October 2009

Issue Thirty Three

ANTENNAE
Contents

TREND REPORT
P.04-07 Portable power

P.08-11 Self-powered

OCTOBER 2009
P.12-13 Efficiency

P.14-18 Recharging

P.19-22 Home and away

12v

1
2
3

MENU

38

energy
ANTENNAE October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
TREND REPORT
OCTOBER 2009

33
The Antennae Trends team at NewEdge +
The Brewery carries out research in new
design trends, ideas and creative thinking
- from global product innovation through to
changing consumer lifestyles.

With manufacturers, governments, and

consumers demanding more sustainable
energy, with greater efficiency we are seeing a
change in the products and services that we
use, and how we use them.

If you’d like to know more about our trends

research, our consultancy, or if you would like
to comment on anything you have read in this
issue, please email The Antennae team:

antennae@newedge-thebrewery.com

Page 2

The path to a low carbon future
The push to create a new world of energy
We are fast approaching a fundamental shift in the
creation, supply, delivery and usage of energy. The
future will be powered by alternative energy and
cleaner fossil fuels. Could we be at the beginning
of the end of the age of oil?
In the 1970s the Saudi Oil Minister, Sheikh Zaki
Yamani, said ‘The Stone Age did not end because
the world ran out of stone. Nor will the oil age end
because we have run out of oil’. It will end when
consumers refuse to pay the inflated oil prices, and
develop substitutes instead.
Oil is currently priced at close to $70 a barrel,
seven times the price of a decade ago. However,
as a result of this and the coincidental economic
downturn, global oil demand has been three
million barrels a day lower in the second quarter of
this year in comparison to early 2008.
Governments around the world are beginning to
prepare for a low carbon future. In July the UK
government pledged a 20 per cent increase to £3.2
billion for improving energy efficiency in homes.
They have also proposed a financial incentive for
buying low carbon cars after 2011 that produce
less than 75g CO2/km. Such incentives are likely
to greatly increase the desirability and popularity
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
of carbon friendly cars, sending a signal to car Above
A new energy future could
manufacturers to invest more heavily into their be on the horizon
innovation and energy efficiency programs.
Energy companies are already preparing for
the future, increasing production of natural gas,
investing in renewables such as sustainable
biofuels, and researching ways to capture CO2
and store it safely underground.
The UK has an ambition to provide 40 per cent of
electricity by 2020 from low-carbon sources, most
of which will have to come from renewables.
By the middle of the century renewable sources will
provide nearly 30 per cent of the world’s energy.
While technology will give society greater energy
choices, it remains unclear whether people are
willing to become better users of energy. Influencing
consumer behavior may prove toughest of all.
The push to create a new energy system will
provide new business opportunities for companies,
and will develop a new industry. We can expect to
see energy technologies drive innovation across
sectors for the foreseeable future.
Page 3

e-packaging
Digital infotainment is changing how we make our purchasing decisions
The introduction of smart shelving and packaging
will eventually change the brand experience at
the First Moment of Truth, and as a result brands
and designers will need to think about product
packaging in a more holistic way.
Plastic Logic’s flexible electronic greyscale display,
Sony’s full color OLED display film prototype, and
Siemens ultra-thin displays offer opportunities
for distinctive labelling and graphics. These
technological developments will allow text and
images to be applied to anything from milk cartons
to cereal boxes. Although the cost is relatively
high, with each display costing in the region of 30
cents, as the technology becomes popular we can
expect to see this price fall.
In the near future we can expect to see supermarket
aisles resemble Piccadilly Circus, with digital
advertising to grab consumers’ attention and
better inform them of the product’s attributes.
Digital shelf tagging is already in operation and
ZBD, an e-paper retail specialist, have already
installed their system into a hundred stores, with
23 retailers located across 7 countries within
Europe and the US. The connected displays can
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
all be updated simultaneously saving cost and Above
Shelf tagging from ZBD
manpower, as well as empowering retailers with
the ability to change product related information www.zbdsolutions.com
anywhere, anytime including logos, competitor
pricing and price changes.
Advertisements already permeate many aspects
of our lives, with brands becoming increasingly
aware of the benefits of digital advertising online
or imbedded into the digital products we own. This
knowledge can be transferred into future pack
designs.
Designers and manufacturers need to analyze the
best way to use the new technology to pull the
consumer in, either at point of purchase or when
they get the product home.
As well as increasing brand awareness electronic
labelling could allow the consumer to have more
control over how they access label information. Following page - top
Wireless shelf tag
Many consumers currently have difficulty in reading
the labelling which either identifies the content www.zbdsolutions.com
or instructions. Consumers increasingly demand
greater information on pack as do government Following page -
middle and bottom
regulations, and e-packaging could resolve the Esquire’s limited edition
issues related to over-cluttering on pack. e-paper cover and advert
Page 4
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

Moreover, it allows you to customize each and

every product, which fits with the current trend in
packaging towards shorter print runs. Like the shelf
tags, each pack could be updated in store to reflect
sales deals or the latest brand communications.

