[ale] [OT] Load Control Switch

[Mike Harrison]

On Wed, 13 Apr 2011, Jim Kinney wrote:
> OP: Programmable thermostats are great! This meter will/may be able to read
> your thermostat and decide if your system is chugging to hard for the power
> delivery ability for the area and twiddle with the temp settings to cut back
> on power usage in summer.

Few of them do this well yet. but it is "the way". Zigbee (almost 
802.15.4) has emerged as a pseudo-standard, and it is coming.

The good ones (honeywell and others) will act as a rate display
and allow you to make decisions based on rate signals.

ie: Meter (or area transmitter) sends a CPP (Critical Peak Pricing Event) 
signal and the thermostat will (at YOUR option):

   1. Do nothing. You will pay the piper later.

   2. Move the set temp a few degrees..

   3. Move the temp sets to  no-freeze/no-bake settings.

It's requiring an insane amount of IT and communications infrastructure at
utilities that have never had this need before... And a lot of it is going 
Linux for scaling and security reasons.