Smart Power

ajnsue writes "How would you like to control your homes power consumption at the level of the appliance - About 300 Washington State and Oregon Power users are now testing software and devices that allow them to actively control their household power consumption based on the price of power. From the article... "...(Using)real-time price information (provided) 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." This technology also provides beneift to the provider network "...The Grid Friendly TM Appliance Controller chip could help prevent widespread power outages by turning off certain parts of an appliance when it senses instability in the grid - something that happens about once a day on average. Shutting down the heating element for a few minutes, while the drum continues to tumble, would likely go unnoticed by the homeowner but drastically reduces power demand within the home...""

Comments

Excess power usage

[BadAnalogyGuy]

It's about as unlikely that a dryer would be affected by a momentarily jittery power signal as an elephant would notice stepping on a cracked peanut shell.

As for dryers automatically shutting down the heating element, it makes sense to do so to conserve energy anyway. You wouldn't leave your car engine running all night just to keep the seats warm for when you wake up the next day.

Re:Excess power usage

[CMiYC]

As for dryers automatically shutting down the heating element, it makes sense to do so to conserve energy anyway

The example of the dryer shutting down isn't to conserve energy. The example given is for when the power grid is un-stable because of execessive usage. If enough appliances suspend their power activities for a few minutes or have the ability to coordinate their usage, then the power-grid will remain stable.

Re:"Benefit"?

[Tx]

Well, cost, according to TFA. It's not strictly rationing, since the consumers choose when to curtail their energy use. But as usual I suspect the energy companies will benefit more than the consumers, and since they control the other important parameter, energy price, I guess it could indeed be seen as a sort of rationing.

Off-peak meter

[tdemark]

Doesn't all this technology re-invent what we already have via the "off-peak meter"?

When our house used electric drying, cooking, and water heating, we had a secondary meter on the outside of the house. This meter powered a separate panel to which the above devices were connected to and was scheduled to be turned off from Noon to 7 PM every day and could be turned off at any other time at the POCO's discretion.

In exchange for this, power from that meter was about 25% the cost of power from our main meter.

Doesn't all this extra technology do the practically the same thing, except a little more granular control, but with the addition of a lot of "complicated" technology (as compared to flipping a switch once a day)?

- Tony

Definitely cool and beneficial

[TheSkepticalOptimist]

There are lots of hair-brained ideas to merge the Internet with Fridges and toasters, but when it comes to energy conservation, this is where the idea makes sense. It's not an outrageous idea at all.

First, by having each appliance monitor its energy consumption, this will make consumers aware of just how much energy respective appliances are using. Outside the Geek and Nerd community, many people are simply not aware that running an oven or dryer for hours at requires a lot of energy and can cost a lot of money. If you got an electric bill that could actually break down how much money your dryer or oven costs in power, energy consumers could make more informed choices about how they use these appliances.

Second, it gives customers more control over how they use their products. Ever leave a light on at home while your at work? How about those moments when you can't remember if you turned off your oven. Having internet access connected to the appliances and circuitry in your home gives you greater control and would allow you to stop situations where you might waste energy unknowingly.

For instance, why not just shut off power going to your oven when your at work. From 9 to 5pm, no power goes to the oven. This prevents the potential waste of energy (or potential disaster of fire) of forgetting to turn the oven off.

Having this level of home automation may not be for everyone, but for those who consider themselves environmentally friendly, having more information about and greater control over how they use energy makes a lot of sense in the long run.