The pack could even have a level of intelligence

whereby it responds to changes in the product or
environment communicating the product history or
condition to the consumer. In the food industry this
could be of great benefit where a ‘use by date’ is
inefficient in informing the user whether the pack
has been exposed to the wrong temperature for
too long.

The retail environment is just one environment

where e-paper will prove successful. Earlier this
year we saw the 75th anniversary issue of Esquire
feature an e-ink cover for 100,000 limited editions.
It was made possible by the development of a
battery small enough to be embedded into the
magazine cover that kept the display on for at least
90 days. The high cost of this display was paid for in
part by running a double page e-ink advertisement
on the back of the magazine featuring the new
Ford Flex crossover vehicle.

E-paper may also be integrated into payment

cards producing a password for one time usage
that can be used to prove the presence of the card
during online purchases or online banking, helping
to improve banking security.

The many applications for e-paper result in a

market forecast of $131 million in 2010 rising to
$7.45 billion in 2020. Shelf-edge displays represent
the biggest opportunity for the paper-like display
business in the next few years, generating a
projected $1.2 billion in annual revenues by 2011.
The global smart packaging market is expected to
grow to $4.8 billion in 2011 and reach $14.1 billion
in 2013.

Each e-paper display requires a low voltage charge

from an ultra thin battery, and this will prove to be
the biggest growth area in portable power in the
next few years.

We are approaching a future where e-paper plays

an active role in adding functionality to the product
itself, or to aspects of product consumption,
convenience or security. Printed electronics will
provide added value to enable companies to
enhance their brands, and the user experience.
Brands, designers, and manufacturers will have
to work closely together to ensure that the new
technology is integrated in a seamless way that
meets the changing needs of the consumer and
the retail environment.

Page 5

Smaller, faster, stronger
New battery innovations are set to change consumer products forever
What would our world be without the disposable
AA battery? The battery, in all its forms, gives
life to a huge number of everyday products -
from cameras and watches to remote controls
and laptops. This has made it one of the largest
industries in the world, generating almost $50
billion a year in worldwide sales. But the industry
is on the verge of huge innovations that could not
only revolutionize batteries, but also the products
that use them.
With a large trend in consumer electronics
for miniaturization and portability, it was only
natural that their power source would follow
suit. New research into the manufacture of
lithium-ion batteries has resulted in a radical new
development. Most lithium-ion batteries are made
from lithium and cobalt, but by using lithium iron
phosphate instead, a number of advantages have
been discovered.
Firstly, lithium iron phosphate batteries charge up
to eighteen times faster than standard lithium-ion
ones. Secondly, the new prototype batteries don’t
lose their capacity to charge in the same way that
standard lithium-ion batteries do. Both of these
features mean that batteries made of lithium and
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
cobalt could be smaller, lighter and have the ability Above
Lithium iron phosphate
to charge at an incredibly quick rate. batteries could soon replace
standard Lithium-ion batteries
Some of the products that would be most
interested in integrating this technology would
include laptops and mobile phones. The ability
to charge a phone in less than 10 minutes, from
empty, would be a unique selling point that would
appeal to a majority of consumers.
Also, this development doesn’t require a massive
change to current manufacturing processes.
Experts working on the new, innovative batteries
predict that they will be ready to market it within
2 or 3 years. We could soon be seeing ultra thin
iPods, not much bigger than a credit card, with the
ability to charge within a couple of minutes.
Although a lot less likely to be in commercial
development anytime soon, the nuclear battery
could still be a reality. Despite being used for
years in many military and aerospace applications,
nuclear batteries have always been far too large
for commercial use. Recent innovations have
reduced this size down to a standard penny-sized
battery, with the hope of applying the technology
commercially.
Page 6
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

The main advantage of using nuclear technology The current innovations in the battery industry Top
Advances in making batteries
in batteries is that their charge can last for an are centered around limitations of the current more ecologically friendly
incredibly long amount of time, years or even technology. The key to getting the new technology are vital
decades. However, the huge drawback is the in the marketplace is partnering it with a suitable Bottom
negative consumer reaction to nuclear energy, piece of design, which makes best use of its Wind Up Battery
especially if it was integrated into products that benefits. We can expect various new innovations in
had such close proximity to them. consumer electronics, with smaller, thinner profiles
due to the use of cutting edge battery design.
The development of NanoEnergy has also given
rise to the possibility of batteries that could be
charged quickly, yet could be thinner than a sheet
of paper. The developer of the technology, FET,
believes that the best application of the technology
would be in “micro power” devices such as RFID
tags and wireless sensor networks. The flexible
nature of the technology means that the batteries
can also be subtly engineered into various organic
shapes and forms, making them ideal for medical
devices and wearable health monitoring systems.

