Comments on: 'Smart' appliances could ease electrical-grid woes

GE says household machines could be built to tap grids at off-peak hours if energy companies are open to communication.

[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