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Alphabet's Nest Wants to Build a 'Citizen-Fueled' Power Plant (bloomberg.com)

Posted by msmash on from the citizen-fueled dept.

Mark Chediak, reporting for Bloomberg:Alphabet Inc's Nest Labs is looking to enlist enough customers in California to free up as much power as a small natural gas-fired plant produces, helping alleviate potential energy shortages in the region following a massive gas leak that has restricted supplies. Nest, which supplies digital, wireless thermostats, is partnering with Edison International's Southern California Edison utility to get households enrolled in a state-established energy conservation program. The company wants to attract 50,000 customers through next summer that could shrink their total demand by as much as 50 megawatts when needed, Ben Bixby, Nest's director of energy businesses at Nest, said by phone. "We are building a citizen-fueled clean power plant," he said.

6 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. Soylent Green by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    is power!

  2. Effecient by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you burn the citizens for fuels you make more power, and need less in the future. It's a win-win

  3. Uh, no you're not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "We are building a citizen-fueled clean power plant,"

    Uh, no you're not. You are running an energy saving campaign. You are not creating anything new power here.

  4. They actually want to kick appliances off. by tlambert · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They actually want to kick appliances off. When the load is high, your blender quits working, basically.

    They actually mean "the equivalent of adding a gas-fired power plant by subtracting users who can damn well wait for their smoothies.

    Hopefully no one is stupid enough to buy a Nest dialysis machine...

  5. Better idea... by sycodon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...Have Alphabet Inc (what a stupid name) turn off the AC at the headquarters in the summer and turn off the heat in the winter. Just circulate the outside air.

    Same for all the other groups who want average consumers to make their lives uncomfortable in the name of...what the fuck ever.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    1. Re:Better idea... by CaptainLard · · Score: 3, Informative

      Just circulate the outside air.

      That would be called an economizer in HVAC speak. Pretty much every new commercial building has one and they are often retrofitted as part of maintenance and repair to existing buildings. Also those who choose to give up A/C control are paid for it. Such programs are widespread across the country. Good thing that Nest is finally using it's google $Billions and existing user base to implement it though.