The battery technology has already been sold

commercially in small volumes, so we should
expect to see its application in numerous innovative
products in the near future. As well as being
highly efficient and innovative, the NanoEnergy
technology also has a lower environmental impact
than existing battery technologies.

The environmental impact of batteries is

something that has been addressed in ways other
than reducing the physical footprint or changing
materials. Ceramatec, based in Salt Lake City,
believes it has developed a breakthrough battery
for storing solar energy, making it safer and more
convenient.

With current battery storage of solar energy too

volatile for consumers to keep in their household,
the new development by Ceramatec has generated
considerable interest, as many governments
continue to encourage households to generate
their own power. The company believes that the
refrigerator-sized battery will never exceed 90°C,
and will cost no more than $2,000 – important
attributes in getting government approval and
gaining access to consumers’ homes.

A slightly more adventurous concept is the Wind

Up Battery. Although very blue-sky in nature, the
Wind Up Battery is an interesting idea – providing
consumers globally with a constantly accessible
energy source in a conventional format. The extra
manufacturing elements could make the concept
expensive and perhaps out of reach for those who
need this technology the most.

Page 7

People power
A future where no energy goes to waste, and instead is recycled efficiently
Following on from last August 2008’s issue
of Antennae ‘Environmental Change Through
Design’ eco-friendly powering solutions have
grown in popularity. Last year we identified the
newly launched eco-friendly London nightclub
Suya which is powered by clubbers dancing. The
technology of piezoelectricity (in which materials
rub together to create a charge) has found more
applications outside of eco spaces.
At the Sainsbury’s store in Gloucester, UK, kinetic
plates were embedded into the road earlier this
year, which are pushed down every time a vehicle
passes over them. The plates are able to produce
30kw of green energy an hour – enough to power
the store’s checkouts. Such a system helps to
reduce the carbon footprint of the store.
In the future we can expect a similar system to be
used in places like motorway slip roads to light the
national road system.
As well as our roads generating power we are
likely to see walkways that generate power too.
Pavegen are power generating paving slabs that
can be set into public walkways to generate as
much as 2.1 watts of electricity per hour from the
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
footsteps of pedestrians. It converts the kinetic Above
Pavegen’s power generating
energy produced from the footfall as every time pavement slabs
a rubber Pavegen stone is stepped on it bends,
www.pavegen.com
producing kinetic energy that is either stored within
lithium polymer batteries or distributed to nearby
lights, information displays, and much more. They
are currently being tested in East London to power
nearby bus stops, but we can expect them to
spread across the country next year.
The average paving stone on a busy street is
stepped on around 50,000 times a day which
makes it a huge untapped energy source. It could
be utilized in the most trafficked places all over
the world like New York’s Times Square, the Eiffel
Tower or even Disney World. It could be used to
power entrance stalls at a subway station or the
entrance of a shopping mall.
In Tokyo two of the busiest railway stations are
using a similar system to generate energy with tiles
installed in front of ticket turnstiles. With 4,000,000
people using Tokyo Station on an average day,
and 2.4 million using Shibuya Station there is
enough energy generated to light up electronic
signboards, lighting systems, and the ticket gates.
With Christmas approaching the technology is
Page 8
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

being used to make the Christmas lights more

sustainable as well.

Tokyo’s Shibuya ward office has installed a special

sheet on the pavement in front of a station to
generate electricity for its Christmas illumination.

Piezoelectrics applications could go beyond

powering infrastructures. In principle, any human
activities, including walking, jumping, and
swimming all produce a certain amount of energy
and could be made into electricity by piezoelectric
nanostructures in shoes or in backpacks.

An enormous benefit can be expected in

everything from soldiers in the field, to police on
the street, to air and ground vehicles - in the form
of locally powered devices. Products such as cell
phones, MP3 players or medical implants may all
be powered locally.

Wearable computing may be powered by

piezoelectricity one day, as nanotechnology,
materials science and storage technology
improvements combine to make the relatively
small charge generated by one walking human go
further.

Nanodevices using piezoelectric materials will

be light, environmentally friendly and draw on
inexhaustible energy supplies.

The environment contains plenty of waste energy

that can be harnessed into useful energy to make
a ‘self-powered autonomous society’. There may
be a future where almost nothing goes to waste,
and power gets recycled in highly efficient loops.
It will be interesting to see how energy companies
and products advance to take advantage of the
technology as it develops.

