The best of CES 2023

We were able to kick off the new year in Las Vegas at one of the biggest tech events in the world: CES. EnergySage joined Schneider Electric in their booth to talk about how we can help consumers go solar and were able to explore the entire show floor, learning about the latest and greatest tech in the clean energy industry. In this article, we'll share the key trends we noticed at CES 2023 and how they're changing home energy.

Electric forms of transportation dominated CES 2023: from cars to motorbikes, to hydrofoil boats, to scooters, just about everything showcased at CES that you can drive, including a battery. In the automotive space, we saw a wide range of car companies (old and new, luxury and basic) showcasing electric vehicles (EVs). Household names, including Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz, as well as newer players, such as Lucid Motors and Faraday Future, all displayed luxury electric sports cars.

Trusted American brand Ram debuted the concept model of its 1500 Revolution Electric Truck, which will soon rival other electric pick-up trucks, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning or the Rivian R1T. Similarly, Lightyear demonstrated that EVs could be for everyone, launching its waitlist for the Lightyear 2, a solar-powered EV expected to be under $40,000 (before incentives!).

Beyond EVs, we explored a long line of electric motorcycles and a number of electric bikes, which make battery-powered transportation easier than ever. And we were particularly interested in two electric boat companies – Candela and Navier – which both use hydrofoils to reduce drag and extend battery capacity.

As more and more devices continue to electrify and we turn to renewables as the primary power source for electricity generation, we'll need to significantly increase energy storage capacity in homes, at businesses, and on the grid as a whole. In our highlights from RE+ this past September, we noted that more and more companies are entering the energy storage market in order to meet this demand – and CES was no different! Well-established companies in other spaces – like Greenworks, an electric power tools company – showcased solar batteries (and EV chargers) as part of their home energy systems.

Portable storage was also widely exhibited throughout the show, with companies like Jackery, ALLPOWERS, Growatt, BLUETTI, and Geneverse displaying a wide (and impressive) range of solar generator and portable battery solutions, demonstrating how storage is becoming more affordable and accessible to all in a wider range of shapes and sizes.

Similarly, home batteries are also becoming more versatile – for example, Lunna offers a portable battery that you can take with you or add to your home storage system for greater capacity. And we're seeing a wider range of companies entering the home battery space beyond established solar brands.

There's a good chance you already have one smart product as part of your home setup, whether it's a phone, watch, or thermostat. But, as energy prices continue to rise, you'll likely be looking to monitor and control even more throughout your home – many companies are already launching products in anticipation of this future demand.

We've been following the development of home energy management systems for a few years now, so at CES, it was exciting to see new approaches to electricity management. For example, Schneider Electric debuted the Schneider Home, which includes a smart electrical panel (Schneider Pulse), a home battery (Schneider Boost), a hybrid solar and storage inverter (Schneider Inverter), an EV charger (Schneider Charge), and, of course, an app to monitor and control all of these devices (Schneider Home). They also offer smart electric sockets and light switches for device-level monitoring and control, which can be Matter-connected.

Developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and members including Schneider Electric, Google, Apple, Amazon, and IKEA, Matter is the new global connectivity standard that will allow you to integrate all sorts of smart home devices, regardless of the brand. Ultimately, Matter will enable you to choose the smart devices that work best for you – instead of selecting all devices under one brand – making it easier than ever to create a clean, smart home that meets your needs and preferences while also encouraging more companies to join the space.

Beyond electricity, we also saw a few companies with water monitoring and control systems. Both Kohler and Moen showcased smart water monitoring devices that can easily be installed in your existing water lines. These devices can protect your home by monitoring the flow of water, alerting you of any issues like water leaks, and allowing you to remotely shut off your water, if necessary.

If you're excited to make your home both clean and smart, it's easy to get started with EnergySage. Check out our Marketplace to compare multiple quotes for solar or solar-plus-storage systems from our network of pre-vetted installers – for free! If you're looking to see our real-time highlights from CES, follow us on Instagram (@energysage_official) or head to YouTube for our CES presentation on homeowners' pathways and barriers toward energy independence.