[J-Rod]

Dunno how useful this would be, but I would think it could help if it permeated everyone's homes, and worked as advertised.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A') new combination of devices, software and advanced analytical tools will give homeowners more information about their energy use and cost, and researchers want to know if this will modify their behavior.

Approximately 200 homes will receive real-time price information through a broadband Internet connection and automated equipment that will adjust energy use based on price. In addition, some customers will have computer chips embedded in their dryers and water heaters that can sense when the power transmission system is under stress and automatically turn off certain functions briefly until the grid can be stabilized by power operators.

[aahala]

There's a few utilities that have gotten some of their customers who
use electricity for heating and cooling to install pageable thermastats.
During peaking periods, the utilities can "page" the devices to adjust
the useage. Those in the program can view a website to opt out of
the program if that particular day they wish to retain the heating/cooling
settings.


Here's all the details - warning it's a 41 page pdf
file that takes a long time to load and sometimes it won't:

http://certs.lbl.gov/PDF/Spinning_Reserves.pdf

[dooberheim]

Here in Columbia, if you have central air, you can get a small discount on your summer electric bills by having the city install an remotely interruptible switch on your A/C compressor. They had to use them maybe six times last summer, and it was a fairly hot and dry summer.

However, the problem will get worse because the city keeps allowing sprawl and growth - bigger houses, more heat islanding from impervious surface, etc. etc. Pretty soon the only solution will be rolling blackouts.

DK

[pedalling_faster]

http://www.goodvibrations.com/

oh, i thought you said Girl friendly appliances.

"attempted humor is better than none -

sh*t i was just trying to have some fun"