Bottom
The pavement outisde Tokyo’s
Shibuya ward office

Page 9

Self sufficiency starts at home
With soaring energy prices and CO2 targets to meet, your home could be the way forward
With energy prices soaring across the globe, and
maintaining access to a readily available energy
source a diplomatic and financial minefield, never
before has energy self-sufficiency been such a
priority for governments.
Encouraging consumers to provide their own
energy through solar power, among other things,
has recently received a massive push from both
governments and designers.
Until April 2010, UK homeowners who invest
in solar panels and wind turbines will be able
to benefit from a £2,500 government grant.
Additionally, the government will also pay for every
kilowatt hour produced by the home and plugged
back into the grid.
With the current economic conditions still not
encouraging saving accounts, the media has been
quick to note that making use of the government
offer could, in the long term, be more profitable
than investing in savings. Not only are governments
encouraging homeowners to make their homes
self sufficient, but also to plug their excess energy
back into the national grid.
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
However, one of the main barriers to consumers Above
The Sole Power Tiles by SRS
adding solar panels to their homes is the aesthetic Energy
impact. Solar arrays can be quite unsightly,
and often look as though they’ve been bolted
on to the side of a house. US based company
SRS Energy has developed a unique way of
integrating architectural needs and aesthetics
with functionality. Their Solé Power Tiles were
specifically designed in a joint effort with US Tile, in
order to make them compatible with clay roof tiles.
The dark blue tiles are made from a high-
performance polymer often used in car bumpers,
and are not only very lightweight but also
recyclable. Each tile is embedded with flexible
solar technology, allowing them to function
independently of each other. SRS Energy is
tapping into a growing trend where consumers are
demanding green choices that are also appealing
in look and function.
The company also intends to develop more tile
styles and colours to suit a variety of needs, thus
removing more barriers and disincentives for using
sustainable technology in the home, and appealing
to a wider consumer base.
Page 10
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

A more conceptual product for generating

household energy is the Some Shine Solar Energy
Storage System. The curtain absorbs solar energy
when hung up on the window during the day,
where its stored in a pack and is ready to be used
to recharge phones and other small electronics via
USB during the night-time. Obviously the curtain
will obscure the view out of the window during the
day, but if the household is empty during the day
with the inhabitants at work or at school etc, then
this shouldn’t be an issue.

Although household energy generation is one way

of reducing our dependency on exterior energy
supplys, energy conservation is also finding
traction among both consumers and government
policy makers. In the UK, new buildings will be
subject to increasingly high standards of energy
efficiency by April 2010.

Using a mixture of modern materials, insulation

and building techniques, new homes are now
six times more efficient than older properties.
However, this trend for governments to become
involved in building energy efficiency is being met
with a mixed response. The UK Home Builders
Federation claims that by 2016, up to £30,000 will
be added to the cost of a new build, harming an
already struggling industry further.

This is countered by the arguments of governments

and environmental groups, who say that by
forcing building companies to use energy efficient
materials and expertise, those costs will go down
with increased demand.

We can expect both increasing regulation and

support from national governments over self-
sufficient homes. With the UK, among others,
looking at securing its future energy supply
independently of exterior forces, getting home
owners to supply their own energy is a priority.

The challenge will be for companies like SRS

Energy to continue to produce innovative products
and services that not only provide ways to capture
energy, but also to fit into (or onto) the household
in a seamless and unobtrusive way.

Green energy doesn’t have to have a functional

or aesthetic drawback, and we can expect those
companies that innovate with this ethos in mind to Above
Some Shine Energy Storage
be hugely successful. System

Page 11

Energy efficient appliances
How economics is having a positive ecological impact on the design of appliances
Although the economic crisis since last year has
drawn a lot of attention away from ecological
areas, it has actually benefitted other eco-issues.
Making electrical appliances energy efficient has
become as much an economic issue as it has
environmental.
With consumer electronic brands trying to out-
do each other on the issue of efficiency, and with
governments also becoming involved, the trend for
ever more efficient consumers will increase.
This month, to coincide with the climate change
meetings in Copenhagen, GE, Whirlpool and
a number of other corporations announced
the creation of a new collaborative effort called
the Smart Green Grid Initiative (SGGI). Aimed
at educating both consumers and the broader
climate change community, the SGGI is hoping
to promote its technology and its philosophy for
energy efficiency, such as providing the consumer
with more information on their energy usage.
Whirlpool has gone even further than this and has
fully supported the US Department of Energy’s
announcement of new steps in enforcing efficiency
standards. Whirlpool has been one of the most
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
vocal supporters of better efficiency standards and Above
Ariel’s “turn to 30C” campaign
the ways that its communicated, due to it offering
one of the highest number of energy-efficient
appliances in the industry.
Those brands that have spent considerable time
developing energy-efficient technology are very
keen on getting energy-efficiency standards
correctly communicated to the consumer,
particularly since consumers have indicated
that they are more likely to make eco-friendly
purchases if the eco-labels (such as the ENERGY
STAR) are widely trusted and recognized brands in
themselves.
Governments are even trying to improve the
situation. The US government are introducing
federally funded rebates for those using energy-
efficient appliances. The program is hoping
to encourage consumers to purchase new
ENERGY STAR models, and by so doing take less
sustainable models out of action.
We can expect governments to continue to
introduce these programs, partially to stimulate
sales and help the economy recover and also to
get consumers to be more energy conscious.
Page 12
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

