This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE,
but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners
to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible
power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can
be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort
of users.
Air conditioning: from enemy to ally
* Air conditioning use = more electricity demand in summer.
* Peak consumption ? risk of blackouts.
* New system: controls ACs without affecting comfort.
* Technology tested in 100 homes (Texas).
* Results: regulates the grid like a power plant.
* Zero nuisance for users.
* Compatible with smart thermostats.
* Contributes to integrating renewable energies.
How air-conditioning can help the grid instead of overloading it
In summer, the massive use of air conditioners generates peaks in
electricity consumption. These peaks force expensive and polluting power >plants to be activated, compromising grid stability and increasing
carbon emissions. In some cases, this overload can even lead to
blackouts or planned outages.
However, recent research shows that it is possible to transform this
problem into a solution. Through intelligent control systems, it is
feasible to coordinate the operation of hundreds of air conditioning
units without affecting the comfort of users, while at the same time
helping to stabilise the electricity grid.
Adjustable equipment, smart grids
Historically, the electricity grid was designed to operate with large
thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, nuclear) that adjusted their
output in real time according to demand. But with the increasing
penetration of intermittent renewables (such as solar and wind), this
model is no longer sustainable.
Today, the focus is on distributed energy resources: systems that
generate, store or regulate energy consumption close to the end user.
This is where electric vehicles, heat pumps, water heaters and smart air >conditioners come into play, which can automatically modify their
consumption without human intervention.
The problem of frequency
The electricity grid must be maintained at a constant frequency (60 Hz
in North America). When demand exceeds generation, the frequency goes
down; when there is excess generation, it goes up. Power plants adjust
their output to maintain balance, a process known as frequency regulation.
But what if household appliances could also participate in this adjustment?
Pilot test: air conditioning as a frequency regulator
Between 2019 and 2023, a team led by the University of Michigan,
together with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of
California at Berkeley, conducted a pilot test in 100 homes in Austin,
Texas. The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of >modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency
of the grid.
The adjustment was minimal: they always stayed within the temperature
range defined by the thermostats. The aim was to achieve a collective
change in electricity consumption, almost imperceptible to the users,
but relevant to the electrical system.
Key results
* Frequency regulation as accurate as that of a traditional power plant.
* No discomfort reported by most users.
* Indoor temperature never deviated more than 0.9�C from set point.
* Less than 2% of households requested to deactivate the system in
any test.
* Full compatibility with smart thermostats already available on the
market.
Incentives and adoption
This type of technology can be easily integrated into voluntary
programmes offered by utilities or manufacturers of smart thermostats.
In exchange for bill credits, the user allows their air conditioner to >cooperate with the grid at critical times, without them noticing the >difference.
Potential
Turning air conditioning into a flexible asset transforms a large energy >consumer into a balancing and efficiency tool. Deploying it on a large
scale would:
* Reduce fossil fuel use at times of high demand.
* Increase the capacity to integrate renewable sources (less
reliance on backup power plants).
* Reduce global emissions associated with summer electricity
consumption.
* Improve energy resilience to heat waves and consumption peaks.
* Empower citizens to actively participate in the energy transition,
without sacrificing their comfort.
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to
move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation:
A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE,
but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation:
A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the
best they can do is load shed.
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE,
but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners
to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible
power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can
be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort
of users.
Air conditioning: from enemy to ally
* Air conditioning use = more electricity demand in summer.
* Peak consumption ? risk of blackouts.
* New system: controls ACs without affecting comfort.
* Technology tested in 100 homes (Texas).
* Results: regulates the grid like a power plant.
* Zero nuisance for users.
* Compatible with smart thermostats.
* Contributes to integrating renewable energies.
How air-conditioning can help the grid instead of overloading it
In summer, the massive use of air conditioners generates peaks in
electricity consumption. These peaks force expensive and polluting power
plants to be activated, compromising grid stability and increasing
carbon emissions. In some cases, this overload can even lead to
blackouts or planned outages.
However, recent research shows that it is possible to transform this
problem into a solution. Through intelligent control systems, it is
feasible to coordinate the operation of hundreds of air conditioning
units without affecting the comfort of users, while at the same time
helping to stabilise the electricity grid.
Adjustable equipment, smart grids
Historically, the electricity grid was designed to operate with large
thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, nuclear) that adjusted their
output in real time according to demand. But with the increasing
penetration of intermittent renewables (such as solar and wind), this
model is no longer sustainable.
