The penetration of connected devices is growing quickly with an estimated 4 billion household connected devices installed worldwide by the end of 2016 and an expected 1 billion more installations in 2017.

The types and volume of connected devices available are expanding rapidly, enabling new services that may become as common as smartphones are today. These services may enhance quality of life, but smart devices are not necessarily energy efficient. Connected devices form one component of the broad technology trend of digitalization, which impacts the entire energy system and is an emerging area of the focus for the IEA.

Source: Energy Efficiency 2017

5 October 2017