Tigo Energy Rolls Dynamic Rate Management Into Residential Solar + Storage Product

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Electricity grids are getting smarter and smarter, and that means more and more dynamic pricing. Smart grid companies are also getting better at making use of that dynamic pricing for their customers.

The company Tigo Energy is one company that has been providing intelligent solar and energy software solutions, and now it’s going to do more for its customers with the new Dynamic Rate Management solution, part of its Tigo EI Residential package. It is available in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands to start.

“This new capability enables Tigo all-in-one ecosystem to intelligently respond dynamically to changes in electricity rates,” the company shares. “This addition of Dynamic Rate Management comes at a time when European energy companies are rapidly expanding the use of dynamic rates across several EU nations. The Dynamic Rate Manager will be available for new Tigo EI customers as well as existing EI Residential system owners as a part of a software update with no additional hardware, accessories, or configuration required.”

The new capability basically does what you’d think — it means the Tigo system can read queues from the wholesale power market in order to try to maximize a home’s energy tech capabilities. Perhaps the way Tigo puts it is simpler or easier to understand: “The Dynamic Rate Management feature allows the EI Residential solution to automatically acquire and interpret wholesale dynamic energy prices, often updated on a day-ahead basis, and plan system behaviour to optimize the use of solar, battery, and grid power based on forecasted price patterns. With Dynamic Rate Management from Tigo, the complicated process of calculating and adjusting energy equipment behavior is fully automated.”

Sounds compelling. This has to make Tigo customers some decent ROI in markets. They can view details in the Tigo Energy Intelligence app. “The Dynamic Rate Manager leverages machine learning to analyze day-ahead market data and generate a personalized 24-hour energy plan, clearly highlighting both peak and off-peak hours in the app. Users may also customize how the system behaves, such as charging the battery from the grid during off-peak periods or discharging during peak-price windows, depending on local feed-in tariff rules. According to the smart home company tado°, in the first half of 2024, households with a dynamic electricity contract that optimized consumption saved up to 34% on electricity costs compared to the average wholesale market power price (excluding fees and taxes).” Boom. 34% savings?!?!

“We had the opportunity to test the new Dynamic Rate feature ahead of the official launch thanks to our participation in the Tigo Installer Loyalty Program, and the benefits are immediately visible,” said Michael Schmittinger, Managing Director at MMS Communication GmbH & Co. KG. “The Tigo EI platform builds a precise daily schedule for energy flow and battery management that mirrors the actual price curve with remarkable accuracy. For our customers, this translates into tangible savings and a level of automation that removes all complexity. It truly feels like having a smart energy manager constantly working in the background to extract the maximum value from every kilowatt-hour.”