Today, the focus is on distributed energy resources: systems that
generate, store or regulate energy consumption close to the end user.
This is where electric vehicles, heat pumps, water heaters and smart air
conditioners come into play, which can automatically modify their
consumption without human intervention.
The problem of frequency
The electricity grid must be maintained at a constant frequency (60 Hz
in North America). When demand exceeds generation, the frequency goes
down; when there is excess generation, it goes up. Power plants adjust
their output to maintain balance, a process known as frequency regulation. >>
But what if household appliances could also participate in this adjustment? >>
Pilot test: air conditioning as a frequency regulator
Between 2019 and 2023, a team led by the University of Michigan,
together with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of
California at Berkeley, conducted a pilot test in 100 homes in Austin,
Texas. The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of
modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency
of the grid.
The adjustment was minimal: they always stayed within the temperature
range defined by the thermostats. The aim was to achieve a collective
change in electricity consumption, almost imperceptible to the users,
but relevant to the electrical system.
Key results
* Frequency regulation as accurate as that of a traditional power plant. >> * No discomfort reported by most users.
* Indoor temperature never deviated more than 0.9°C from set point.
* Less than 2% of households requested to deactivate the system in
any test.
* Full compatibility with smart thermostats already available on the
market.
Incentives and adoption
This type of technology can be easily integrated into voluntary
programmes offered by utilities or manufacturers of smart thermostats.
In exchange for bill credits, the user allows their air conditioner to
cooperate with the grid at critical times, without them noticing the
difference.
Potential
Turning air conditioning into a flexible asset transforms a large energy
consumer into a balancing and efficiency tool. Deploying it on a large
scale would:
* Reduce fossil fuel use at times of high demand.
* Increase the capacity to integrate renewable sources (less
reliance on backup power plants).
* Reduce global emissions associated with summer electricity
consumption.
* Improve energy resilience to heat waves and consumption peaks.
* Empower citizens to actively participate in the energy transition,
without sacrificing their comfort.
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to
move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation:
A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the
best they can do is load shed.
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible power plant.*
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
On 6/14/25 8:50 AM, john larkin wrote:
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the
best they can do is load shed.
Nuclear power plants also usually operate at 100% rated power so don't
have any reserve either.
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generatingImproving efficiency by load shedding means hotter homes. Why not just mandate that no thermostats can go below 80F?
power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of
power usage.
Pretty sure the point of the research was to find a simple way for air conditioners loading to be applied to the grid in a controlled fashion, rather
than random starts and stops. This aids in keeping the loading factor under better control so another power generation source isn't needed to keep the line
frequency stable.
What I've read sounds like good information for coordinating air conditioners across a wide area.
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generating power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of power usage.
Isn't something like this used industrially for load balancing and scheduling?
This is taking it to the homes...
https://www.testworld.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-energy-through-load-balancing-and-load-scheduling.pdf
On 2025-06-14 8:50 a.m., john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE, >>> but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners >>> to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible
power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can
be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort
of users.
Air conditioning: from enemy to ally
* Air conditioning use = more electricity demand in summer.
* Peak consumption ? risk of blackouts.
* New system: controls ACs without affecting comfort.
* Technology tested in 100 homes (Texas).
* Results: regulates the grid like a power plant.
* Zero nuisance for users.
* Compatible with smart thermostats.
* Contributes to integrating renewable energies.
How air-conditioning can help the grid instead of overloading it
In summer, the massive use of air conditioners generates peaks in
electricity consumption. These peaks force expensive and polluting power >>> plants to be activated, compromising grid stability and increasing
carbon emissions. In some cases, this overload can even lead to
blackouts or planned outages.
However, recent research shows that it is possible to transform this
problem into a solution. Through intelligent control systems, it is
feasible to coordinate the operation of hundreds of air conditioning
units without affecting the comfort of users, while at the same time
helping to stabilise the electricity grid.
Adjustable equipment, smart grids
Historically, the electricity grid was designed to operate with large
thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, nuclear) that adjusted their
output in real time according to demand. But with the increasing
penetration of intermittent renewables (such as solar and wind), this
model is no longer sustainable.
Today, the focus is on distributed energy resources: systems that
generate, store or regulate energy consumption close to the end user.
