1.Sustainability Problem
In order to make a simple cup of tea, you end up overfilling the kettle. This wastes energy and water and also means you have to wait longer for it to heat up. Energy consumption because of the kettle water overfilling when boiling is far higher than what we would normally assume. According to Leyla Acaroglu during her 2014 TED Talk “One day of extra energy use [from overfilling electric kettles] is enough to light all the streetlights in England for a night.”
2) The technology
MIITO uses simple induction technology to essentially wirelessly transfer heat. Its base creates an electromagnetic field which will then heat any ferrous material on its surface, in this case the disc attached to the bottom of the rod. Once the rod is placed inside a vessel filled with liquid, the rod’s disc will heat up and directly transfer heat to just the liquid in the vessel, contrary to microwave ovens.
By heating only the liquid you need directly in the vessel you’ll drink from, it avoids wasting extra liquid and use less energy to heat it. Induction technology is 80-90% energy efficient in heating liquids. Electric kettles are only 50-80% efficient, microwave ovens are around 43% efficient and water heated on a stove is only 16-27% energy efficient, when boiling the same amount of liquid. Amongst many others, it has won the James Dyson Award for its lean, simple, and sustainable design.
3) Stakeholders
- Customers
- Investors
- Crowdfunders
- MITTO, the developers of the product
- Local governments
4) Implementation
- The company has successfully run a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 where they gathered €818,098 pledged of €150,000 goal.
- Since September 2015, the product is in its development phase.
- Once the product is launched, targeted media campaigns should raise awareness on the product and make it available worldwide.
- It would be desirable for local governments to encourage the use of this kind of devices by using some for of ‘sustainable’ labelling, as well as promotions.
5) References
http://www.wired.com/2014/11/tea-kettle-alternative-thats-cooler-cleaner-eco-friendly/
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29245299
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/feb/08/innovators-boiling-point-redesigning-kettle-miito
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