Toyota Launches Development of Home Energy Management System with Power Storage Function

Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyota Housing Corp. announced on April 14, 2009, that they have begun developing a new Home Energy Management System (HEMS) capable of storing electricity, and aim for its commercial release in fiscal 2011.

Like conventional HEMSs, the system under development can display the amount of energy consumption and control operations of home appliances such as air-conditioners and lighting fixtures, as well as water heaters, by utilizing computer network technology. In addition, the new HEMS features a function to store energy from cheaper off-peak electricity and other surplus energy. The companies aim to combine the new system with a photovoltaic system, which are expected to be pervasive, and with plug-in hybrid-electric and electric vehicles, which are expected to be more common in the near future.

The prototype equipped with a lithium-ion battery has already been completed. The product will be priced at around several hundred thousand yen (several thousand U.S.$) when released onto the market.

Posted: 2009/7/03 06:00:15 AM