Kantar Partners to Study Household Energy Use

Kantar is reportedly working with London-based software firm Onzo Ltd to investigate ways of gathering and analysing smart meter data on household energy use.

According to Onzo CEO Joel Hagan, quoted on www.bloomberg.com , the partners will undertake a four- to six-month pilot study which could help 'open the door of the home', closing the loop for the analysis of consumer habits: 'Consumers are leaving a digital footprint' says Hagan, 'that opens the door to their online habits and to their shopping habits and their location, and the last thing that is understood is the home, because at the moment, when you shut the door, that is it.'

Kantar's Head of Innovation and New Technology Alex Johnson said there was 'definitely client interest' in the idea, which could allow better matching of supply and demand; energy-saving; and more targeted marketing, for example based on use of appliances.

Onzo is backed by British utility company SSE, Sigma Capital Group and Cipio Partners GmbH, and has raised £1.5m of venture capital to date, with plans for a further £1.5 to £2m later this year. The firm plans to expand its services during 2014 to North America, where investment in smart-grid monitoring software is rising rapidly.

Web sites are at www.onzo.com and www.kantar.com .