Our products should be accessible to every Indian: Kaushik Sanyal, National Head, Home Automation, Tata Power
Tata Power is expanding its presence in the smart home market with its EZ Home range of connected products. As a brand with more than a century of experience in power generation and distribution, the company wants to make home automation accessible beyond India's major cities. Its portfolio includes retrofit converters that can automate up to three appliances without changing existing wiring, along with sensor-based lighting designed to reduce electricity consumption while retaining basic illumination. But the company's plans go beyond selling connected devices. Tata Power is working to build a pan-India distribution network and train local electricians to handle installation and after-sales service. It also sees scope to connect home automation with its rooftop solar and EV charging businesses, giving consumers better control over how they generate and use electricity.
I spoke to Kaushik Sanyal, National Head, Home Automation and Renewables, Tata Power, about the company's plans for EZ Home, the challenges of making smart homes more accessible in India, the role of AI in energy management, and what the future holds for its home automation business.
I recently reviewed Tata Power's EZ Home smart plug, which got me interested in understanding the company's broader home automation business. Tata Power is well known for its presence in power generation and distribution, but I wanted to know more about its smart home initiatives. What is the vision behind this business, and how does it fit into Tata Power's larger strategy?
Kaushik Sanyal: We are a more than 100-year-old company, predominantly operating in power generation and distribution. The thought process behind entering this space was to understand how we could make the power we generate and distribute to households, commercial establishments and industries more meaningful and cost-effective.
We wanted to help consumers reduce electricity wastage and introduce safety mechanisms into the everyday use of electrical equipment.
Given our legacy and knowledge of power generation and distribution, we felt it would be prudent to expand into this product range. The objective is to help consumers optimise their electricity consumption, manage their usage better and understand how much they spend on individual appliances.
This is becoming increasingly relevant considering that average power demand in the system is growing by around 8-9%. We also have a large consumer base through our distribution business and rooftop solar installations. So, offering these consumers solutions that help them manage their energy consumption is a natural extension of our business.
Consumer expectations from smart homes are also evolving. Earlier, convenience and security were the primary considerations, but people are now becoming more conscious of energy consumption and management. How do you see these expectations changing across India?
Kaushik Sanyal: There are different types of consumers across India. I travel almost 20-25 days every month, so I get to interact with consumers across different markets.
Broadly, I see two or three distinct segments. In tier 1 cities, consumers are more interested in convenience and energy monitoring. In tier 2 and tier 3 cities, home automation is still more aspirational.
Take our converter, for example. Most Indian homes were not originally designed for automation. So, retrofitting becomes important. With this converter, which costs around Rs 2,000-2,500, you can automate up to three electrical appliances without changing your existing electrical system, wiring or switchboard. You simply install the small device behind the switchboard.
You can then control appliances such as geysers and air conditioners through your phone. It is also a safety device because, in case of a malfunction or a safety issue, it automatically trips.
In tier 2 and tier 3 cities, this makes home automation more accessible to aspirational consumers. In tier 1 cities, the motivation is often convenience. For instance, when the temperature in Delhi is 48 degrees, you can switch on your air conditioner 10-15 minutes before reaching home and have a comfortable room waiting for you.
Our entire product range is designed for all consumer segments. Through our 100-city launch initiative, we are focusing on creating awareness and establishing a distribution ecosystem across India. We are maintaining a balance between large cities and tier 2 and tier 3 markets.
The idea is to make this product range accessible to every Indian household.
We also have standalone products. For example, our T5 smart tube light can deliver up to 80% energy savings by reducing brightness when there is no one in the vicinity. But it does not switch off completely. It maintains a basic level of lighting for safety, so people can still enter or exit a parking area or corridor without walking into complete darkness.
Smart home products are generally considered premium purchases. What needs to change in the Indian market to make home automation more accessible?
Kaushik Sanyal: There is a slight difference between a smart home and home automation. Home automation, in its traditional sense, means automating everything in the house. A smart home does not necessarily mean that every fitting and fixture has to be automated.
It is about giving consumers the awareness and control to manage their electrical appliances. For example, you can preset the temperature of your air conditioner and control different appliances through a common platform. You do not need a separate platform for your AC, geyser and other equipment. Our Tata Power app brings these controls together.
The other important aspect is awareness. Our 100-city launch initiative is not just about selling products. The bigger objective is to establish a distribution network across India.
