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Page added on May 6, 2013
Fridges could be switched off without owner’s consent to reduce strain on power stations
White goods such as electric ovens would be affected by the proposals to fit all new appliances with sensors that could shut them down when the UK’s generators struggle to meet demand for power.
The measures proposed by the UK’s National Grid, along with its counterparts in 34 European countries, to install the controversial devices are backed by one of the European Union’s most influential energy bodies.
They are pushing for the move because green energy sources such as wind farms are less predictable than traditional power stations, increasing the risk of blackouts
The proposals are outlined in documents drawn up by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), and has been agreed by the EU-wide body of energy regulators.
The proposals were sent to the European Commission on March 27, and it is set to deliver its verdict on the proposals within three months, the Mail on Sunday reported.
They could then go to the European Parliament to be turned into legislation that would force manufacturers to install the monitors, which could see new appliances containing the sensors hitting the shops within three years.
Critics condemned the ‘Big Brother’ proposals, attacking the energy giants who they said would make millions of pounds extra profit under the scheme, as it would save them from firing up reserve generators or paying factories to switch off furnaces to quell demand.
There is no suggestion in the measures that consumers will be compensated for having their appliances shut down.
The sensors, which will automatically detect spikes in demand for power that the grid is struggling to meet, and temporarily shut off the appliances, could also add £40 to the average price of white goods for consumers, critics warned.
David Davis, the former Tory leadership candidate, said: “There is a Big Brother element to this – and it also shows the energy suppliers passing down their incompetence to the customers.
“They should be supplying energy as customers need it, not the when they want to give it.
‘There is something Soviet about this. It’s a ridiculous idea and it should be opposed. I hope the government puts its foot down.”
Viktor Sundberg, energy strategy manager at Electrolux, warned: “This is Big Brother technology on a grand scale. The device inside the fridge or freezer will automatically change the way the appliance operates in response to the output of the grid.
“This method of shutting down household appliances could to be carried out almost instantly, saving the energy companies millions because they won’t have to start up the turbines or pay huge industrial companies to cut production.
“Consumers are not benefiting at all and will be left paying more when they buy the appliances, as well as having their private goods controlled by outside forces.”
The National Grid, a private company that made £2.6 billion profit in 2011, is required by law to balance supply and demand in the network.
The EU has set a target that 20 per cent of all electricity will be generated from green sources by 2012, but these are unreliable, making the task more difficult.
The National Grid supplies alternating current to homes at 240V and an frequency of 50 hertz (Hz), but because electricity cannot be stored in bulk, there are fluctuations in this.
When demand starts to outstrip supply, the frequency drops – when there is more power than needed, it rises.
9 Comments on "Fridges could be switched off without owner’s consent to reduce strain on power stations"
rollin on Mon, 6th May 2013 10:13 pm
Of course electric power can be stored, pumped hydro is one way, Germany has been doing it for years. They are now developing plants that convert CO2 to methane to use as backup power systems.
This does sound like a profit scheme and one to get leverage against renewable energy.
Kenz300 on Tue, 7th May 2013 2:44 am
Combined generation power plants that use wind, solar and natural gas are now coming online. They do a good job of adjusting for the variability of wind and solar. Utilities are learning to adapt to greater amounts of wind and solar.
BillT on Tue, 7th May 2013 2:46 am
Wow! And I thought American’s were stupid! Shutting off ovens and fridges unannounced.
Rollin, water storage requires elevated sites to do so and they are not likely to be found in most developed countries. They also require a huge amount of available water that can be tapped 24/7/365.
Just cut your energy use. Simple isn’t it? Besides, adding complexity to any system lowers it’s useful lifetime and adds to maintenance costs. Cheap energy is history.
Arthur on Tue, 7th May 2013 7:20 am
News like this will be common in the future. it is unpleasant but unavoidable. Infrastructure that enables rationing should be implemented with high priority. It should go accompanied with an official warning from the government that in future citizens should be partial responsible for their own electricity generation, like from their own roof or in small scale community projects. Aircos should be forbidden.
Arthur on Tue, 7th May 2013 7:24 am
“Water storage requires elevated sites to do so and they are not likely to be found in most developed countries”
http://deepresource.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/norway-wants-to-become-europes-battery/
BillT on Tue, 7th May 2013 8:28 am
Arthur, dream on…EROEI. Systems cost will preclude such dreams. Anyway, they are 5 years from even starting the project. By then the EU will be in a depression. It’s already there, but, like the US it is being papered over by the printing press.
Arthur on Tue, 7th May 2013 10:18 am
“Arthur, dream on…EROEI. Systems cost will preclude such dreams.”
Nothing wrong with eroei of wind and solar, allthough you permanently keep trumpeting false info without backing up your claims, despite repeated requests to do so.
Besides, in Norway 300 mountain bassins are already in place. All it takes is to install pumps in the valley. In the US and Canada there is more than enough potential in the Rockies for hydro storage.
“It’s already there, but, like the US it is being papered over by the printing press.”
More BS. In Europe there is nothing like the ‘quantitative easing’ scam going on as in the US, which the US can do, for the moment, because of the reserve currency status of the $. But if the rest of the world dumps the $, for instance in case of a major war in the Gulf, the disaster will be complete for the US. The US will have zero buying power left on international markets (and you can forget about your Manilla ATM pension withdrawals in useless $, leaving you with the only option of finding a canoo to peddle back to the US to your family). And once the US government will be unable to even fund the soup kitchens, then the shtf scenario is complete. Then you will have a USSR-1991 scenario + diversity civil war and the US will become one big Syria itself. Dmitri Orlov is right, the cards for the US in the immediate future are worse than those of the USSR during the nineties. Stability will not return to US soil after Yugoslav/Iraqi/Syria style segregation will have occured and the Euro’s will have morphed into the Hoss Cartwright mode of living. With a lot of hurt in between.
BillT on Tue, 7th May 2013 1:24 pm
Hahahaha … Your Eurocentricity is showing, Arthur. The wars that will break out in the EU, when it all collapses, will rival any other place on the earth. Russia is one of the few northern countries that may survive with the fewest changes as it still has vast natural wealth and land for it’s population. Wouldn’t it be funny if the EU becomes part of the new USSR. And the West thought communism is dead.
Arthur on Tue, 7th May 2013 3:15 pm
“Your Eurocentricity is showing, Arthur.”
Yeah, are you surprised? Euro-centric on a 19th century level. The beauty is that you Euro-Americans are going to be eurocentric too, once that proposition nation of yours will go up in flames.
“The wars that will break out in the EU, when it all collapses, will rival any other place on the earth.”
WW1 was about instigated by Britain, which did not like that the British centiry was over and was challenged by Germany.
WW2 was the same conflict, this time exploited by the US and USSR, the laughing thirds.
Now Europe is united and a modus vivendi has been found between Germany and France. The rise of China as a great power as well as the critical resource situation will drive the EU and Russia into each others arms.
“Russia is one of the few northern countries that may survive with the fewest changes as it still has vast natural wealth and land for it’s population.”
Russia alone has not enough weight to defend itself against China, that has 8 times as many people and 3.5 times the size of the economy. So if the situation will become desperate, they will try to take Siberia. Not going to happen if Russia will be in an alliance with Europe. China can have Australia instead, as a safety vale.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if the EU becomes part of the new USSR. And the West thought communism is dead.”
Communism is dead, certainly in Russia and more or less in China too. The Chinese have stopped displaying the portraits of the jews that started the disaster (Marx, Lenin). The EU becoming part of Russia and Russia becoming part of the EU, that is what is next on the political program of the 21st century.