However, not only are appliance brands trying to

be more energy efficient for ecological reasons,
but to appeal to peoples wallets as well. Brands
such as Ariel with its ‘turn to 30°C’ campaign,
are capitalizing on the trend for economic and
ecological-energy usage. By using the publicity
generated by appliance makers over their
efficiency credentials, consumable brands are
also hoping to leverage consumer desire for less
energy using products.

Consumer electronics is also another industry that

has taken strides to improve its energy efficiency
in recent years. With 89% of households in the
US wanting their next television to be more
energy efficient, many brands are improving their
specifications.

In a further effort to make televisions more efficient,

the EU has introduced legislation to ban huge
plasma televisions. Since plasma screens use four
times more electricity than cathode ray tube sets,
they have been subject to tighter restrictions.

However, manufacturers have realized this and

have integrated cutting edge technology into their
products in order to become energy efficient.
Using facial recognition software and a camera,
Hitachi has created a prototype television that will
turn the picture off when the user isn’t watching it.
Without the viewers full face in front of the screen,
the picture will fade out and not come back on
until they look back. The audio will continue to play
the whole time.

The new restrictions that have been introduced

by various governments have also provided some
brands with interesting opportunities. Hoping to
capitalize on California’s new energy regulations,
3M have unveiled a “brightness enhancement
film”.

The product is placed over energy efficient

screens, and by recycling the light emitted, makes
the image appear brighter than it really is. The
product is hoped to appeal to consumers that
want the benefits of a low power TV, but want to
maintain quality.

We should expect the trend for energy efficient Top

Whirlpool produces more
home appliances and consumer appliances Energy star rated appliances
to continue, as both legislation and consumer than any other manufacturer

demand create a competitive landscape where Above

brands continue to out-do each other and gain the 3M have unveiled a
“brightness enhancement film”
unique selling point of ‘most energy-efficient’.

Page 13

Plug-in power
Will drivers be plugging their cars into the mains, rather than filling up at the pumps?
Back in August 2008 in Antennae ‘Environmental
Change Through Design’ we talked about a future
of rechargeable vehicles highlighted by a range of
vehicles from independent manufacturers. Over
a year later it appears that many of the major
manufacturers are set to move their mainstream
vehicles over from the petrol-combustion engine
for the first time.
In April the British government announced plans
to offer motorists grants of between £2000 and
£5000 off the price of a new electric car from 2011.
By then, a number of major manufacturers are
expected to launch electric models.
Within the next couple of months Toyota are set
to begin leasing 500 plug-in Priuses throughout
Japan, Europe, and the US with the view to
monitoring the vehicles in everyday use and
gauging feedback from drivers. It is expected that
if the trials are a success the car will go on sale in
2012. Current electric car owners are limited by the
distance that can be achieved from the batteries,
using the vehicle for short commutes, and as a
result tend to have a second petrol car for longer
journeys at the weekend. The new Prius solves this
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
problem working as a conventional electric car for All images
BMW’s Vision
urban commuting during the week, and then as a EfficientDynamics concept
petrol powered car for weekends away.
www.bmw.com
The limiting factor of batteries is their bulk and
weight and relatively short range compared with a
fuel tank. Electric vehicles will become a genuine
alternative to combustion when the range of the
batteries is greatly increased, and charging time
greatly decreased. A dedicated battery research
division at Toyota is looking to improve the range
of li-ion batteries to 200km by 2020, and with a
view to significantly increasing efficiency.
By 2050, more than a billion extra vehicles are
expected to be on the world’s roads, more than
double today’s total, and the move over to
electricity is set to greatly reduce the damage they
cause to the environment.
Although hybrid vehicles only account for less than
4 per cent of Toyota sales, they contribute to a 12
per cent reduction in CO2 emissions from their
vehicles. The move over to plug-in hybrid offers
a 40 per cent reduction in overall CO2 emissions
compared with conventional petrol vehicles.
Page 14
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

Toyota are visioning a future with plug-in

hybrid vehicles using bio-fuels and solar power
generation. These have the possibility of helping
to realize completely carbon-free motoring.

