Ecobee’s new Community Energy Savings Program will detect energy emergencies and automatically adjust your thermostat to reduce the risk of a power outage. Users can also upgrade their participation in their utility’s demand response program to earn $125 rewards.
Ecobee makes some of the best thermostats on the market, and its Eco Plus software helps you optimize your energy usage to reduce costs. The smart home equipment maker has just launched a new feature called Community Energy Savings, which allows you to adjust your thermostat when there is a risk of energy shortage.
The latest feature in Ecobee’s Eco Plus suite has been in development for at least two years, according to the site. The program’s pilot in San Diego launched in 2022. Ecobee’s community energy savings program is similar to demand response programs run by utility companies to regulate energy demand. energy on the network and avoid breakdowns. Turning down thermostats in individual homes has been shown to conserve energy during bad weather. Ecobee promises to notify users of network emergency alerts as well as how long the temperature will be changed.
According to Ecobee’s blog post, an energy-saving event will change the temperature of participants’ homes by 1 to 4 degrees (in Fahrenheit) for “no more than four hours”. Users are free to opt out of power saving events at any time, even during the event itself. Ecobee also allows users to opt out of the community energy savings program entirely right in the app, using the following very simple steps: https://www.ecobee.com/en-us/citizen/keep- your-community-powered-and-comfortable/#:~:text=To%20opt%20out,the%20feature%20off.. This option does not affect owners of Ecobee thermostats, who can still participate in the program when they want it.
Program participants can set preferences for cooler or warmer temperatures and can choose their level of participation based on their comfort level. Demand response programs can be notoriously inflexible, so Ecobee’s approach is a welcome change.
Eco Plus still offers the option for users to enroll in their power company’s demand response program using a mobile app for rewards of up to $125, depending on the company and regions. The program will ensure that registered users’ homes are preheated or precooled before energy demand reaches emergency levels requiring thermostats to be adjusted. In this way, users not only save up to 26% of heating and cooling costs, but also obtain financial rewards while being aware of the importance of saving but also obtaining financial rewards.
The North American Energy Reliability Commission (NERC) says up to two-thirds of North American households are at risk of energy shortages when the power grid is under undue stress, such as during a heat wave. where most households turn up their air conditioning. As summer approaches, it might be a good idea to get one of Ecobee’s smart WiFi thermostats to get ready.
Translator: Ninh Ngoc Duy – Editorial Assistant – 398601 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2008
