Latest news with #MichaelHuang
The Independent
30-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Solar energy just saves you money – but with AI, could it make you money?
What if solar panels didn't just cut your energy bills but actually made you money? That's the future I glimpsed this week at the New Energy Forum in Narrabri, a remote farming and coal mining town in Australia that brought together some of the most unexpected solar innovators I've met in years. One of them, Michael Huang, is a young engineer with a big idea: what if rooftop solar didn't just power your home but worked for you – generating profit by trading energy like a mini power plant? Michael works for a clean tech company called Energus, which is one of the leading solar panel installers in the country. But now, they've added a twist – pairing solar with batteries, as well as advanced AI-powered energy management systems that not only track your energy needs but also monitor the electricity market to sell excess power at the most profitable times. This combination has the potential to not only significantly bring down the upfront costs of a solar energy system but given the right energy market settings, transform it into a profitable business opportunity in the short and medium term. This week he sat me down and explained how this model works and is already being used to generate revenue for farmers, processing plants and even a small roadside motel, sometimes slashing the payback periods in half. For small businesses, this not only transforms the upfront risks of installing solar and batteries but could generate revenue within a few years, as the AI system would constantly be working to sell power back to the grid at the most valuable times. Michael is one of the many innovators who are pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve with our potential to produce energy from our rooftops. At the BePositive trade show in Lyon, France, this week, Imeon Energy showcased a similar technology that helps track your energy needs at the household level, turning your solar-battery system into a smart energy system for your home. But Michael believes it's time that we push the boundaries of our existing understanding of renewables as a cost reduction tool to one that sees them as a revenue opportunity. 'We need to shift from seeing solar as a cost-saving to a profit opportunity,' he told me. This really made me stop and think about the state of our current global energy debate. Analysts have shown that a clean power system will save money for households in the UK, medical bills in the US, and even petrol and gas bills in Australia. But it won't happen overnight, and the public debate has become urgent, as voters everywhere want to see prices come down now, not later. That was clear in a YouGov poll from January, which showed that just about half of the UK's households expect to ration their energy usage this year, and three-quarters of the public remain concerned about how the government is managing the cost of living crisis. That concern was unsurprisingly highest among Reform voters, but broader public uncertainty has fueled Kemi Badenoch to falsely present renewable energy as a scapegoat for gas-driven energy price rises overseen by her own party. That's a message that has resonated, especially in farming districts which brings me to Tony Inder. Tony is a sixth-generation sheep farmer who reminds me of my grandfather. They were both high school dropouts but full of grit and hard-working charm. A few years ago, Tony was driving past one of the biggest solar farms in Australia and noticed the green grass growing between the panels in the middle of a drought. He says he went to the solar operators and told them: "I have got sheep, and you've got grass." He soon struck a deal with the solar operators, as long as his sheep kept the grass short. Today, he runs nearly 3,000 sheep in between the panels of a solar farm big enough to provide electricity to over 120,000 households. The animals keep the grass low (saving the farm over £200k a year in mowing costs), and in return, Tony's sheep gets shade, moist grass and lush grazing land, and what he swears is some of the best wool he's seen all his life – including a 20 per cent increase in tensile strength in his last run. 'The sheep just do really well,' he said. 'I like to say that panel sheep are happy sheep.' This isn't just a clever arrangement. It's a model. Tony admits that it wasn't easy at first. 'I like to think of myself like one of those old pioneers, you know, adapting to a new environment, trying to push the boundaries of farming'. Tony and Michael couldn't be more different: the one old-school, the other high-tech. But both are finding ways to use solar to generate not just energy, but profits across the board. And in doing so, they're pointing to a different kind of energy future – one that isn't about moral sacrifice but innovation and opportunity. They've convinced me that even in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, we can reframe this conversation – from energy prices to profit potential, from risk to reward. Because sometimes, the best way to get people excited about the future isn't just to tell them what they'll save. It's to show them what they could earn.
Zawya
05-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Health2Sync Completes an Oversubscribed Round of US$20 Million to Fuel Market Expansion and Prepares for Public Listing
Health2Sync, Asia's leading chronic disease management platform, has secured over $20 million in a Series C funding round, paving the way for a planned public listing on the Taiwan capital markets. This capital will fuel strategic growth as Health2Sync prepares for its IPO: expanding into new markets (Japan, South Korea, Australia), developing new disease management programs (weight loss, hypertension, GLP-1), and deepening AI integration. This investment reflects strong investor confidence in Health2Sync's established market leadership, its vision to transform chronic disease management through data-driven solutions, and its strategic path towards a public listing. TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach Newswire - 5 March 2025 - Health2Sync (H2), a leading digital health company specializing in chronic disease management, today announced it has raised over US$20 million in a Series C funding round and earlier extension round. This investment will propel the company's growth initiatives, including expansion into new markets, development of innovative programs, and preparations for a public listing in Taiwan. The funding round was led by Taiwania Capital, with participation from prominent investors, including Wistron, Pegatron, BE Health Ventures, ABIES Capital, and Cathay Venture. The strong support from new and existing investors underscores confidence in Health2Sync's vision and track record of what it has developed as Asia's largest chronic disease management solution. "We are thrilled to welcome our new groups of investors to join our vision of transformative data-driven disease management," said Ed Deng, Co-founder and CEO of Health2Sync. "In this mission, we constantly face challenges on all fronts, this funding validates our traction to date and enables us to capture opportunities, enhance our product offerings, and ultimately improve the lives of millions of people living with diabetes and related conditions." "Digital disease management solutions have always been one of the key areas of our investment focus," said Michael Huang, Managing Partner of Taiwania Capital. "We are excited to see other investors supporting the Health2Sync team at a time when public healthcare systems across the globe are incorporating digital solutions as an integral part of managing chronic diseases such as diabetes." The Company has strategically deployed the newly acquired capital to support several key initiatives: Develop and launch a series of disease management programs: continue developing its innovative and personalized patient engagement programs to include a digital weight-loss program targeting the need for practical weight management tools, hypertension, and other sub-health symptoms, and adding digital GLP-1 engagement to the offering as payers in the region seek to enable further drug accessibility. Expansion in key markets: accelerate its growth in strategic geographies, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, especially capitalizing on the increasing demand from the public sector for digital health solutions. Introduce Insultrate, a Software-as-a-Medical Device (SaMD) for insulin self-titration, to other geographies. Deepen the use of AI: enhance the efficiency of disease management for patients and healthcare providers and elevate user experience to the next level. This funding round marks a significant milestone for Health2Sync as it prepares for a listing on the Taiwan capital markets. Hashtag: #health2sync #diabetesmanagement #digitaltherapeutis #digitalhealth #startup The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Health2Sync Founded in 2013, Health2Sync offers digital solutions to help people manage their health with chronic diseases, pre-diabetes, or weight concerns. The company's achievements include being the first approved digital therapeutics in Taiwan for its insulin dosage titration software, Insultrate, which it co-developed with Sanofi. The company has also received the title of "NEXT BIG" Startup from the Taiwan National Development Council of Taiwan and has served over 1.4 million users worldwide. For more information, please visit Health2Sync
