Smart Fridges  

Cleantechnica reports that the UK is experimenting with smart fridges (fridges that adjust their power consumption dynamically based on grid load) - UK Giving Away “Intelligent Fridges”.

Live in the UK? You may be the lucky recipient of a free “intelligent” refrigerator. 3,000 fridges that adapt power usage based on the demands of the electrical grid will be given away by the government next year. According to a report from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change, the dynamic demand fridges could potentially save 2 million tons of carbon each year and £222m.

In addition to saving energy, the dynamic demand fridges will also help ease the transition to intermittently produced renewable energy by reducing the minimum amount of power necessary to keep the electrical grid stable— in other words, the fridges limit the base amount of fossil fuels used in energy creation.

The fridge works by monitoring energy demand with circuitry that keeps track of the electrical grid frequency. Depending on the ebb and flow of grid demand, the fridge adjusts its energy use— all within normal parameters.

While the UK’s trial will only look at refrigerators, dynamic demand technology can be used in other electronics as well. Possible applications include air conditioners, immersion heaters, and electric car chargers.