Episode 14

Watt’s up with Soly?

Episode 14
·
40 mins
·
December 3, 2024

Watt’s up with Soly?

Georgia sits down with Thijmen van Nijnanten, Global Head of Product at Soly, to discuss how Soly Brain® makes home energy management simple, future-proof and customer-first. They explore differences across markets (Netherlands, Germany, South Africa), net metering’s phase-out, dynamic energy tariffs and how innovation can unlock smarter, more independent homes.
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What you’ll learn in this episode

From Soly 1.0 to Soly Brain®

Soly began with digital-first solar in the Netherlands, then expanded into batteries, EV chargers, and dynamic tariffs. The Soly Brain® ties it all together, optimizing energy flows and ensuring customers get a seamless, future-proof experience – whether they buy hardware from Soly or elsewhere.

Scaling across markets: Netherlands, Germany & South Africa

Customer needs differ: Dutch households add tech step by step, while Germans prefer full packages at once. In South Africa, Soly tackles load shedding with solar-plus-storage instead of diesel generators. Each market shows why flexibility and customer-first design are critical.

Why service matters more than savings

Consumers expect financial benefits, but what wins them over is reliability and support. A car that fails to charge once erodes trust. Soly Brain® emphasizes ease, transparency and control – turning complex energy management into a one-button experience.

Beyond net metering: Smart energy’s next chapter

As Dutch net metering phases out and “feed-in fines” spread, dumb solar systems lose value. With Soly Brain®, households can avoid penalties, store power in batteries and tap dynamic tariffs to charge cheap and use smart – maximizing both savings and sustainability.

The challenges of scaling HEMS

Growth depends on solving interoperability (connecting old and new assets), reducing installation friction, and making energy management plug-and-play. Soly’s vision: a “big red button” to activate optimization instantly. Innovations in retrofitting existing solar systems are the next breakthrough.

Key quotes: Design for people, not just tech

“Energy nerds aren’t enough – you need to translate kilowatt-hours into something every customer understands and values.”

“You can get EV charging wrong exactly once. Reliability is the foundation of any energy management solution.”

“We’ll never trap customers in our ecosystem. Soly Brain connects with what you already own and what you’ll buy tomorrow.”

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