Scientists at Sandia Create Self-Monitoring Smart Outlet
Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories claim to have developed the prototype of a smart outlet that can independently measure, monitor and control electrical loads.
The researchers envision the technology to develop into microgrids that can reconfigure themselves while being integrated into a larger electrical smart grid hierarchy.
The technology is based on four receptacles that are integrated into the outlet and include "voltage/current sensing; actuation (switching); a computer for implementing the controls; and an Ethernet bridge for communicating with other outlets and sending data to a collection computer."
Microgrid-enabling smart outlets could become invaluable devices as electricity supply from alternative energy sources such as wind and solar energy is less predictable and could benefit from a outlets that can manage demand on-the-fly and compensate for production variations. According to the researchers, the smart outlets will support bi-directional monitoring of electricity flow and can turn each energy-producing location to turn into an "energy island" if the main power grid goes down.
Scientists also believe that such a system would be more reliable as it reduces the chance of a single-point failure and it would be more secure as it could identify malicious control actions and prevent their distribution in the grid.
There was no information when such devices could be available commercially and how much they may cost.
Ultimately i dont like the idea of having to limit my power consumption but it could make people smarter and choose to turn off anything that they dont absolutely need to have running 24/7 which could ultimately lower the demand on the grid and maybe consumer prices (haha yea right, lower prices)
Correct.. there will be no lower prices. There will instead be a 'monitoring fee'. So not only will they limit your power consumption during low-cost times, and potentially shut off your AC during high-consumption times, but they will also tell you it costs more to manage your consumption for you. It is already happening with smart-meters. Utility companies are metering off-peak consumption forcing you to use it when they can charge more. So if you want to charge up your car at midnight, they meter it, so that when you wake up in the morning you don't have a full charge, thus forcing you to charge up your car when they make more money,..i.e immediately after work. It is already happening. Don't be fooled, anytime someone tells you it is 'for your own good' it isn't.
Ever heard of filtering ?
Realize how expensive that can get? Personally, I severely doubt it would get that bad. Usually harmonics don't really come into play until higher freqs, and the like. The noise at 115x60 is laughable.
No need for power plants anymore.
Not necessairly. PG&E has a "smart ac" program where if you opt-in, they get to throttle your air conditioner's compressor on days with excessive energy usage. It's cheaper for them if you put less load on the grid because then they don't have to upgrade the infrastructure as much.
How about two years ago? Digi International, Modlet, just to name a few. This is old hat, and already a big thing in the home automation community. Way to be two years behind the rest of the internet Sandia. Why not focus on REAL problems rather than reinventing the wheel?