This is where electric vehicles, heat pumps, water heaters and smart air >>> conditioners come into play, which can automatically modify their
consumption without human intervention.
The problem of frequency
The electricity grid must be maintained at a constant frequency (60 Hz
in North America). When demand exceeds generation, the frequency goes
down; when there is excess generation, it goes up. Power plants adjust
their output to maintain balance, a process known as frequency regulation. >>>
But what if household appliances could also participate in this adjustment? >>>
Pilot test: air conditioning as a frequency regulator
Between 2019 and 2023, a team led by the University of Michigan,
together with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of
California at Berkeley, conducted a pilot test in 100 homes in Austin,
Texas. The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of
modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency
of the grid.
The adjustment was minimal: they always stayed within the temperature
range defined by the thermostats. The aim was to achieve a collective
change in electricity consumption, almost imperceptible to the users,
but relevant to the electrical system.
Key results
* Frequency regulation as accurate as that of a traditional power plant.
* No discomfort reported by most users.
* Indoor temperature never deviated more than 0.9�C from set point.
* Less than 2% of households requested to deactivate the system in
any test.
* Full compatibility with smart thermostats already available on the >>> market.
Incentives and adoption
This type of technology can be easily integrated into voluntary
programmes offered by utilities or manufacturers of smart thermostats.
In exchange for bill credits, the user allows their air conditioner to
cooperate with the grid at critical times, without them noticing the
difference.
Potential
Turning air conditioning into a flexible asset transforms a large energy >>> consumer into a balancing and efficiency tool. Deploying it on a large
scale would:
* Reduce fossil fuel use at times of high demand.
* Increase the capacity to integrate renewable sources (less
reliance on backup power plants).
* Reduce global emissions associated with summer electricity
consumption.
* Improve energy resilience to heat waves and consumption peaks.
* Empower citizens to actively participate in the energy transition, >>> without sacrificing their comfort.
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to
move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation: >>> A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the
best they can do is load shed.
Pretty sure the point of the research was to find a simple way for air >conditioners loading to be applied to the grid in a controlled fashion, >rather than random starts and stops. This aids in keeping the loading
factor under better control so another power generation source isn't
needed to keep the line frequency stable.
What I've read sounds like good information for coordinating air
conditioners across a wide area.
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generating >power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of
power usage.
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 11:15:40 -0700, John Robertson <[email protected]>
wrote:
On 2025-06-14 8:50 a.m., john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE, >>>> but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners >>>> to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible
power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can >>>> be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort >>>> of users.
Air conditioning: from enemy to ally
* Air conditioning use = more electricity demand in summer.
* Peak consumption ? risk of blackouts.
* New system: controls ACs without affecting comfort.
* Technology tested in 100 homes (Texas).
* Results: regulates the grid like a power plant.
* Zero nuisance for users.
* Compatible with smart thermostats.
* Contributes to integrating renewable energies.
How air-conditioning can help the grid instead of overloading it
In summer, the massive use of air conditioners generates peaks in
electricity consumption. These peaks force expensive and polluting power >>>> plants to be activated, compromising grid stability and increasing
carbon emissions. In some cases, this overload can even lead to
blackouts or planned outages.
However, recent research shows that it is possible to transform this
problem into a solution. Through intelligent control systems, it is
feasible to coordinate the operation of hundreds of air conditioning
units without affecting the comfort of users, while at the same time
helping to stabilise the electricity grid.
Adjustable equipment, smart grids
Historically, the electricity grid was designed to operate with large
thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, nuclear) that adjusted their
output in real time according to demand. But with the increasing
penetration of intermittent renewables (such as solar and wind), this
model is no longer sustainable.
Today, the focus is on distributed energy resources: systems that
generate, store or regulate energy consumption close to the end user.
This is where electric vehicles, heat pumps, water heaters and smart air >>>> conditioners come into play, which can automatically modify their
consumption without human intervention.
The problem of frequency
The electricity grid must be maintained at a constant frequency (60 Hz >>>> in North America). When demand exceeds generation, the frequency goes
down; when there is excess generation, it goes up. Power plants adjust >>>> their output to maintain balance, a process known as frequency regulation. >>>>
But what if household appliances could also participate in this adjustment?
Pilot test: air conditioning as a frequency regulator
Between 2019 and 2023, a team led by the University of Michigan,
together with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of
California at Berkeley, conducted a pilot test in 100 homes in Austin, >>>> Texas. The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of >>>> modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency >>>> of the grid.
