From electric vehicles to solar panels to smart appliances, our homes are using more electricity than ever. This shift toward electrification is driving up energy costs, increasing grid demand, and making sustainability a bigger concern. Yet, most homeowners don’t realize that the key to taking control of their energy use is something they rarely think about — their electrical panel.
Your electrical panel is the heart of your home’s power system, keeping electricity flowing safely and efficiently. Yet, a recent survey by Schneider Electric revealed that many people have little awareness of it. Surprisingly, 17% of Americans don’t know where their panel is located, and nearly 30% worldwide don’t know what it actually does.
While most people don’t think about their electrical panel much, this essential, yet overlooked device is becoming more important than ever.
Think about how many devices and appliances you have plugged in right now. Now, compare that to five years ago. The number has skyrocketed, and it’s only increasing with more and more new and smart, high-powered home appliances and tech becoming more common.
This growing electrification means two things:
- Higher energy bills – U.S. electricity prices rose 10% in 2022 alone and have kept climbing in 2023 and 2024 by about 2%. The average household now spends $2,000 a year on electricity.
- More grid strain – Chances are your electrical panel wasn’t designed for modern energy demands, and the added stress can lead to inefficiencies or even safety risks.
Even if you’re not worried about your bill, there’s a sustainability factor to consider. Homes account for 21% of U.S. energy consumption and 20% of carbon emissions—so if you’re looking for ways to reduce your environmental footprint, your energy habits at home are a great place to start.
The way we think about home energy needs to change. Instead of just consuming electricity, we should be managing it.
And managing it starts with your electrical panel. Traditional panels have done their job for decades, but they weren’t built for today’s electrified world. More devices pulling power from your home means more pressure on your panel, the grid, and ultimately, the environment. The solution? Smart electrical panels.
What is a Smart Electrical Panel?
A smart panel does everything a traditional panel does — distributing electricity and preventing overloads — but it also brings energy intelligence to your home.
- Optimizes your energy use – Adjusts power distribution based on real-time needs.
- Works with renewables – Easily integrates with solar, battery storage, and EV chargers.
- Prevents overloads – Helps balance high-demand appliances to avoid tripping breakers.
- Gives you control – Lets you monitor and adjust power usage from your phone.
- Supports sustainability – Helps you shrink your energy footprint and reduce waste.
Smart panels don’t just make your home more efficient — they make managing energy effortless. With remote control capabilities, you can adjust your home’s power settings via an app without needing to access the panel manually. They also enable automated energy savings by powering down non-essential devices when you’re away, helping to reduce unnecessary electricity usage. In the event of a grid outage, smart panels let you choose which appliances stay on, ensuring critical devices continue running.
For example, Schneider Pulse smart electrical panel is an innovative, solar- and backup-power-ready smart panel designed to meet modern home energy demands. It supports everything from EV chargers to heat pumps, ensuring your home remains energy-efficient and grid-ready. And the complementary Schneider Home app allows you to track energy consumption, optimize power distribution, and even cut off unnecessary drains—all from your phone.