Toyota are not the only manufacturer looking

towards plug-in hybrid technology for the future
of their vehicles. BMW debuted the Vision
EfficientDynamics concept car at the 2009
Frankfurt Motor Show. It is a car that bridges
the gap between sports car performance and
eco-friendly attitude. It showcases the dynamic
performance typical of a BMW against the
backdrop of future demands in sustained mobility.

Reducing both emissions and fuel consumption

has become an elementary part of the brand’s
product strategy, and the concept highlights a
number of technologies that will appear on BMWs
of the near future, as well as some that are already
in use in current BMW models. These include
an Air Curtain system that channels air around
the car resulting in improved aerodynamics and
therefore performance. The car features a Brake
Energy Regeneration system that advances upon
those fitted to exiting vehicles. Also, BMW have
been working with Michelin to develop a new less-
resistant tyre improving aerodynamic efficiency.

The BMW Concept is aiming to achieve 62.6 mpg,

travelling the first 31 miles on electric power alone.
Taking all emissions in the generation of electricity
into account the car’s emission rating during
electric mode is just 50 grams per kilometer.

Overall, the concept is fitted with a total of 98

lithium-polymer cells, which require two hours to
fully charge, and with a higher voltage charge time
could be reduced to below 44 minutes.

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is an

innovative rendition of hybrid technology giving an
outlook into future-proof mobility that can be both
sustainable and enjoyable.

The growth in petrol-electric hybrids are set to

offer drivers the choice between the petrol pump
and the electric socket to power the same car.
The launch could mark a dramatic change in how
drivers spend money on fuel.

Between 2012 and 2014, the largest carmakers by

volume in California must sell about 60,000 plug-in
hybrids and electric cars combined, according to
the state Air Resources Board. This instruction will

Page 15

require car makers including Toyota, GM, Honda,
Ford, and Nissan to innovate with the introduction
with new ranges of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Across
the US President Barack Obama is aiming for one
million plug-in cars to be on US roads by 2015.
Five battery-recharging stations have already been
established on California’s Highway 101 by Tesla,
which will give their cars enough power to drive
all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles by
stopping for less than an hour to recharge, at a
cost of less than $4.
Power companies including Southern California
Edison have to install new transformers and meters
to handle greater demand and prevent blackouts
when autos are being charged at outlets, at the
cost of billions of dollars over a decade. As part
of the infrastructure changes Edison is trying to
estimate how much demand there will be, where
most of the vehicles will be in use, and potential
impacts on its system.
Pacific Gas & Electric, the largest utility in California,
is anticipating adding around 4,600-megawatts of
wind power to charge the fleets of battery-powered
cars during the night with wind energy. The plan
will ensure that plug-in hybrids truly are green.
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
Outside of the US London Mayor Boris Johnson
has vowed to start rolling out charging points
across London. Johnson wants to make London
‘the electric vehicle capital of Europe’ and is
proposing the installation of 25,000 charging
points across the city by 2015. EDF Energy have
already erected a number of electric charging
points throughout London.
Shell predict that by 2020 up to 15 per cent of new
cars worldwide could be hybrid electrics. After
2030, fuel cell vehicles powered by hydrogen will
be a small but growing part of the fleet. Gradually,
as more cars are powered by electricity the
dominance of oil majors such as ExxonMobil,
Shell, and BP will decrease.
We are approaching a new age of motoring where
drivers are set to change how they refill their cars,
and as a result a change in the way the major
energy suppliers deliver that power to us. By
accelerating the conversion of the car industry
from oil dependency, the car industry will achieve
a major boost, our dependency on oil will be
eliminated, and a significant portion of our CO2
emissions will be eliminated.
Below
BMW’s Air Curtain system
www.bmw.com
Page 16

Remote power
Inductive charging seems to finally come of age, as big brands move it forward
Despite being years in commercial development,
and its inclusion in small devices like toothbrushes,
it seems inductive charging has finally spread out
to a variety of consumer electronic devices.
The technology has been integrated into a number
of new phone and laptop products, as well as
being used in stand-alone products that can
charge most electronic devices. With advances
being made in the reliability and efficiency, will
induction charging replace conventional formats?
The Palm Pre, widely regarded as a major
competitor to the iPhone, charges via the
Touchstone dock. Including this technology has
helped further leverage the product as innovative
and ground-breaking, despite the fact that the
phone isn’t supplied with the dock, and that a
new cover needs to be bought for the back of the
phone if you want to charge inductively.
Other mobile devices are expected to follow suit,
with Nokia entering the Wireless Power Consortium
recently. We could soon be seeing some of the
major mobile phone manufacturers introducing
similar charging products to their portfolios, with
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
Top
the aim of appealing to consumers who value Palm Pre users can charge
convenience and a lack of wires. their phone via the Palm
Touchstone
Dell has also entered the inductive charging
market, with the launch of its wireless laptop stand
for the Latitude Z range. Charging the laptop this
way won’t take any longer than a conventional
charge, and stops whenever the laptop is removed
from its stand.
The aim is to be able to use the stand with any
Dell laptop that has a charging coil embedded in
it. This technology could soon be applied to Dell’s
new mobile devices, allowing them to be charged
from the same base as the laptops.
The future of remote powering could see “vicinity”
charging – where an electromagnetic field could
have a range of several feet. Sony is reportedly
working on a prototype base station that will throw
out enough energy to power one of its televisions
from a distance of 50cm (19 inches).
This could even be extended further, with the use
of relay units, to a distance of 80cm (31 inches).
Questions over efficiency and cost have yet to be
Page 17
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

