Samsung and utility company Coolblue Energie have joined forces in a strategic partnership that will provide Dutch households with free electricity for doing their laundry between 12 pm and 3 pm. Available to users with a Coolblue contract with dynamic pricing and a compatible Samsung washing machine connected to the SmartThings app, the initiative harnesses solar and wind power during peak production hours while simultaneously reducing pressure on the electrical grid.
This collaboration addresses growing consumer demand for smarter home energy solutions while promoting sustainable consumption patterns. According to Marijn van Weele, director of Coolblue Energie, the combined power consumption of all appliances sold annually by Coolblue (which is primarily an electronics retailer) could illuminate the city of Rotterdam for three years — demonstrating the substantial impact of shifting electricity usage to midday hours when renewable energy is abundant.
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Initiatives like Samsung and Coolblue Energie's free electricity program exemplify how brands are responding to consumers' shifting sustainability priorities — from abstract climate pledges and complex carbon offset schemes, to tangible, immediately understandable benefits. The offer's genius lies in its simplicity: consumers save money while reducing grid pressure during peak solar production, transforming a daily household routine into meaningful climate action without additional effort.
As sustainability fatigue and greenwashing skepticism grow, expect more brands to follow suit with equally transparent initiatives that make environmental impact visible, measurable and rewarding. The most successful will be those that, like this washing machine program, embed sustainability so seamlessly into everyday activities that consumers don't have to choose between convenience and conscience.
