Qamcom invests in African green-tech company PowerOptimal – to reduce the use of coal-fired power and cost

Today, South Africa is the largest coal burner in Africa, and fifth in the world. One contributor to the problem is that almost all hot water in South African homes is produced using grid electricity – 87% of which is produced by coal-fired power stations. This is both expensive and bad for the environment. For this reason, PowerOptimal developed “Elon Smart Water” – a green IoT solution that transforms coal-fired electric geysers into smart, solar PV-ready green appliances. The solution aligns perfectly with Qamcom Group’s ambition to invest in advanced technology that enables positive impact.

Qamcom will primarily contribute with competence within Industrial IoT and AI systems to advance the progress of the product development. This will include the creation of a cloud backend solution, an improved connectivity solution, web portals for added customer functionality and leak detection using AI.

“What appealed to us with PowerOptimal was the smartness and simplicity of their solution and that the purpose and technology fields were spot-on. PowerOptimal has developed a smart and sustainable solution that is not only good for the environment, but also reduces risk and cost for the users. It makes me proud to be part of this initiative – and with Qamcom’s collective expertise, I am sure that we can help PowerOptimal reach new levels faster and create even more value for their users” said Ann Louise Johansson, General Manager at Qamcom Stockholm.

Besides the negative impact from burning coal, South Africa has experienced dramatically increased electricity prices over recent years – which makes the Elon Smart Water solution more relevant than ever. This smart IoT-solution powered by solar energy, will not only be good for the environment, but will also improve both the user’s economy and control over their hot water system. South Africa will initially be the primary market, but the need and relevance concerns the whole continent.

“We are thrilled to have Qamcom aboard. Their high-level expertise and long experience within technology development provide a perfect match for us – both as an investor and development partner. We look forward to working closely with Qamcom for a long time. A great bonus is that they share our aim to work towards a more green, sustainable and fair world using technology as the primary tool” said Richard Fearon, CEO at PowerOptimal.