EnOcean GmbH is the originator of patented self-powered wireless technology. Headquartered in Oberhaching near Munich, the company manufactures and markets maintenance-free wireless sensor solutions for use in buildings and industrial installations. EnOcean solutions are based on miniaturized energy converters, ultra-low-power electronic circuitry and reliable wireless. Combining these elements enables EnOcean and its product partners to offer sensor systems that are fundamental for energy-efficient buildings and innovative industry. Today wireless modules from EnOcean are chosen worldwide by more than 150 manufacturers to enable their system ideas for buildings and industry. Wireless components are already in use several hundred thousand buildings. EnOcean was founded in 2001 as a spin-off from Siemens AG. The company currently employs about 50 people.

EnOcean Technology

The basic idea behind the innovative technology stems from a simple observation: where sensors capture measured values, the energy state constantly changes. When a switch is pressed, the temperature alters or the luminance level varies. All these operations generate enough energy to transmit wireless signals. Instead of batteries, EnOcean consequently uses miniaturized energy converters to supply power: linear motion converters, solar cells and thermal converters. These allow wireless operation in very different surroundings. Intelligent software stacks enable straightforward and simple integration of EnOcean technology in a large variety of user applications.

The EnOcean wireless signal uses the 868 MHz, 902 MHz, 928 MHz and 315 MHz frequency bands, making it suitable for use worldwide. Telegrams are just one millisecond in duration and are transmitted at a rate of 125 kilobits per second. Plus, to eliminate transmission errors, a telegram is repeated twice in the space of 30 milliseconds. Data packets are transmitted at random intervals, so the probability of collision is extremely small. The range of EnOcean wireless sensors is about 300 meters in the open and up to 30 meters inside buildings. Each EnOcean module comes with a unique 32-bit identification number to exclude any possibility of overlap with other wireless switches.

The use of self-powered wireless technology enables businesses in different sectors to achieve savings of as much as 40 percent in energy and operating costs – for the same performance.

EnOcean Alliance

Leading companies worldwide from the building sector collected in early 2008 to establish and promote innovative control solutions for sustainable building projects – and so to make buildings more energy-efficient, more flexible and lower in cost. The EnOcean Alliance aims to standardize and internationalize EnOcean wireless technology, and is dedicated to creating interoperability between the products of OEM partners. EnOcean GmbH is a founding promoters of the EnOcean Alliance.