At CES 2021, the environment and energy conservation continue to be major themes throughout the technology. One of the benefits of smart light switches, smart outlets, and smart light bulbs is the potential to save energy. But it is something of a piecemeal approach and does not address the largest source of energy consumption in the home: appliances. [Schneider Electric's new Square D Energy Center, unveiled at CES 2021, seeks to help manage energy consumption by not only monitoring refrigerators and washing machines, but also by incorporating solar energy and alternative sources and switching to grid power ...

Think of Square D Energy Center as an ultra-smart fuse box. It can be connected to circuits throughout the house and monitored and controlled by an app. In addition, it can be connected to solar panels and generators to automatically switch power sources based on current energy rates or if the grid goes down.

Because the energy center is connected to the cloud, it can also recommend the best times to run energy-intensive appliances or charge electric vehicles. In the event of a power outage, it can also determine which circuits are essential, such as refrigerators, and which are not, and automatically direct them to circuits that require backup power to remain on. In addition, surge protection is built in to prepare for sudden shocks. [Schneider Electric's Square D Energy Center uses algorithms to detect if an appliance is approaching failure, just as the best water leak detectors detect leaks by changes in water pressure. [Square D Energy Center is the latest addition to Schneider Electric's Wiser Energy product lineup. The company now sells the Wiser Home Energy Monitoring Kit ($300), which can be installed by you and monitors your home's energy consumption. However, it cannot turn off circuits, etc.

Schneider Electric will also soon begin selling its own line of smart light switches and smart outlets that can work with its Energy Center. These will be priced similar to the best smart light switches on the market today ($30-$50) and will be available in a variety of finishes.