Energy | Smart Grid | IoT | Residential Demand Management
Energy | Smart Grid | IoT | Residential Demand Management
Energy | Smart Grid | IoT | Residential Demand Management
Industry
Energy Technology Industry
Energy Technology Industry
Headquarters
New Zealand
New Zealand
Company Size
250-300 Employees
250-300 Employees
Services
Demand Response & Peak Load Management
Demand Response & Peak Load Management
Grid Support Services
Grid Support Services
Energy Data & Insights
Energy Data & Insights
Consumer-Focused Energy Optimisation
Consumer-Focused Energy Optimisation
Website
About GridSmart
About GridSmart
GridSmart is a Rinnai New Zealand subsidiary and an energy technology company focused on reducing peak electricity demand through the intelligent control of distributed energy devices. Built on Rinnai’s long-standing heritage of engineering excellence and innovation, GridSmart delivers solutions that support grid stability while creating value for electricity retailers and consumers alike.
By intelligently orchestrating connected devices, GridSmart helps balance demand across the electricity network, improving resilience during peak periods and enabling a more efficient, sustainable energy system. Our technology is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure, providing real-time visibility, control, and measurable demand reduction.
Backed by the global strength, technical expertise, and sustainability commitment of the Rinnai Group, GridSmart is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a smarter, more flexible energy future for New Zealand and beyond.
GridSmart is a Rinnai New Zealand subsidiary and an energy technology company focused on reducing peak electricity demand through the intelligent control of distributed energy devices. Built on Rinnai’s long-standing heritage of engineering excellence and innovation, GridSmart delivers solutions that support grid stability while creating value for electricity retailers and consumers alike.
By intelligently orchestrating connected devices, GridSmart helps balance demand across the electricity network, improving resilience during peak periods and enabling a more efficient, sustainable energy system. Our technology is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure, providing real-time visibility, control, and measurable demand reduction.
Backed by the global strength, technical expertise, and sustainability commitment of the Rinnai Group, GridSmart is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a smarter, more flexible energy future for New Zealand and beyond.
The Challenge
The Challenge
The Challenge
New Zealand’s electricity grid faces increasing peak demand pressure from residential hot water cylinders, representing over 2.5GW of controllable load. GridSmart needed a secure, scalable cloud platform to intelligently manage large numbers of IoT-connected devices, optimise energy use in real time, and support multiple stakeholders without compromising consumer comfort.
The Solution
The Solution
The Solution
Talink designed and delivered a cloud-native IoT platform on Microsoft Azure, including:
1
IoT Ingestion and Contro
IoT Ingestion and Contro
IoT Ingestion and Contro
The platform enables secure IoT ingestion and device control using Azure IoT Hub, managing configuration, device state, and continuous real-time telemetry for accurate monitoring and reliable command execution across connected devices.
The platform enables secure IoT ingestion and device control using Azure IoT Hub, managing configuration, device state, and continuous real-time telemetry for accurate monitoring and reliable command execution across connected devices.
2
Optimisation and Intelligence
Optimisation and Intelligence
Optimisation and Intelligence
The platform applies AI-driven optimisation to intelligently manage heating based on usage patterns and pricing, ensuring consistent performance and reliable hot water supply through automated controls and intelligent fallback mechanisms.
The platform applies AI-driven optimisation to intelligently manage heating based on usage patterns and pricing, ensuring consistent performance and reliable hot water supply through automated controls and intelligent fallback mechanisms.
3
Operational Portals
The platform delivers role-based operational portals with real-time visibility and reporting, enabling efficient coordination and collaboration between installers, administrators, and retailers across daily operations and system management workflows.
4
Enterprise-Grade Foundations
The platform is built on secure, enterprise-grade architecture with protected APIs, role-based access, monitoring, and automated deployment pipelines, ensuring scalability, compliance, and long-term support for future platform expansion.
3
Operational Portals
Operational Portals
The platform delivers role-based operational portals with real-time visibility and reporting, enabling efficient coordination and collaboration between installers, administrators, and retailers across daily operations and system management workflows.
The platform delivers role-based operational portals with real-time visibility and reporting, enabling efficient coordination and collaboration between installers, administrators, and retailers across daily operations and system management workflows.
4
Enterprise-Grade Foundations
Enterprise-Grade Foundations
The platform is built on secure, enterprise-grade architecture with protected APIs, role-based access, monitoring, and automated deployment pipelines, ensuring scalability, compliance, and long-term support for future platform expansion.
The platform is built on secure, enterprise-grade architecture with protected APIs, role-based access, monitoring, and automated deployment pipelines, ensuring scalability, compliance, and long-term support for future platform expansion.
The Benefits
The Benefits
Successfully validated the platform through a live New Zealand trial with hundreds of connected devices
Successfully validated the platform through a live New Zealand trial with hundreds of connected devices
Demonstrated the ability to shift energy consumption away from peak demand periods
Demonstrated the ability to shift energy consumption away from peak demand periods
Maintained consumer comfort and safety while optimising device behaviour
Maintained consumer comfort and safety while optimising device behaviour
Enabled reliable response to retailer pricing signals and grid control requirements
Enabled reliable response to retailer pricing signals and grid control requirements
Built a flexible foundation to support additional device types, including batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps
Built a flexible foundation to support additional device types, including batteries, EV chargers, and heat pumps
Established strong operational tooling, telemetry visibility, and multi-tenant security to support long-term scale and integration
Established strong operational tooling, telemetry visibility, and multi-tenant security to support long-term scale and integration
Talink's approach ensures that every team member understands what we are trying to build, and why – resulting in value-adds from everyone and a robust end-product.
Talink's approach ensures that every team member understands what we are trying to build, and why – resulting in value-adds from everyone and a robust end-product.
– Charles Chu
GM, Gridsmart