Until 2020, ComEd, the largest power company in Illinois, plans to install one million smart thermostats in the homes of local residents. Her goal – to optimize energy consumption and increase the stability of customer networks during peak hours.
Space heating – in the first place by the number of required energy in the home, in third place – air conditioning. Smart thermostats to help maintain a comfortable indoor temperature in any season, and at the same time save energy. ComEd serves 3.8 million. Inhabitants of the State of Illinois, and plans to offer each subscriber unit or a smart thermostat Nest Ecobee discount of up to US $ 120 (regular price of the device – $ 249).
However, ComEd – not the only company in the US market, which has made a similar offer to their customers. For example, Southern Co., another major energy firms providing thermostats Nest subscribers who chose the “smart” power plan: it is in the hours of peak power consumption cost of services above the rest of the – below.
What state will install one million smart thermostats? Reducing the carbon footprint of 709 000 tonnes per year. In addition, each customer has established Nest or Ecobee, reduce the cost of gas and electricity at $ 131 per year, ie pay for the installation of a discount during this period.
The Nest argues that the use of the device developed by the company reduces heating costs by 10-12%, and air conditioning – 15%. Ecobee talking about reducing energy consumption by 23%.
Are companies profitable to sell less energy? Do not forget that smart thermostats can be set to reduce energy consumption at peak hours, which means that they are able to reduce production costs of the companies-suppliers of electricity and to better manage the supply network resource.
Source: Washington post