Re: [smartpower-interest] [smartpowerdir] FYI OSTP requests input on SmartGrid

Hi,

I have two examples of interactions between consumers and the grid.

First, someone explained a French system to me a while ago.
http://www.edf-bleuciel.fr/accueil/mon-quotidien-avec-bleu-ciel-d-edf/option-tempo-141090.html

As I understand it, it is a billing option that provides consumers with 
rates for the next day and night.  The rates are defined as
Red Day - highest cost
Red Night
White Day
White Night
Blue Day
Blue Night - lowest cost

The color of the day/night is available on the web site and is also 
transmitted via pulses down the wire.  People who have a meter that 
understands this can program their circuit breaker boxes to take 
appropriate actions.  For example, if the following day is going to be 
Red, then it heats the water in the hot water tank as high as it can go 
before that time, and tries to not use any more electricity to heat the 
water until after that time.

The second is the Pacific Northwest GridWise Testbed Demonstration Project 
by PNNL.
http://gridwise.pnl.gov/docs/op_project_final_report_pnnl17167.pdf
Essentially, consumers were given appliances (washing machine and hot 
water heater) and a thermostat that could interact with their policies 
based upon time of day pricing given at 5 minute intervals.  The 
appliances could also be turned off for intervals by the power company 
when they were experiencing spikes or other problems.

Both of these examples show that the grid can give pricing information to 
consumers and that the consumers can establish policies based upon them as 
Fred was requesting.

Thanks,
Chris

On Tue, 16 Feb 2010, Michael Richardson wrote:

>
>>>>>> "Fred" == Fred Baker <fred@cisco.com> writes:
>    >> Are there papers which explain why residential SmartGrid service
>    >> is worthwhile?
>
>
>    Fred> I think it's fair to say that the Smart grid needs some
>    Fred> consumer input (understatement).
>
>    Fred> Where I have a problem, like you, is the idea that I'm going
>    Fred> to spend my day staring at the electric meter and make random
>    Fred> changes at random times at the whim of the utility. What makes
>    Fred> a lot more sense to me is the idea that the electric utility
>    Fred> will give me (or my electronic proxy) an idea today about
>    Fred> pricing issues tomorrow, and I can set up policies in
>    Fred> accordance that intelligent devices in my home will implement.
>
> Yes.... your electronic proxy.  i.e. my home automation system.
> Specifically, *MY* home automation system, not the power companies' system.
>
> From what I've heard so far from the grid people, a lot of them have not
> quite thought this through --- they think they will controlling my
> appliances, rather than me...
>
>    Fred> But imagine that I was told yesterday (or even an hour in
>    Fred> advance today) that the price would be "low" most of today but
>    Fred> between the hours of <this> and <that> the price would be
>    Fred> "high". With 24 hours notice, I could decide to do my laundry
>    Fred> in the morning, for example, if that was a real issue. With
>
> Your laundry can be sitting *in* the machine waiting to be done.
> Lord knows my laundry spends half it's life in the machine after it's
> done :-)
>
> -- 
> ]       He who is tired of Weird Al is tired of life!           |  firewalls  [
> ]   Michael Richardson, Sandelman Software Works, Ottawa, ON    |net architect[
> ] mcr@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/ |device driver[
>   Kyoto Plus: watch the video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzx1ycLXQSE>
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