and the cost of what they are using within seconds. The unit will work straight out of the box with no need for an electrician to install or the customer to manually enter any data.

“The Origin Energy Monitor is the perfect complement to the Origin Smart online portal which, when it launched last year, provided Victorian customers with detailed usage and cost information plus future bill estimates for the first time,” Mr Calabria said.

A recent survey of Origin Smart online portal users revealed customers were looking for more timely information to help them track household energy use and make real-time decisions. While the Origin Smart online portal gives users in-depth analysis of their usage including bill estimates, the Energy Monitor works like a clock, where a quick glance provides immediate updates on their current usage and cost to help inform their energy choices.

The Origin Energy Monitor will be available free and exclusive to eligible Victorian customers, except those within the SP Ausnet region, who sign up to and remain on the Origin Smart Daily Saver Energy Plan.

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