Homey, the smart home platform owned by LG, has taken a significant step towards comprehensive energy management with the launch of a new energy tab and smart meter dongle. The innovative features are designed to track and monitor energy use from compatible smart devices, such as plugs, appliances, thermostats, and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

The energy management tab, currently in public beta for Homey Pro and Homey Cloud customers, provides users with a detailed overview of their energy consumption. It displays live electricity, gas, and water usage, as well as historical data, allowing users to identify areas for improvement. The tab also supports solar generation tracking, EV charging monitoring, and energy supply or consumption from the grid.

The Homey Energy Dongle, available for pre-order in select European countries, connects directly to a smart meter to monitor a home's energy consumption. The dongle uses the P1 standard to track electricity and gas usage, providing users with accurate and real-time data. Homey plans to introduce support for automatic dynamic energy pricing next year, enabling users to set up automations that optimize energy use based on fluctuating prices.

Homey's energy management features are compatible with a wide range of devices, thanks to its support for various connectivity standards, including Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Thread, IR, and Matter. The platform's commercial director, Stefan Witkamp, emphasized that the energy management functionality works with all devices connected to a Homey setup, regardless of their connection method.

The launch of Homey's energy management features comes at a time when the smart home industry is increasingly focusing on energy efficiency. Several companies, including Samsung and Apple, have introduced energy management capabilities to their platforms. The new Matter smart home standard has also added energy management to its specification, highlighting the growing importance of this feature in the smart home ecosystem.

Homey's move is significant, not only because it expands the platform's capabilities but also because it demonstrates LG's commitment to integrating Homey's connectivity and software into its ThinQ platform. While Homey will continue to operate independently, the acquisition has paved the way for further innovation and collaboration in the smart home space.

As the smart home industry continues to evolve, energy management is likely to play a key role in driving adoption and user engagement. By providing users with a comprehensive understanding of their energy consumption, Homey's new features have the potential to help users save energy and reduce their costs. With the growing momentum in home energy management, Homey's latest move is a significant step forward in this direction.