On July 2, Samsung Electronics and Q CELLS announced a new strategic partnership that will see the two companies combine their technological expertise to provide “zero energy home” solutions.

A zero energy home is one that becomes energy self-sufficient by only utilizing energy that is drawn from the home itself. This self-sufficiency is achieved by both producing energy through renewables like solar, and reducing energy consumption through utilization of more efficient devices.

Under this new partnership, the two companies will work towards establishing new solutions in which Samsung’s SmartThings Energy service is connected to Q CELLS’ solar modules and energy storage systems (ESS). This solution would allow homeowners to produce and store their own energy, then harness the SmartThings IoT platform to monitor and automatically optimize energy consumption in their home appliances and heat pumps (EHS, Eco Heating System).