Australian company partners with energy giant for Europe expansion

Melbourne-based start-up Organic Response has formed a partnership with global energy company E.ON as the two companies seek to accelerate expansion of smart lighting technology across Europe.

According to Organic Response, it is the first company to develop a wireless lighting control system using distributed intelligence to “turn buildings into collaborative and more occupant-centric, energy-efficient ecosystems” with optimal occupancy comfort.

Independent evaluations of the company’s system show that lighting energy consumption can be cut by as much as 80% when installed.

The company says the secret behind the impressive energy savings is its Autonomous Algorithm architecture, inspired by the way schooling fish move, which delivers a control solution that is robust and scalable. 

The company’s sensor nodes are integrated into individual light fittings prior to delivery to the building site, and respond to occupancy the moment they are connected to mains power. The sensors share this occupancy information with each other, so each light fitting knows how far it is from an occupant and what light level is required. 

“We are pleased to have a partner with the scale of E.ON add their backing to our project to make smart lighting accessible to the world,” said Chris Duffield, CEO of Organic Response.

“The investment is the confirmation of a mutual desire to partner commercially across Europe and deliver to the market the world’s most elegant smart lighting solution.”

Under the terms of its Strategic Co-Investment program, E.ON takes disruptive or renewable energy propositions to its customers by investing and partnering with companies who are at the cutting edge of the energy-efficiency market.  

“Organic Response’s advanced data analytics and connectivity can add real value to E.ON’s commercial building customers in Europe by enabling them to achieve lasting reductions in their energy and operating costs,” said Susana Quintana Plaza, senior vice president for technology and innovation at E.ON.

“We see a strong value proposition for the Organic Response product being taken to our 30,000 commercial building customers. 

“E.ON is delighted to support Organic Response as it enters its next phase of growth and prepares to expand into new markets and deliver value through advanced data analytics and connectivity, and [we] look forward to working with the company as we move into the Internet of Things revolution.”