BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tendril, the provider of the cloud platform for the Energy Internet, is putting more muscle behind its commitment to encourage innovation and the development of third-party applications for the Smart Grid and the Smart Home on its cloud-based platform with the launch of the Tendril Connect Application Developer website and the Tendril Energy Internet and Smart Home App Contest, which begins today with $5,000 worth of prize money. Winners will be announced on Jan. 22 at the Cleanweb Hackathon taking place in New York City.
For the first time in the history of the Smart Grid, developers have an easy-to-use, intuitive way to build apps that can work with major smart meter systems, and a growing number of third party smart devices for the home; like smart appliances. The apps can also be used across open and proprietary communication protocols, numerous operating systems like Android and iOS, and utility back-office environments. For utilities that license the Tendril Connect platform, they now have a secure, scalable platform that allows them to connect to the potentially limitless number of consumer touch points in the home.
More than 100 developers have already signed up to use the Tendril Connect platform to develop applications since Tendril first opened access to key Tendril Connect platform APIs in August 2011.
“We are committed to making it as easy as possible for developers to use our platform to create the killer app for the Smart Grid and the Smart Home and transform the way the world interacts with energy,” said Kent Dickson, chief technology officer at Tendril. “Our open APIs and our app developer website make it possible to tap into the collective intelligence and creativity of the developer community to deliver on this commitment and give utilities one platform that can talk to a growing list of third-party applications and devices. We believe this will lead to more innovation and eventually, a Smart Grid and Smart Home apps store, bringing utilities, providers of Smart Home devices and applications, and consumers more insight, choice and control over their energy use.”
The Tendril Connect Application Developer website provides an intuitive developer web experience, including specifications for getting started with Tendril APIs and a sandbox for developers to test their applications against a set of sample accounts spanning a variety of user profile types. Additionally, developers may exercise Tendril Connect platform APIs quickly and easily through a code playground that returns generated code and request-response data in either XML or JSON.
The website also enables developers to easily build connections between a web app and smart devices. For example, through Tendril platform APIs a developer can both read from and change settings for smart thermostats, smart plugs, smart appliances and new smart devices that are continuously being integrated with the Tendril Connect platform. By having an open app development, and open device integration, a complete end-to-end home energy management solution is now possible. In the coming months, Tendril plans to offer developers a smart device application developer kit, providing them with Tendril connected smart devices for use in creating new apps.
“Tendril has made developing apps for the Energy Internet easy and opened the door to innovation in green energy apps,” said Mark Carges, chief technology officer at eBay. “We’ve seen the kinds of innovation that can be unleashed when app developers are provided with the right environment and tools to leverage powerful platforms like eBay’s X.commerce. Tendril is certainly forging the path in the energy industry with the Tendril Connect platform combined with the Tendril Connect Application Developer website.”
The Tendril Connect Application Developer website includes:
- API documentation
- A “My Apps” area, which keeps track of application names and keys and allows the app owner to give multiple developers access to an app’s key, and change the owner of an app
- A developer sandbox that lets developers test their apps with sample data
- A “Try It Now” option that lets developers test out individual API calls
- Sample accounts connected to live hardware including smart thermostats and smart plugs
- A developer community forum, where app developer program members can exchange information and collaborate as well as interact with Tendril engineers
- A blog with posts from Tendril engineers with all the latest and greatest about the Tendril Connect platform, APIs and app developer community news
- Articles for learning more about the energy industry, electricity principals, electricity pricing, metering and authentication
Application developers can join the Tendril Connect Application Developer Program and access developer tools at http://dev.tendrilinc.com. They can also follow the Tendril Connect Application Developer community online using Twitter at @tendrilapi or on Facebook at facebook.com/tendrilconnectappdevprogram.
In addition to the launch of its new Tendril Connect Application Developer website, Tendril announced it is holding an Energy Internet and Smart Home App Contest. Winners will be named at the Cleanweb Hackathon taking place Jan. 21-22, 2012 at New York University in New York City. Developers interested in participating in the contest should visit http://dev.tendrilinc.com/blog to register and receive more contest information.
The Tendril Application Developer Program and website are a natural evolution of the Tendril Connect Developer Program, which was launched over two years ago and now includes more than 25 partners that span the energy ecosystem. In addition to Application Developers, the Tendril Connect Developer program also includes Device Developers as well as Platform-to-Platform Partners. From large industry players like Siemens Energy, to the leading smart meter makers and top advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) vendors, to cutting-edge smart device and appliance makers like Whirlpool, Tendril’s partners are utilizing the power of the Tendril Connect cloud platform to capitalize on new revenue and market opportunities, differentiate products and services, increase customer satisfaction, accelerate time to market and improve margins.
The Tendril Connect platform is an open, secure, extensible cloud platform that enables standards-based communications to support millions of networked devices, immense amounts of data and intelligence, enable remote management capabilities, and support an emerging marketplace of new energy products and services. Several third parties have already begun developing on the Tendril Connect platform including Whirlpool, which is building an app to support the rollout of smart appliances and Simple Energy, which uses the Tendril Connect platform to provide an energy efficiency game to San Diego Gas & Electric as part of the Biggest Energy Saver campaign.
About Tendril
Tendril is the Energy Platform company, delivering end-to-end consumer engagement products, applications and services powered by Tendril Connect™—an open standards-based, secure and scalable platform that takes the complexity out of the Energy Internet. Tendril Connect creates a dialogue between energy service providers, third party providers of smart products and services, and consumers. Delivering consumer engagement software, in-home products and applications as well as easy to integrate utility solutions such as Demand Response and Energy Efficiency, Tendril offers unparalleled insight into energy decisions, making the Energy Marketplace a reality. The company is venture backed by VantagePoint Capital Partners, Siemens Venture Capital (SVC), Good Energies, RRE Ventures and GE. For more information, visit www.tendrilinc.com.