The adjustment was minimal: they always stayed within the temperature
range defined by the thermostats. The aim was to achieve a collective
change in electricity consumption, almost imperceptible to the users,
but relevant to the electrical system.
Key results
* Frequency regulation as accurate as that of a traditional power plant.
* No discomfort reported by most users.
* Indoor temperature never deviated more than 0.9°C from set point. >>>> * Less than 2% of households requested to deactivate the system in >>>> any test.
* Full compatibility with smart thermostats already available on the >>>> market.
Incentives and adoption
This type of technology can be easily integrated into voluntary
programmes offered by utilities or manufacturers of smart thermostats. >>>> In exchange for bill credits, the user allows their air conditioner to >>>> cooperate with the grid at critical times, without them noticing the
difference.
Potential
Turning air conditioning into a flexible asset transforms a large energy >>>> consumer into a balancing and efficiency tool. Deploying it on a large >>>> scale would:
* Reduce fossil fuel use at times of high demand.
* Increase the capacity to integrate renewable sources (less
reliance on backup power plants).
* Reduce global emissions associated with summer electricity
consumption.
* Improve energy resilience to heat waves and consumption peaks.
* Empower citizens to actively participate in the energy transition, >>>> without sacrificing their comfort.
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to
move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation: >>>> A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the
best they can do is load shed.
Pretty sure the point of the research was to find a simple way for air
conditioners loading to be applied to the grid in a controlled fashion,
rather than random starts and stops. This aids in keeping the loading
factor under better control so another power generation source isn't
needed to keep the line frequency stable.
What I've read sounds like good information for coordinating air
conditioners across a wide area.
500,000 a/c units, cycling randomly, will be a very smooth load. About
all that wide-range remote controls can do is crank down their total
power. That would help, of course, when generation can't meet demand.
Seems easier to me to have adequate full-time generating capacity.
That's an old-fashioned concept.
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generating
power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of
power usage.
Improving efficiency by load shedding means hotter homes. Why not just mandate that no thermostats can go below 80F?
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts of the
cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny
parts of the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load
waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
As home thermostats are not precision devices -- AND ONLY MEASURE THE TEMPERATURE AT ONE LOCATION IN THE HOUSE'S VOLUME -- an occupant
would likely never notice if the plant turned on at its "intended"
setpoint or some delta above.
The question is whether or not the control algorithm allows the
local plant to be operated with greater *symmetric* hysteresis
or if it just lets the cooling cycle be delayed without regard
to the actual temperature.
It's just silly to rely on antiquated control approaches when
it's so easy to have smarts "at the edge". E.g., how smart is
it to allow the thermostat to call for cooling (or heat)
one minute before the setpoint temperature is SCHEDULED
(by the user's scheduling decisions!) to go up (or down) by
an amount that likely exceeds the hysteresis in the system?
E.g., house maintaining 68F for heat and at 1 minute prior to bedtime,
the thermostat notices it is now 67.9F and calls for heat... when
the setpoint will be lowered to 62 a minute later? (and, the
changing of the setpoint likely causing the heating cycle to be
prematurely aborted: "Oh, the house is now at 67.93 degrees
and the setpoint is 62 so let's shutdown the plant instead of
waiting for it to attain the OLD setpoint of 68F...")
Imagine the stresses on the equipment by all this ineffective
cycling (esp the compressor!)
Ideally, you want to notice how the system behaves and tune
your controls to maximize *it's* ability to satisfy the
user's stated needs while reaping some rewards for the provider
(and, ultimately, for the user by way of reduced capital
investments)
On 2025-06-14 23:17, john larkin wrote:
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generatingImproving efficiency by load shedding means hotter homes. Why not just
power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of
power usage.
mandate that no thermostats can go below 80F?
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts
of the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.
On 6/14/25 3:29 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts of >>> the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
As home thermostats are not precision devices -- AND ONLY MEASURE THE
TEMPERATURE AT ONE LOCATION IN THE HOUSE'S VOLUME -- an occupant
would likely never notice if the plant turned on at its "intended"
setpoint or some delta above.
The question is whether or not the control algorithm allows the
local plant to be operated with greater *symmetric* hysteresis
or if it just lets the cooling cycle be delayed without regard
to the actual temperature.
