Vampires suck...and so does vampire energy. Plugged-in electronics often draw power even when they're "off". The truth is, they're not really "off", they're in an unnecessary "stand-by" mode. We've talked about smart power strips and other smart plugs before, but the Modlet by ThinkEco is a new addition to the arsenal.
The Modlet fits over traditional outlets and allows a person to control the supply of energy through the plug.
What makes the Modlet different from other smart plugs is that it uses Zigbee to create a mesh network that allows users to monitor and schedule the Modlet network from their PC.
How much can the Modlet (or a network of Modlets) save you?
"ThinkEco said the modlets can cut power consumption by 35 percent to 80 percent per device, and up to 10 percent in an office with no changes to the people inside.The company said that results vary depending on the number of modlets used. But it has been testing the modlet with 75 organizations and that the payback period is typically under six months."
I absolutely LOVE the ability to manage your Modlet network via any web browser. Not only can you schedule your entertainment center or home office equipment to power off at night, but it also lends itself to more practical energy-saving tasks as well.
Let's say you leave for work and realize you left your TV on, or maybe you can't remember whether or not you turned off the coffee pot. Get to work, log in to your home Modlet network, and shut down the power.
Great idea.
The Modlet is in a pilot program at the moment, but we hope to see it hit the market soon.
What do you think about this sort of next-gen smart plug? Would you use the online scheduling and management features?
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