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Solar panels capture energy from light and convert it to electricity.   This is the most visible form of energy harvesting, but it is hardly the only one.  Energy harvesting captures energy lost as heat, light, sound, vibration, or movement.  Devices that harvest or scavenge energy can capture, accumulate, store, condition, and manage this energy into electricity for consumption.  That’s important, because our existing electricity infrastructure is extremely wasteful in its use of energy.  For instance, today’s technologies used in electricity generation are not energy efficient.  Traditional gas or steam-powered turbines convert heat to mechanical energy, which is then converted to electricity.  Up to two thirds of that energy input is lost as heat.  Those old incandescent bulbs (technology invented by Thomas Edison in 1879) were real energy losers too.  Ninety percent of the electricity flowing into incandescent bulbs ends up as waste heat. That’s lost energy, which is why smart federal legislation banned incandescents in favor of more energy efficient sources of lighting starting in 2012.

AHAM lists the following six key features associated with smart appliances: Dynamic electricity pricing information is delivered to the user It can respond to utility signals Integrity of its operation is maintained while automatically adjusting its operation to respond to emergency power situations and help prevent brown or blackouts The consumer can override all previously programmed selections or instructions from the Smart Grid, while ensuring the appliance‘s safety functions remain active When connected through a Home Area Network and/or controlled via a Home Energy Management system, smart appliances allow for a total home energy usage approach. This enables the consumer to develop their own energy usage profile and use the data according to how it best benefits them It incorporates features to target renewable energy by allowing for the shifting of power usage to an optimal time for renewable energy generation, i.e., when the wind is blowing or sun is shining According to a research piece written by Zpryme, the smart appliance market is projected to grow from $3.06 billion in 2011 to $15.12 billion in 2015, with the U.S. accounting for 46.6 percent of that in 2011 and 36 percent in 2015. By contrast, China is expected to have an 11.6 percent share in 2011 and an 18.2 percent share in 2015. What's more, there are some strong drivers to smart appliance investment: Pricing: Bringing smart appliances to the mainstream means aligning ecological innovation with affordability Environment: With the build-out of metering and real-time pricing, consumers will see economic and environmental incentives for reducing power consumption first hand with their smart appliances Energy efficiency: When a consumer buys an appliance, they commit to paying both the first cost and the operating cost for the life of the product. And over the existence of the appliance, the energy cost to run it could be significantly greater than the initial cost Smart grid build-out: Smart appliance growth relies heavily on how quickly smart grid infrastructure can be rolled-out and readily accessible to communities Government subsidies: Like the Cash for Appliances program in the U.S., governments could and should play an active role in furthering the smart appliance agenda

The report identifies five key findings, as follows: There is a significant contradiction between consumer perceptions and their actual knowledge of energy efficiency. Consumers’ first instinct is to contact utilities/electricity providers for energy-efficiency activities, but providers still need to build trust and credibility. While prices remain a key factor to adoption, the extent of the utilities’/providers’ control over energy use has emerged as a potential barrier. Channels and contact points for utilities/electricity providers to communicate with consumers are diverse. Adoption of electricity management programs is influenced by fragmented and nontraditional consumer preferences.

When it comes to energy use there is nothing quite as unpredictable as human behaviour. Understanding the complex range of factors that influence energy end-use behaviour will be the focus of a new two-year project to be undertaken by the Demand-Side Management Programme

Making the switch to the large-scale renewable energy systems required to combat climate change will require public and private capital investment on a massive scale.