It's just silly to rely on antiquated control approaches when
it's so easy to have smarts "at the edge". E.g., how smart is
it to allow the thermostat to call for cooling (or heat)
one minute before the setpoint temperature is SCHEDULED
(by the user's scheduling decisions!) to go up (or down) by
an amount that likely exceeds the hysteresis in the system?
E.g., house maintaining 68F for heat and at 1 minute prior to bedtime,
the thermostat notices it is now 67.9F and calls for heat... when
the setpoint will be lowered to 62 a minute later? (and, the
changing of the setpoint likely causing the heating cycle to be
prematurely aborted: "Oh, the house is now at 67.93 degrees
and the setpoint is 62 so let's shutdown the plant instead of
waiting for it to attain the OLD setpoint of 68F...")
Imagine the stresses on the equipment by all this ineffective
cycling (esp the compressor!)
Ideally, you want to notice how the system behaves and tune
your controls to maximize *it's* ability to satisfy the
user's stated needs while reaping some rewards for the provider
(and, ultimately, for the user by way of reduced capital
investments)
Many thermostats have had those features for at least the last decade.
My ten year old Carrier thermostat addresses most of those items. It also has
an exterior outside temperature sensor and takes in weather predictions over the internet so that it ramps the temperature appropriately and maintains a comfortable temperature and humidity.
The compressor protection is commonly built into the compressor control unit so
that any command from the thermostat that compromises the compressor safety is
ignored until safe.
On 6/14/25 2:17 PM, john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 11:15:40 -0700, John Robertson <[email protected]>
wrote:
On 2025-06-14 8:50 a.m., john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today; >>>>> the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE, >>>>> but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners >>>>> to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible >>>>> power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can >>>>> be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort >>>>> of users.
Air conditioning: from enemy to ally
* Air conditioning use = more electricity demand in summer.
* Peak consumption ? risk of blackouts.
* New system: controls ACs without affecting comfort.
* Technology tested in 100 homes (Texas).
* Results: regulates the grid like a power plant.
* Zero nuisance for users.
* Compatible with smart thermostats.
* Contributes to integrating renewable energies.
How air-conditioning can help the grid instead of overloading it
In summer, the massive use of air conditioners generates peaks in
electricity consumption. These peaks force expensive and polluting power >>>>> plants to be activated, compromising grid stability and increasing
carbon emissions. In some cases, this overload can even lead to
blackouts or planned outages.
However, recent research shows that it is possible to transform this >>>>> problem into a solution. Through intelligent control systems, it is
feasible to coordinate the operation of hundreds of air conditioning >>>>> units without affecting the comfort of users, while at the same time >>>>> helping to stabilise the electricity grid.
Adjustable equipment, smart grids
Historically, the electricity grid was designed to operate with large >>>>> thermal power plants (coal, natural gas, nuclear) that adjusted their >>>>> output in real time according to demand. But with the increasing
penetration of intermittent renewables (such as solar and wind), this >>>>> model is no longer sustainable.
Today, the focus is on distributed energy resources: systems that
generate, store or regulate energy consumption close to the end user. >>>>> This is where electric vehicles, heat pumps, water heaters and smart air >>>>> conditioners come into play, which can automatically modify their
consumption without human intervention.
The problem of frequency
The electricity grid must be maintained at a constant frequency (60 Hz >>>>> in North America). When demand exceeds generation, the frequency goes >>>>> down; when there is excess generation, it goes up. Power plants adjust >>>>> their output to maintain balance, a process known as frequency regulation.
But what if household appliances could also participate in this adjustment?
Pilot test: air conditioning as a frequency regulator
Between 2019 and 2023, a team led by the University of Michigan,
together with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of
California at Berkeley, conducted a pilot test in 100 homes in Austin, >>>>> Texas. The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of >>>>> modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency >>>>> of the grid.
The adjustment was minimal: they always stayed within the temperature >>>>> range defined by the thermostats. The aim was to achieve a collective >>>>> change in electricity consumption, almost imperceptible to the users, >>>>> but relevant to the electrical system.
Key results
* Frequency regulation as accurate as that of a traditional power plant.
* No discomfort reported by most users.
* Indoor temperature never deviated more than 0.9�C from set point. >>>>> * Less than 2% of households requested to deactivate the system in >>>>> any test.
* Full compatibility with smart thermostats already available on the >>>>> market.
