Path: news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: 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.
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2025 08:50:17 -0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 137
Message-ID: <596r4k98hrbr3j5brdk3oe8rq7rdmvcing@4ax.com>
References: <8790ilx0bl.ln2@Telcontar.valinor>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Injection-Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:50:20 +0200 (CEST)
Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="85595ff12c9feb233d239a8ad3a3658c";
	logging-data="306586"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org";	posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1/Mxw1E2epiAfnCnN5HpxZx"
User-Agent: ForteAgent/8.00.32.1272
Cancel-Lock: sha1:oRSW/ZGMFry7sFIdPp9oI4FYV94=

On Sat, 14 Jun 2025 15:14:48 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<robin_listas@es.invalid> 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.