In Mediterranean countries using solar power sounds like a great idea-- but not so much in Spain, where the government punishes small solar energy producers with taxes, fines, and even "visits" from what amounts to the Solar Police.
The Local reports the Spanish government recently changed regulations to allows inspectors to raid suspicious properties through simple administrative authorisation. Should suspects deny entry the Industry Department simply asks for a court order to guarantee the inspectors access via national police.
Such measures join fines of up to €30 million on households failing to hook solar equipment to the national grid, and thus not paying the required taxes for the generation of own solar energy.
The former socialist government encouraged the installation of solar power equipment through subsidies and the 2011 legalisation private energy generation, known in Spain as "autoconsumo." As many as 5000 Spanish households took advantage of such schemes, investing in equipment to reduce power bills later.
Reportedly Spanish solar power generation capacity exceeds demand by over 60%.
According to the memorandum the software platform will allow the interoperation of diverse devices and software together with application software distribution.
Heatmiser Neo consists of three parts: the neoStat, the neoHub and the neoApp. The neoStat replaces the existing thermostat and a neoStat-hw replaces the programmer. The neoHub plugs into a broadband router and enables remote access of heating zones and hot water from anywhere at any time. These components can be supplied separately, or as a Starter Kit, with further neoStats added as required. Control is via the neoApp on a smartphone or tablet.
Opening proceedings and acting as MC was Channel Media Europe editor-in-chief Bob Snyder. Following were keynotes by energy industry blogger and consultant Dr Steven Fawkes and Jeremy Towler of the Building Services Research & Information Association (BSRIA), before talks from 20 speakers and plenary sessions divided between the residential (focusing on smart energy management) and commercial (technology trends) tracks.
Filed back in April 2013, the "Integrated Exercise Device Environment Controller" patent claims "variances in temperature can have a negative impact on the individual‘s exercise performance... it may be difficult for an individual to maintain their pace and/or form when the environment is uncomfortably warm or cool." Thus the need for integrated climate control, presumably.
Clearly wanting to do what the Nest did to thermostats, the Protect makes smoke alarms more interesting-- if not more sexy, since instead of howling in alarm the Protect informs of emergencies by speaking in a human voice, with messages such as "heads-up, there’s smoke in the bedroom” or “emergency, there’s smoke.”