Incentives and adoption
This type of technology can be easily integrated into voluntary
programmes offered by utilities or manufacturers of smart thermostats. >>>>> In exchange for bill credits, the user allows their air conditioner to >>>>> cooperate with the grid at critical times, without them noticing the >>>>> difference.
Potential
Turning air conditioning into a flexible asset transforms a large energy >>>>> consumer into a balancing and efficiency tool. Deploying it on a large >>>>> scale would:
* Reduce fossil fuel use at times of high demand.
* Increase the capacity to integrate renewable sources (less
reliance on backup power plants).
* Reduce global emissions associated with summer electricity
consumption.
* Improve energy resilience to heat waves and consumption peaks. >>>>> * Empower citizens to actively participate in the energy transition, >>>>> without sacrificing their comfort.
This approach represents a smart, efficient and cost-effective way to >>>>> move towards a cleaner and more balanced energy model.
More information: Controlling Air Conditioners for Frequency Regulation: >>>>> A Real-World Example | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
A/C units don't generate power. When renewables can't meet demand, the >>>> best they can do is load shed.
Pretty sure the point of the research was to find a simple way for air
conditioners loading to be applied to the grid in a controlled fashion,
rather than random starts and stops. This aids in keeping the loading
factor under better control so another power generation source isn't
needed to keep the line frequency stable.
What I've read sounds like good information for coordinating air
conditioners across a wide area.
500,000 a/c units, cycling randomly, will be a very smooth load. About
all that wide-range remote controls can do is crank down their total
power. That would help, of course, when generation can't meet demand.
Seems easier to me to have adequate full-time generating capacity.
That's an old-fashioned concept.
Nowhere in the post does it say that air conditioners are generating
power...the reduction of fuel use is due to increased efficiency of
power usage.
Improving efficiency by load shedding means hotter homes. Why not just
mandate that no thermostats can go below 80F?
It can be dynamic. It doesn't have to be all the time.
PG&E operates a system they call SmartAC where they can remotely control
the temperature of the air-conditioning to reduce grid stress to move >consumption to times of less stress.
They will only do this during certain hours. In return the user gets
some benefits.
On 6/14/2025 4:09 PM, KevinJ93 wrote:
On 6/14/25 3:29 PM, Don Y wrote:
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny
parts of the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load
waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
As home thermostats are not precision devices -- AND ONLY MEASURE THE
TEMPERATURE AT ONE LOCATION IN THE HOUSE'S VOLUME -- an occupant
would likely never notice if the plant turned on at its "intended"
setpoint or some delta above.
The question is whether or not the control algorithm allows the
local plant to be operated with greater *symmetric* hysteresis
or if it just lets the cooling cycle be delayed without regard
to the actual temperature.
It's just silly to rely on antiquated control approaches when
it's so easy to have smarts "at the edge". E.g., how smart is
it to allow the thermostat to call for cooling (or heat)
one minute before the setpoint temperature is SCHEDULED
(by the user's scheduling decisions!) to go up (or down) by
an amount that likely exceeds the hysteresis in the system?
E.g., house maintaining 68F for heat and at 1 minute prior to bedtime,
the thermostat notices it is now 67.9F and calls for heat... when
the setpoint will be lowered to 62 a minute later? (and, the
changing of the setpoint likely causing the heating cycle to be
prematurely aborted: "Oh, the house is now at 67.93 degrees
and the setpoint is 62 so let's shutdown the plant instead of
waiting for it to attain the OLD setpoint of 68F...")
Imagine the stresses on the equipment by all this ineffective
cycling (esp the compressor!)
Ideally, you want to notice how the system behaves and tune
your controls to maximize *it's* ability to satisfy the
user's stated needs while reaping some rewards for the provider
(and, ultimately, for the user by way of reduced capital
investments)
Many thermostats have had those features for at least the last decade.
My ten year old Carrier thermostat addresses most of those items. It
also has
Then, how many minutes BEFORE as setpoint change will it ignore the
scheduled change? Does it look at the response of the interior to
such changes and adapt so the "back off" varies with temperature,
setpoint difference, outdoor temperature and wind speed? Otherwise,
you're just shifting the point at which it makes an unfortunate
change in control.