In rooftop solar, we already have more than 700 channel partners and around 5,000 retailers. We are trying to build a similar ecosystem for home automation.
Wherever we launch, we appoint channel partners and train local electricians. We educate them about the products, energy efficiency requirements and safety protocols. This also creates livelihood and earning opportunities for local electricians.
For example, when we launched in Lucknow, the response was encouraging. We saw an adoption level of around 35-40%. We are also seeing a change in consumer mindset, particularly among people who are conscious about the environment.
Consumers are increasingly proud of the energy they save and the contribution they make towards reducing carbon emissions. Some rooftop solar users even put up nameplates stating that their homes are powered by green energy.
So, there is a larger transformation underway. It is not just about saving electricity or improving safety. It is also about encouraging consumers to contribute towards society and the environment.
How important are interoperability and common standards such as Matter and Thread for the connected home ecosystem?
Kaushik Sanyal: Whenever we create awareness about our products, we focus on three aspects. The first is electrical safety, the second is electrical control, and the third is the societal and commercial benefits, including energy savings.
Take our converter, for instance. You do not have to disturb your existing electrical system or change the wiring. You simply install a small device behind the switchboard, which gives you control over your appliances.
We also have a dedicated cloud infrastructure for our IoT-based products. Data security and safety are important aspects of the system.
The other important part is installation and after-sales service. We have an ecosystem of trained and empanelled electricians working under our channel partners. We conduct installation, safety and after-sales training for them.
Before scaling up in a particular market, we also conduct pilot installations. We want to test the service ecosystem and understand how electricians respond to consumer queries before expanding to a larger number of households.
We select cities based on factors such as electricity consumption, consumer aspirations, distribution availability, retail presence and after-sales service capabilities.
How is Tata Power educating consumers about the energy-saving potential of the EZ Home platform?
Kaushik Sanyal: We follow a three-pronged approach.
First, whenever we launch in a city, we conduct media briefings to explain the potential savings and the relevant standards and protocols. We also have an energy calculator that helps consumers understand the benchmark electricity consumption of different appliances.
Second, we conduct below-the-line activities through our channel partners. These include outreach programmes in residential welfare associations and other important consumer touchpoints. We are also planning roadshows using mobile vans to create awareness in specific markets.
Third, we participate in different forums, energy platforms and media interactions. We also work with industry publications and magazines to communicate the benefits of these products.
The idea is to reach different consumer segments through different channels. We want to engage with builders, consumers in tier 2 markets and audiences who follow industry-specific publications and platforms.
Tata Power already has a presence in renewable energy and rooftop solar, and now it is expanding into home automation. Do you envision a future where consumers can manage rooftop solar, EV charging and home automation through a single platform?
Kaushik Sanyal: We have a dedicated department called Energy as a Service, which I also head. This business has several focus areas, including large data centres and industrial consumers.
Our home automation equipment is also capable of integrating consumption and usage patterns with rooftop solar systems. The converter can address different requirements, including household appliances and home EV charging infrastructure. You need to match the frequency and programme the system accordingly, but that capability is already built into it.
Consumers who have rooftop solar installations are potential customers for these products. They can benefit in two ways. Their rooftop solar system generates electricity, while home automation helps them manage how they consume it.
For example, they can optimise the usage of air conditioners, avoid running them at unnecessarily low temperatures, and reduce excessive geyser or fan usage.
So, as you rightly mentioned, this is the direction we are moving towards. We started with standalone products, but integrations are underway and are also possible through existing systems.
While reviewing the EZ Home smart plug, I initially faced an issue connecting it to my Wi-Fi network, even though my router supported 2.4GHz connectivity. What should consumers check before purchasing smart home products, particularly when it comes to connectivity?
Kaushik Sanyal: When we talk about smart home products, we are predominantly referring to products that support specific commands and voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
The primary audience for these products is in tier 1 and tier 2 cities, where internet connectivity is generally not a major issue. However, our products have an inbuilt mechanism that allows them to function even without an internet connection.
You may not be able to monitor electricity consumption or access certain information during that period, but the basic functionality will not be disrupted. For instance, a preset temperature or operating schedule can continue to work even if the internet connection is temporarily unavailable.
One of the checks we conduct before installation is to assess the available bandwidth. Our trained electricians are expected to verify this.
