'Smart' appliances could ease electrical-grid woes

Did you know there's some leeway on when a refrigerator must run its automatic defrost cycle?

Well, apparently, there is, and it could help ease the stress on local energy grids during peak hours, according to GE Consumer & Industrial.

Currently, GE refrigerators' automatic defrost modes are prompted by factors like door openings. But, the company says, it could build refrigerators that delay that cycle until a local electrical grid signals it's a good off-peak time to suck down more electricity.

Refrigerators are not the only appliances that could be programmed to wait for convenient times to run.

GE is testing a whole range of what it calls "Energy Management-Enabled Appliances" with the Louisville Gas and Electric Co. in Louisville, Ky., the company announced Wednesday. It includes ranges, washers and dryers, dishwashers, and microwaves.

The appliances are equipped with a "Smart Meter" that communicates with the local power utility, and then times itself to run during off-peak periods. Consumers are still given a choice to override the program if they want to use a particular appliance during peak hours.

The program seeks to address the nationwide problem of peak energy demand, in which electrical grids are overburdened by a consumer surge in use. It's a problem power utilities are concerned about given the rise in electric plug-in vehicles.

GE estimates that there are currently about 3,000 utilities in the U.S. Many of them are considering their energy storage options, and some are considering moving to a tiered-pricing system to encourage off-peak electricity usage. Appliances that help consumers avoid peak hours could help them save money, according to GE.

But there's a catch. In order for the appliances to work, the electrical grid they operate on must communicate with the machine's "Smart Meter."

That means utilities would have to be onboard with a standardized system that allows household appliances to communicate with their grids.

[autuumn]

The idea of *Smart* appliance is a great idea, I truly hope that GE is able to work with all of the power companies to implement this idea. I don't know if the cost of these new appliances will be higher than normal so this is a concern.

My other thought is for the existing appliances. Will there be a converter/connector that consumers can easily attach to their current appliances to make them work with the electric company and how much will they cost?

[carlhage]

Do we really need to wait until there is some future technology? Just put a $2 clock in the refrigerator and run the defrost cycle at 3am. Even better, make it a radio (aka atomic) clock so you don't need to set it. The refrigerator could also pre-chill to avoid use between 3pm and 7pm. You could also use the clock in your plug-in hybrid to charge between 12-5am by default-- no need even for a smart charger, just put it in the car. Add a "Charge Now" button on the plug, otherwise it charges overhight.

Much of the hype about grid-controlled appliances seem bogus to me-- simple timers would work just as well, maybe even better. A smart-grid would make sense if there is a power emergency (maybe because of a hot day) and they want lights dimmed, air conditioners turned off, etc.

How come we don't see a push to put timers in appliances? When I visited Argentina, the washing machine had a timer like a bread machine so it would start the wash overnight. We could use that here!

[vlanois]

It's good to see companies like GE take the initiative and better utilize technology to make their products more energy efficient. In fact, several organizations are trying to work together to promote thinking like this, and to get Washington better involved. You should check out behindthegreen.org