[The thermostat that I designed for my parents, *40* years ago
does those things. But, still for a single measurement point
in the house (e.g., my bedroom was always considerably warmer
than the rest of the house; the kitchen always considerably
cooler -- partly because of the house's orientation on the lot
and partly because of the way the heating was plumbed). But,
the thermostat knew how to get the heat (no central air) *to*
the desired temperature *at* the specified time -- instead of
simply switching setpoints at those times]
an exterior outside temperature sensor and takes in weather
predictions over the internet so that it ramps the temperature
appropriately and maintains a comfortable temperature and humidity.
I do that here -- adding decision criteria as to when the swamp cooler
can be called on to provide cooling (cognizant of a "comfort factor").
If today's OUTDOOR temperature is likely to be more than ~30 degrees
above the desired indoor temperature, then the cooler is ill-advised
as refrigeration will be required once the indoor-outdoor differential reaches that point. As I (currently) have to rely on manual action
to vent the house adequately, you don't want to have to tell the
homeowner to close all the windows so the ACbrrr can come online.
The compressor protection is commonly built into the compressor
control unit so that any command from the thermostat that compromises
the compressor safety is ignored until safe.
The compressor won't usually turn ON until a suitable time has elapsed
to ensure the compressor's pressure has leaked off to a safe starting point. But, once commanded on, it will usually turn off as soon as
told to turn off. Has it done any meaningful work in that short
time? Or, just cycled out of blind devotion to the control signal?
This makes for some interesting design decisions. E.g., if the
user specifies a setpoint of 68F at 7AM and 72F at 7:30AM, it is
possible that you might need to overshoot the 68F in order to
be able to attain the 72F. Likewise, specifying 68F at 7A
and 65F at 7:30A... should it even bother trying to meet the
earlier specification given that the user has effectively
said he doesn't care about that temperature 30 minutes later?
Historically, the user is allowed to remain ignorant of the costs
of his decisions. Largely because the control systems don't
have the knowledge -- nor ability -- to inform the user.
"If you raise your cooling temperature by 1 degree, I can save
you $X today."
E.g., house maintaining 68F for heat and at 1 minute prior to bedtime, >>>> the thermostat notices it is now 67.9F and calls for heat... when
the setpoint will be lowered to 62 a minute later? (and, the
changing of the setpoint likely causing the heating cycle to be
prematurely aborted: "Oh, the house is now at 67.93 degrees
and the setpoint is 62 so let's shutdown the plant instead of
waiting for it to attain the OLD setpoint of 68F...")
Imagine the stresses on the equipment by all this ineffective
cycling (esp the compressor!)
Ideally, you want to notice how the system behaves and tune
your controls to maximize *it's* ability to satisfy the
user's stated needs while reaping some rewards for the provider
(and, ultimately, for the user by way of reduced capital
investments)
Many thermostats have had those features for at least the last decade.
My ten year old Carrier thermostat addresses most of those items. It also has
Then, how many minutes BEFORE as setpoint change will it ignore the
scheduled change? Does it look at the response of the interior to
such changes and adapt so the "back off" varies with temperature,
setpoint difference, outdoor temperature and wind speed? Otherwise,
you're just shifting the point at which it makes an unfortunate
change in control.
I don't know how many minutes prediction it does but it is supposed to do similar to what you describe. There is very little user control, just to enable
or disable the feature.
[The thermostat that I designed for my parents, *40* years ago
does those things. But, still for a single measurement point
in the house (e.g., my bedroom was always considerably warmer
than the rest of the house; the kitchen always considerably
cooler -- partly because of the house's orientation on the lot
and partly because of the way the heating was plumbed). But,
the thermostat knew how to get the heat (no central air) *to*
the desired temperature *at* the specified time -- instead of
simply switching setpoints at those times]
That's what it's supposed to do. You set the times that you want it to be at the target temperature and it is supposed to learn and predict how much in advance to start heating/cooling. I have noticed that it starts operating at different times depending upon the weather/existing house temperature. I do have the room temperature logged by the home automation system and it seems to
reach the target temperatures pretty much at the requested times.
an exterior outside temperature sensor and takes in weather predictions over
the internet so that it ramps the temperature appropriately and maintains a >>> comfortable temperature and humidity.
I do that here -- adding decision criteria as to when the swamp cooler
can be called on to provide cooling (cognizant of a "comfort factor").
