Matter-over-Wi-Fi: Smart Meters as Local Control Hubs
In July, Silicon Labs highlighted the potential of Matter-over-Wi-Fi for smart metering. The approach promises to transform conventional digital electricity meters into full-fledged energy hubs that do far more than just measure consumption.
Matter, the cross-manufacturer IoT standard, is emerging as a central protocol for secure, local communication between smart meters and other devices in the home—such as heat pumps, battery storage systems, or EV charging stations.
What exactly is Matter?
Matter is an open, cross-brand standard for smart home and IoT communication. It is developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) and supported by companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung. Matter defines a common "language" for devices that can communicate over existing networks like Wi-Fi, Thread, or Ethernet.
The standard places great emphasis on interoperability, security, and local control. Many functions run directly on the local network without requiring a mandatory cloud connection—a clear advantage for privacy, speed, and reliability.
With Matter, smart home and IoT devices from different manufacturers can work together more easily and be controlled in a unified way. For smart meters, this means they can communicate directly with heat pumps, wallboxes, or other consumers—without proprietary interfaces or isolated solutions.
Local intelligence instead of cloud dependency
Matter-over-Wi-Fi doesn’t just digitize energy consumption measurement—it turns it into intelligent networking. Consumption data is evaluated directly on-site and used to control devices in the household.
Instead of sending data exclusively to the utility or a cloud platform, local networking and automation emerge. The smart meter becomes a control hub that shifts loads in real time and responds flexibly to tariffs or grid conditions.
Benefits at a glance:
Peak load management: Avoids consumption peaks and stabilizes the grid. Heat pumps or EV charging can be scheduled flexibly.
Cost savings: Consumers benefit from time-based tariffs without manual intervention.
Grid-friendly control: Utilities gain better planning and can integrate renewable energy more efficiently.
Data sovereignty: Consumption data remains local in the home and doesn't require continuous cloud processing.
Silicon Labs positions Wi-Fi and Matter as ideal platforms for the next generation of smart energy solutions. Wi-Fi is widely available and provides a standardized, cost-effective infrastructure. Matter ensures interoperability and simplifies integration across different manufacturers.
Matter-over-Wi-Fi could thus play a key role in transforming energy systems toward a decentralized, flexible, and consumer-focused future. Smart meters are evolving from simple measuring devices into active, intelligent control elements—for greater efficiency, lower costs, and more sustainable energy management.
More information: Silicon Labs Blog
