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Consumer Control

ONE CHALLENGE TO A WIDER USE OF WIND ENERGY IS WHAT TO DO WHEN THE WIND STOPS BLOWING.  IT’S A QUESTION THAT HAS HOMEOWNERS ON A POWER TRIP, AS YOU’LL HEAR ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

ROB PRATT OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORY SAYS WE MAY NOT NEED TO RELY ON TRADITIONAL POWER PLANTS TO MANAGE THE NATURAL FLUCTUATIONS OF WIND ENERGY.

PRATT: THERE’S ANOTHER WAY TO PICK UP THE SLACK, AND THAT IS TO ENGAGE CUSTOMERS TO MATCH THEIR PATTERNS OF CONSUMPTION TO THE AVAILABILITY OF WIND AND SOLAR RESOURCES.

TO EXPLORE THIS APPROACH, A GROUP OF HOMEOWNERS WERE GIVEN DIGITAL TOOLS THAT ENABLED THEM TO PROGRAM THEIR POWER USE ACCORDING TO REAL-TIME ENERGY PRICES.  SO WHEN THE GRID WAS UNDER PRESSURE AND ENERGY PRICES ROSE, THEIR THERMOSTATS WERE AUTOMATICALLY LOWERED.

PRATT SAYS THIS SHOWS THAT IF THEY HAVE THE TOOLS, PEOPLE WILL WILLINGLY CUT THEIR ENERGY USE IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY WHEN THE GRID IS UNDER PRESSURE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more about the Pacific Northwest Gridwise demonstration.

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