My utility offers a discount by giving them limited control over our Nest thermostat. When they predict a surge in demand in the late afternoon (as people arrive home from work):
Choose a subset of customers that have agreed to the discount terms.
An hour before the start of the peak period, the thermostat is lowered by 2 degrees to pre-cool our house.
At the start of the peak period, they raise the thermostat by 1-3 degrees (above the normal setting)
At the end of the peak period (usually 2 hours long), the thermostat returns to normal.
I get a notification on my phone at least a couple of hours before this process starts.
Per the agreement, any one customer will only experience the adjustment a certain number of times in a year. I don't remember the number, but I think it's around 15.
If peak demand can be lowered, there's no need to start up more power plants. Discount programs like this and others that discourage peak period usage (like free nights and weekends) smooth out the peak demand. So, you don't have to light up as much standby capacity, and it's easier on the grid.
My state is #3 in renewable generation capacity (and #1 in non-hydro renewable), but we also have enough "idle reserve" to pick up the slack if weather conditions require it. Our idle reserve runs on natural gas, and has remained on standby. It's really easy to start it up on short notice.
Since our grid is almost entirely isolated from the rest of the US, we have to manage supply and demand ourselves. We can't buy from other states or sell excess to them, at least not in significant amounts.
I've looked into Nest and all of the devices like that. They're not coming into my home. if you're comfortable with it, fine, but hard pass from me. It's not paranoia, it's principles.
My utility offers a discount by giving them limited control over our Nest thermostat. When they predict a surge in demand in the late afternoon (as people arrive home from work):
I get a notification on my phone at least a couple of hours before this process starts.
Per the agreement, any one customer will only experience the adjustment a certain number of times in a year. I don't remember the number, but I think it's around 15.
How about we just turn the power plants back on.
If peak demand can be lowered, there's no need to start up more power plants. Discount programs like this and others that discourage peak period usage (like free nights and weekends) smooth out the peak demand. So, you don't have to light up as much standby capacity, and it's easier on the grid.
My state is #3 in renewable generation capacity (and #1 in non-hydro renewable), but we also have enough "idle reserve" to pick up the slack if weather conditions require it. Our idle reserve runs on natural gas, and has remained on standby. It's really easy to start it up on short notice.
Since our grid is almost entirely isolated from the rest of the US, we have to manage supply and demand ourselves. We can't buy from other states or sell excess to them, at least not in significant amounts.
You sound smug
Just the facts.
My state makes it work. We've reduced emissions without compromising reliability.
We do it because it lowers costs to consumers, not to worship some false god of environmentalism.
Yeah, but I'm not letting that Nest spyware into my damn house.
What's a thermostat going to do? Are you afraid someone will know what temperature you set? That's all it does.
We don't have a Google Assistant (or Alexa), and our security cameras (albeit not Nest cameras) are all on the exterior of our house.
But, I guess you aren't being paranoid if someone is really out to get you.
I've looked into Nest and all of the devices like that. They're not coming into my home. if you're comfortable with it, fine, but hard pass from me. It's not paranoia, it's principles.
If your "principles" were based on something other than paranoia, you might have a point worth considering.
Sounds like a muni? I moved from 1 single room apartment to another one in another city my electricity went from $25 to over 100.
This discount program is a partnership with Nest. Other utility companies also participate:
https://nest.com/rebates-and-rewards/
Select "energy" on the right side, then enter your ZIP code. The program is often called "Rush Hour Rewards".
An example: enter 90001 (Los Angeles). You'll see that Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power offers it:
https://nest.com/energy-partners/ladwp