Noble Carbon Smart Breakers Cut EV Charger Install Costs
Noble Carbon’s smart breakers allow EV chargers to fit into existing home panels without costly electrical upgrades.
Key points
- Noble Carbon’s smart breakers allow EV chargers to operate within existing home electrical panels without costly upgrades.
- The device fits into standard panel slots and installs in under five minutes, currently seeking UL safety certification.
- The startup is piloting the technology in 200 Massachusetts multifamily units with utility partner Eversource.
Many prospective electric vehicle owners hesitate to buy because upgrading a home’s electrical panel to support a charger is expensive. A new device from Noble Carbon aims to remove this barrier by managing power flow without requiring major construction.
The Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based startup will demonstrate its technology at TechCrunch Disrupt in October. By adjusting electricity delivery in real time, the company’s breakers allow new high-power devices to function within the limits of older, at-capacity electrical systems.
Smart breakers manage peak power usage
Traditional electrical panels are sized for rare peak loads, such as when every appliance runs simultaneously during a holiday gathering. Most of the time, these panels have unused capacity. Noble Carbon’s breakers monitor the home’s largest energy consumers and throttle their power intake to ensure the total draw never exceeds the panel’s safe limit.
According to Spencer Fields, the company’s head of marketing, this approach eliminates the need for a full panel upgrade. By controlling just three to six major loads, homeowners can add EV chargers, heat pumps, or induction stoves without the associated labor and material costs.
Rapid installation and safety certification
The device is designed to fit into existing slots in a standard electrical panel. Noble Carbon states that installation takes less than five minutes, a significant reduction compared to the days often required for a panel replacement. The product is currently undergoing evaluation for UL certification, a widely recognized electrical safety standard.
The company is currently partnering with utility provider Eversource to install the breakers in up to 200 multifamily units in Massachusetts. This pilot program serves as a real-world test of the technology’s reliability and ease of use in residential settings.
Founders target energy reliability challenges
Co-founder and CEO Jared Lebos was inspired to develop the technology after experiencing rolling blackouts in South Africa. He collaborated with co-founder and CTO Andrew Crane to create a solution that stabilizes power distribution. The company is one of 200 startups competing in the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield.
While the technology offers a cheaper alternative to panel upgrades, it requires monitoring and control over major appliances. Homeowners must trust the system to manage their power usage, trading manual control for cost savings and ease of installation.
