When I think of how the internet of things will play itself out cleantech, I tend to think of smart thermostats, networked lighting and the vast machine to machine (M2M) opportunity that is the smart grid. But sensor technology is another area where we could see some efficiency gains.

Helsinki-based Enevo scored 2 million Euros for its smart waste management technology that provides sensor units that measure variables in bins such as volume and temperature. It sends that data back to Enevo via GPRS. The company then uses that data to optimize collection routes and intervals for its customers.

The net result is an efficiency gain by allowing waste management managers to only pick up those bins that are full, saving time and fuel. The sensor data tells companies how full the bins are.

It’s such a simple technology and it feels also like an elegant solution that doesn’t need to be as smart as a Nest thermostat. It just attacks one problem with one connected device and some back end software. The question now becomes which sensor will next create value for a company.