Idea; a water heater with a timer that would bank hot water at a low price, store up super heated water at night when energy use is low and so are rates, at least with some utilities. And should the appliance call for heating during a high demand period it could be stuttered on and off a minute or two at a time by remote switching in a rolling brownout of only the water heaters in the area, lowering the danger of overloading the grid, or the need to fire up another fossil burner. It would have a wide internal water temp range, running less often. To avoid burns fresh cold water is metered into the hot as it leaves the tank to deliver a constant safe temp.
Scrap that idea, I'm too late. Emerson, then others will have these on the market in a year or two. They say if they go into use in large numbers it could take whole fossil fuel burners off the grid, the energy savings will be hugh, converting one of our worst energy sponges into a smart appliance, a kind of energy bank.
To hell with the Kochs and the rest of the fossil industry.
We have an electric hot water tank and it's on a timer. Kicks on at 5 am and off at 6. Gives us plenty of hot water for showers. If needed I kick it on for a few minutes just before doing supper dishes. We've used it like this for 22 years.
ReplyDeleteSherry, that's good, better than 99% of the water heaters out there. I'm glad your keeping your money from the fossil boys.
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