[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mommy22', 'A')ny others getting an offer like that from your power company?

[FoxV]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Niagara', 'T')hey installed a timer gadget which would kill power
to the heater during peak hours, so your water would reheat during the night. The tank was also wrapped with an insulating blanket to help keep the water hot. They offered a cash incentive to have the system installed, around $200 I think.

[mistel]

I have a bit of a bone to pick with my local NGas Utility. I have and electric water heater so I only use N Gas for heat. But I also have a wood stove so I turn on the furnace a little later than most and turn it off a little sooner. So I only use N Gas for about 6 months of the year but I still get a bill with a "service charge" all summer. I have asked about having the meter shut-off for 6 months, but that would require someone to make a decision outside the box, so forget about that.

I think next spring I will see if I can not pay my bill and get cut-off for 6 months.

Peter

[Blacksmith]

A lot of people here cut off their gas for the summer, they just ask for a termination of service. When they turn the service back on in the fall they have to pay an installation fee of $35.00. If you default on your bill the cost of reinstatement will be much higher.

[Blacksmith]

We keep our temperature at 15 degrees C, however, when I put on the wood stove and the I have trouble keeping it below 20 degrees C. Before we super insulated the house keeping it lower was much easier.

[rdsaltpower]

68 when home, 65 at night and 55 during work hours. I also burn wood as much as possible which results in 30.00 gas bill in January.
Just installed 9 inches of insulation under floor. Added 6 inches to attic last fall. I also installed insulation pads on all wall outlets in house. Got a nice fed. tax break on the insulation and three solar panels last year. House is 2000 sq, ft plus to heat.

[strider3700]

The thermostat is turned off at the breaker and we're going to try just heating with wood this year. I did have to turn on the baseboard heaters for a few hours when I had a plastic tent set up inside for sanding and it was too close to the woodstove to be safe.

When turned on the thermostat was at 18 the 4 or so hours they ran cost me about 50 cents. With any luck that will be the most expensive heating day of this season

[gg3]

.
62 Fahrenheit on the thermostat.

At this very moment it's 63.7 in here, at 67% humidity.

[mattduke]

"What should be controversial in the proposed revisions to Title 24 is the requirement for what is called a "programmable communicating thermostat" or PCT. Every new home and every change to existing homes' central heating and air conditioning systems will required to be fitted with a PCT beginning next year following the issuance of the revision. Each PCT will be fitted with a "non-removable " FM receiver that will allow the power authorities to increase your air conditioning temperature setpoint or decrease your heater temperature setpoint to any value they chose. During "price events" those changes are limited to +/- four degrees F and you would be able to manually override the changes. During "emergency events" the new setpoints can be whatever the power authority desires and you would not be able to alter them."




AmericanThinker

[emersonbiggins]

End of problem.

[SILENTTODD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emersonbiggins', '[')img]http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pACE3-955998reg.jpg[/img]

End of problem.

[Niagara]

In theory, it's a good idea. But forcing it down people's throats is clearly distasteful and reeks of George Orwell's "1984".

I better approach would be an opt-in plan whereby homeowners would receive a discount on their utilities if they choose to shift their cooling to off-peak hours.

We had a similar plan in Toronto where a timer box was installed on electric hot water heaters. The customer received a cash bonus for installing it.

Load shifting is a great idea. Thermal Cool Storage systems would work well in Cali-forn-i-a

[heroineworshipper]

Not that anyone can afford new homes in Calif*, but Hillary has a better idea: get rid of all thermostats.

[FreakOil]

I guess I've been hoping for a long time that people would do something - anything - to lessen damage to the biosphere. But what if they won't? Should the government change their behavior for them, or should we let Joe Sixpack drive us off the cliff? This really cuts to the heart of the matter. What do you believe?

I prefer Niagara's idea of an opt-in plan and discounts for people who participated, but what if people didn't participate? How long do you let people make decisions of which the consequences, in totality, could destroy us all?

When do you take away the right to be stupid?

[Fishman]

FreakOil
Let's take away the right to be stupid, sounds great, who gets to pick? Do crack head females get sterilized? Do third generation welfare families get the same? Do YOU get to pick?

[Leanan]

At first blush, my reaction is outrage. How dare they reach into my house and change my thermostat?

But realistically, it kinda makes sense. They only change it if there's a power emergency. And you can change it back, unless it's a really, really bad power emergency. IOW, if the alternative is an unplanned blackout.

So the choice is...let them lower your thermostat, or sweat in the dark.

The issue here isn't environmental concerns. It's managing capacity. Probably half the people it will affect aren't home anyway. Those who are home can turn their thermostats back up if they want. If it's so bad they override the manual override, they're on the brink of the lights going out anyway.

[mattduke]

Rather than controlling our behaviors (with the threat of the police force if we refuse), how about broadcasting a "price" signal instead? When capacity is reached and the price spikes, "smart" thermostats automatically turn it down.

[gnm]

The currently installed version of this is called "the rolling blackout" - The only way you can truly control your power usage/availability is if you produce it. Otherwise you are at the mercy of their rather dubious planning and maintenance.

-G

[Kingcoal]

A tin foil hat for your thermostat, I love it! Ironic isn't it?

[Starvid]

Seriously... This is so stupid. Stop blasting carbon into the atmosphere, build alternatives, and then enjoy vast amounts of clean dirt cheap power.



Or if you are talking cooling, why not go for district cooling? It's dead easy technology. A cooling plant, insulated pipes to every house et voila!