answered, although it’s fair to assume that, like

most emerging technologies, the ability to provide
power wirelessly will increase the product price
considerably.

We can expect further adoption of remote power

by large brands in the next 12 months, particularly
as the technology gets cheaper to manufacture
and becomes more efficient.

Consumer concerns over the health issues

posed by sending electricity through the air such
distances could slow adoption of the technology,
although similar fears affected the mobile phone
industry for years without having a really negative
impact on consumer uptake of the technology.

Right & Below

Dell’s Latitude Z laptop dock
charges inductively

Page 18
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

Smarter homes
Smart metres could soon revolutionize how we use energy in our homes
According to the UK government, every home
in Britain should have an energy ‘smart meter’
included in their home by 2020 in order to reduce
energy use and encourage the evolution of a low
carbon ‘smart grid’.

Various states in the US have also encouraged

the use of smart metres for the home, in order
to get consumers to become more efficient in
their energy usage. These schemes are being
supported by a rising number of technologies
developed by a mixture of large corporations, such
as Microsoft and Google, as well as by smaller
more independent names.

By providing consumers with detailed and

accessible information over their energy usage,
they become more efficient and seek out ways
to reduce their energy bills rather than saving the
planet. It is thought that by providing detailed, real-
time information to the consumer, bills can be cut
by 3-15%.

With energy prices becoming higher all the

time, this can constitute a major saving. The UK
government believes that within 20 years of rolling
out smart metre technology, energy companies
and their consumer’s will save £2.5 - 3.6 billion.

The launch of Google’s Powermetre technology

in the UK this month has reinforced a growing
trend for easily accessible and accurate energy
consumption data. Powermetre is a free,
downloadable application that works in tandem
with a smart metre that sends information
wirelessly to the internet.

The application will then show users their energy

consumption over time, comparing with previous
usage and regional usage. The value of Google’s
Powermetre is its ability to provide immediate
feedback in real time, and has helped Beta version
testers in California identify wasted energy from
products including unused pool pumps, lights and
toasters.

Microsoft has also introduced its own version of

Powermetre, called Hohm, although this has only
been released as a Beta version in the US. However,
Hohm measures gas and electrical usage, instead
of just electrical. The future of energy reading in the
Top
home could be driven by competitive innovation Hohm by Microsoft
from these two major players in the technology
Above
industry. Onzo Smart Energy Kit

Page 19

The energy sensor industry is already highly
competitive, with various products offering similar
features and struggling to differentiate themselves.
The Onzo Smart Energy Kit is an award winning
design that features a display wirelessly connected
to a self-charging sensor that is clipped onto a
cable on the electricity metre.
Designed in partnership with Scottish and
Southern Energy, the kit can be connected up
to a home computer and the data uploaded
to a web portal that provides more detailed
information and energy reduction advice. The kit
also provides Scottish and Southern Energy with
detailed analysis of consumption and a better
understanding of consumer habits, allowing them
to make more informed decisions over consumer
related issues.
Ewgeco is also a wireless energy monitor that
utilizes an easy to read screen, although this
displays not only electrical usage, but also gas and
water consumption, and all in real-time. Using an
easy to understand traffic light system, the product
aims at being a simple, easy to understand system
that can also provide more detailed data and
analysis via the “My Ewgeco” web portal.
The detailed information that both the Onzo and
Ewgeco devices provide can also help identify
water and gas leaks – an added benefit to both the
consumer and the utility providers.
A slightly more abstract, yet equally powerful
method of communicating energy usage / wastage
to the consumer is the Wilting Flower by Carl Smith.
The UK based designers concept is based around
the idea that as energy consumption increases the
device will ‘wilt’, closing its petals and changing to
a deep purple.
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
When energy consumption is low, the flower emits
a blue and greenish light. It remains to be seen if Below
this format would actually help consumers reduce Wilting Flower by Carl Smith
their energy bill, serving more as an elegant visual
reminder of how much energy is being used rather
than providing detailed and accurate information.
The future of energy ‘smart metres’ could, however,
lie in something less glamorous than a mechanical,
LED flower. Using social networking as a way
of connecting consumers together could help
push efficient energy usage into the mainstream.
By networking smart energy metres, friendly
competition could strike up among neighbors and
regions, each trying to outdo the other.
Evidence of this eco-competitiveness already
exists with Toyota Prius users who have been
known to compete with each other in order to
get the lowest miles-per-gallon figure on their
dashboard.
Home energy management is becoming a fast
moving, innovative market, where government
involvement is being matched by big brands and
their accessible technology, as well as smaller
independents delivering unique products and
innovations.
We can expect this market to continue to be
cutting edge, focusing on giving added value to the
consumer and promising energy cost reductions
combined with ecological benefits.
This space will continue to encourage innovation
and provide considerable opportunities for those
companies who can not only identify the core
consumer needs, but also deliver a unique, all-in-
one package that will meet them as well.
Page 20