If today's OUTDOOR temperature is likely to be more than ~30 degrees
above the desired indoor temperature, then the cooler is ill-advised
as refrigeration will be required once the indoor-outdoor differential
reaches that point. As I (currently) have to rely on manual action
to vent the house adequately, you don't want to have to tell the
homeowner to close all the windows so the ACbrrr can come online.
The compressor protection is commonly built into the compressor control unit
so that any command from the thermostat that compromises the compressor
safety is ignored until safe.
The compressor won't usually turn ON until a suitable time has elapsed
to ensure the compressor's pressure has leaked off to a safe starting
point. But, once commanded on, it will usually turn off as soon as
told to turn off. Has it done any meaningful work in that short
time? Or, just cycled out of blind devotion to the control signal?
There can be significant delay from manually altering the target point (for both enabling and disabling) but as the control input is not visible I don't know whether the thermostat or controller is doing that.
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 16:01:50 -0700, KevinJ93 <[email protected]>
wrote:
On 6/14/25 2:17 PM, john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 11:15:40 -0700, John Robertson <[email protected]>
wrote:
On 2025-06-14 8:50 a.m., john larkin wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<[email protected]d> wrote:
It can be dynamic. It doesn't have to be all the time.
PG&E operates a system they call SmartAC where they can remotely control
the temperature of the air-conditioning to reduce grid stress to move
consumption to times of less stress.
They will only do this during certain hours. In return the user gets
some benefits.
Sure. As the sun goes down and the wind doesn't blow, turn everybody's
a/c off. That's better than rolling blackouts.
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny
parts of the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load
waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
On 2025-06-15 00:29, Don Y wrote:
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts of >>> the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
I understand they are adjusting the frequency.
My AC doesn't have a thermostat,
it is continuously adjusted in tiny power adjustments with an inverter. Switching a thermostat on/off would destroy it.
On 6/15/2025 12:40 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
On 2025-06-15 00:29, Don Y wrote:
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
That's not what they are doing. They are changing the load in tiny parts of
the cycle, 50 or 60 times per second. Changing the load waveform.
No, they are deferring the start of the compressor and/or blower.
I understand they are adjusting the frequency.
"The air conditioners were connected to control boards capable of modifying the on/off cycle of the compressor depending on the frequency of the grid."
I.e., deciding when the compressor would run and when it would NOT run.
E.g., They aren't talking about using VFDs for the compressors.
Rather, they are trying to alter when compressors are engaged to better balance the load so a given "supply" can remain more constant.
[The frequency of the supply varies depending on how outsized the
load happens to be at any given point in time]
My AC doesn't have a thermostat,
Then how does it know when to run and not run?
it is continuously adjusted in tiny power adjustments with an inverter.
Switching a thermostat on/off would destroy it.
So, in winter, it still cools?
On 6/15/2025 12:40 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
On 2025-06-15 00:29, Don Y wrote:
On 6/14/2025 2:53 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
My AC doesn't have a thermostat,
Then how does it know when to run and not run?
it is continuously adjusted in tiny power adjustments with an
inverter. Switching a thermostat on/off would destroy it.
So, in winter, it still cools?
My AC doesn't have a thermostat,
Then how does it know when to run and not run?
It is not an ON/OFF thermostat, it is more likely a PID controller, probably implemented in software.
The result is that the compressor, once the target temp is reached, runs at low
speed, matching the exact heat/cold wasted and maintaining a constant temperature. There is an inverter controlling the speed of the compressor.
it is continuously adjusted in tiny power adjustments with an inverter.
Switching a thermostat on/off would destroy it.
So, in winter, it still cools?
No, if powered the air would flow, but the compressor would be stopped. Actually, the user would push a button in the remote, and the unit would generate heat instead.
This is an automated translation (DeepL) of an article I found today;
the original is in Spanish. There is an article in English at the IEEEE,
but you need an account to read.
<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10783092>
<https://ecoinventos.com/un-equipo-de-investigacion-logro-coordinar-100-aires-acondicionados-domesticos-para-estabilizar-la-red-electrica-en-tiempo-real/>
*A research team has managed to coordinate 100 domestic air conditioners
to stabilise the power grid in real time, as if they were a flexible
power plant.*
5-6 minutes
A research team demonstrated that many residential air conditioners can
be coordinated to support the power grid without affecting the comfort
of users.
Just because you can, doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Better just to distribute some kind of request and let
the end user respond (or not).
Otherwise it's just one more thing that prevents operation
or another com-hacking vulnerability.
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