There can be occasional connectivity issues, as you mentioned. In some cases, consumers may also use Wi-Fi boosters to improve their network coverage. But considering the overall number of installations, these instances are relatively rare.
With improving network stability and the wider rollout of 5G, I believe connectivity will become even better.
Do you see artificial intelligence playing a role in Tata Power's home automation platform, particularly in proactively monitoring electricity consumption and helping consumers optimise their usage?
Kaushik Sanyal: AI will be useful in different ways depending on the scale of power consumption.
For smaller residential systems with a consumption of around 1-3kW, conventional calculations can already help consumers understand their usage. For instance, you can calculate how many units you consume every day and how much electricity your rooftop solar system generates. If your solar installation generates five units and you consume four, the additional unit can be exported through the net meter.
But AI will be particularly useful for larger power consumers, especially in the commercial and industrial segment.
Our energy management systems and Energy as a Service business will increasingly rely on AI for load forecasting, weather forecasting and consumption forecasting. It will also be useful for planning open-access power arrangements.
Historical data will be important in improving the accuracy of these systems. Once we have one or two years of data, we can make more accurate forecasts. For industries such as cement and steel, factors such as load variability, weather and seasonality influence electricity consumption.
We are working with our IT team to develop these forecasting capabilities, initially focusing on the commercial and industrial segment.
Where do Indian companies stand in the global smart home and home automation market? What role can domestic brands play against established international brands and low-cost manufacturers?
Kaushik Sanyal: Home automation is a large and growing market in India. Urbanisation is playing an important role in this growth, with more consumers living in major cities and becoming interested in connected homes.
There are several established home automation players and Taiwanese competitors in the market. But I believe competition is healthy. It encourages product innovation and helps consumers benefit from better pricing and services.
Our biggest differentiator is our distribution ecosystem. We have channel partners and retailers across India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Very few players currently have that kind of reach.
The second differentiator is our understanding of power systems. Home automation is closely linked to electrical systems, and we understand how sensitive equipment can be when it comes to controlling electricity and ensuring safety.
Our primary objective is to make these products accessible to the masses rather than position them as niche offerings.
The products should be easy to understand and use. The communication should not be too technical or complex for an ordinary household. The technology at the backend may be complicated, but the consumer experience should remain simple.
We also want installation and after-sales service to be reliable. These are the areas where we believe Tata Power has a significant advantage.
What are Tata Power's priorities for the next three to five years? What will shape the next phase of growth for its home automation business?
Kaushik Sanyal: Our primary objective over the next three years is to make these products accessible to every Indian. Whether someone is in Leh or Kanyakumari, they should be able to contact a local partner or our call centre and get the product, irrespective of the order volume or distance.
The first priority is to establish a distribution network across India. While we already have more than 700 channel partners and around 5,000 retailers for rooftop solar, our objective for home automation is to have a partner and retailer in every Indian district.
The second priority is to develop an ecosystem of trained electricians. They should understand home automation well enough to install the products, provide after-sales support and even recommend suitable solutions to households.
The third priority is to ensure that our products work across different types of homes, whether it is an apartment, an independent building or a smaller house.
We also need to establish confidence in the product range. We currently have around 50-60 SKUs, and we want to build consumer trust through product reliability and continued innovation.
Once a consumer uses a product for two or three years and is satisfied with its performance, that confidence will naturally grow.
Ultimately, our objective is to help consumers optimise their electricity costs by reducing wastage. We are looking at a potential optimisation of around 20%. There is also a direct relationship between reduced energy consumption and lower carbon emissions.
Our motto is 'Sustainable is attainable', and this initiative is aligned with that philosophy.
What would you like consumers to know about Tata Power EZ Home before considering its products?
Kaushik Sanyal: I believe firsthand experience is very important. Until you actually use a product, you cannot fully understand its benefits. Whatever I say in an interview or explain through product information, the consumer's own experience is what builds confidence.
We have received very encouraging feedback from consumers in the 13-14 cities where we have launched our products. I also make random calls to customers to understand their experience.
The Tata brand itself gives consumers a certain level of comfort. When they use the products and are satisfied, that gives us confidence as well.
I also handle the solar business, and I remember that there were several doubts about rooftop solar in its initial days. Look at how consumer confidence and adoption have grown since then.
I believe home automation and EZ Home will also go through a similar growth and transformation over the next few years.
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