Green-grocers
Competition between supermarkets is driving down energy consumption
British supermarkets have competed for a place
on The Sunday Times Green List for the first time
this year. Tesco and Asda were both ranked among
the 60 best green companies in Britain.
Going green is not only about eco-awareness
or good publicity, but about prosperity. The
eco-agenda saves supermarkets money whilst
attracting customers.
Sainsbury’s have introduced an integrated
transport management system, which calculates
the most efficient timings and routes for deliveries,
while minimizing the number of empty vehicles
on the road. Moreover, Sainsbury’s have had
engineers in all of their stores checking heating,
cooling, refrigeration and lighting systems to
ensure they are working efficiently. They estimate
that these initiatives have cut its carbon-dioxide
emissions by 53,000 tonnes this year.
Tesco, too, are aiming to improve the efficiency of
each store, with a global target for every newly built
store to have 50% less carbon-dioxide emissions
than its existing stores.
October 2009
Issue Thirty Three
The Tesco Store in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, Above
The new Sainsbury’s store in
has a carbon footprint 70 per cent smaller than Gloucester Quays
an equivalent store built in 2006. Opened earlier
www.j-sainsbury.co.uk
this year it incorporates environmentally friendly
architecture, providing a template for a new
generation of low-carbon supermarkets. The
template is designed to work across all formats,
and elements will be retrofitted into existing stores,
including small wind turbines where planning
allows it.
The Cheetham Hill store is energy efficient (31
per cent saving), uses natural refrigeration (20 per
cent), and utilizes renewable energy (20 per cent).
These measures will also deliver significant savings
for the company with a 48 per cent reduction of the
store’s fuel bill based on 2006 baselines.
A combined cooling, heating, and power plant,
powered by vegetable oil, meets 35 per cent of the
store’s electricity needs, all of its heat and 50 per
cent of its refrigeration.
The store’s lights dim and turn themselves off Following page
according to the availability of natural light. The The Tesco store in Cheetham
Hill
natural light gives the store an 8 per cent energy
reduction. www.tescoplc.com
Page 21
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

Sainsbury’s too are taking advantage of

engineering and architectural advancements. At
the Sainsbury’s store in Gloucester, as well as
the kinetic plates highlighted in the earlier article
‘People Power’, floor-to-ceiling windows and 140
sun pipes in the roof reduce the need for artificial
light, solar panels heat water during summer and
cold air is retrieved from the fridges to cool the
checkout area. At night, blinds are pulled over
the fridges. This saves 5 per cent energy per year,
which is equivalent to making 2.5 million cups of
tea.

Energy usage in store will also be constantly

monitored via web-based technology that will
show how much energy is being consumed in
each part of the store. This can automatically be
adjusted if areas are using more than they require.

Sainsbury’s predict that that the energy-saving

system installed at Gloucester Quays, in
conjunction with the solar tubes on the roof, will
save about £20,000 a year.

These stores prove that it is possible to combine

new technologies with business strategy to make
dramatic reductions in energy usage, both saving
money whilst attracting new customers. We can
expect many other retailers to follow suit in the
near future.

Page 22
 October 2009
Issue Thirty Three

Platform for innovation

In summary, as alternatives to oil become

feasible and sustainability takes centre
stage we are seeing a plethora of new
products and services. As brands begin to
compete on sustainable issues energy usage
and efficiency has become a platform for
innovation.

If you’d like to know more about our trends

research, our consultancy, or if you would like
to comment on anything you have read in this
issue, please email The Antennae team:

antennae@newedge-thebrewery.com

Page 23
 antennae@newedge-thebrewery.com

ANTENNAE London
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OCTOBER 2009 T +44 (0)20 8439 8400

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